Kehinde Fajobi
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has reported another case of vandalism on its Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV transmission line, which was already undergoing repairs following earlier damage.
According to a statement released on Friday by TCN spokesperson Ndidi Mbah, the latest attack occurred on Tuesday and affected towers 29 to 31, resulting in the theft of about one-third of the conductor.
TCN confirmed that a team led by Engr. Emmanuel Akpa, General Manager of the Port Harcourt Region, inspected the site and found evidence that the vandalism took place at night.
“In an attempt to prevent further theft while repair arrangements are being made, local security has been engaged at Ula Ikata in Ahoada East LGA to secure the site until repairs are completed,” the statement read.
The company explained that it plans to energise the line from the Ahoada end as a temporary measure to deter further theft.
“Efforts to replace the stolen 250mm conductor are currently underway. Despite challenges posed by difficult terrain and flooding, the restringing of the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV line is approximately 85% complete,” the statement added.
This incident follows a similar act of vandalism earlier in November in Okada and Ofosu communities along the 330kV Benin-Egbin and Benin-Omotosho transmission lines.
In that case, 31 towers were severely damaged, with critical components stolen. The affected towers were discovered by TCN linesmen during a routine patrol.
TCN engineers from the Benin Sub-Region have initiated emergency repairs to stabilise the vandalised towers and prevent disruptions to bulk power supply.
The company expressed concern over the rising cases of vandalism, describing them as a significant challenge to the expansion and stability of the national grid.
It called for public cooperation to address the issue.
“These incidents underscore the urgent need to combat the growing problem of vandalism and theft affecting Nigeria’s power infrastructure,” TCN stated.
The company also appealed to communities and security agencies to strengthen surveillance around power installations.
“As TCN intensifies its efforts to protect installations, we appeal to security operatives and local communities to be more vigilant in safeguarding power infrastructure in their areas,” it said.