The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced the arrest of a suspect linked to the vandalism of six transmission towers along the Yola–Jalingo 330kV transmission line.
TCN disclosed that the arrest was made through a joint operation with the Nigeria Police Force after engineers discovered that critical components of the towers had been removed during a routine inspection on July 29, 2026.
The affected towers, identified as T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003, and T1004, were found to have been tampered with, with vandals reportedly removing about 130 structural components, leaving the towers weakened and unsafe.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the company said its officials and police operatives carried out a raid in the affected host community on July 30, where they engaged the village head and youth leaders to assist in identifying those behind the attack.
TCN said the police later informed the company on August 1 that a key suspect had been arrested, while some of the stolen tower components were recovered.
The company added that its officials inspected the recovered materials and urged authorities to ensure the full prosecution of the suspect.
According to TCN, valuable information has been obtained from the suspect, leading investigators to pursue other members of the alleged vandalism network.
The company condemned the continued destruction of electricity transmission infrastructure, warning that such acts threaten investments in the power sector and could affect the stability of electricity supply nationwide.
TCN urged host communities and members of the public to remain alert and report suspicious activities around power installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office, stressing that protecting critical national infrastructure requires collective responsibility.
Samuel Agada is a writer and media contributor from Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria. He is a graduate of Biochemistry from the University of Jos and a former banker with GTBank and FCMB. A prolific writer, songwriter, educator, and Gospel preacher, he is passionate about informing, inspiring, and impacting society through his work.