The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has again confirmed the arrest of a vandal in Osun State.

He was nabbed on Tuesday night by armed vigilantes in an attempt to return to sabotage a transmission tower.

The TCN also revealed that two accomplices remain at large, and are being trailed.

The incident was detailed in a statement shared by TCN via its official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday.

TCN disclosed that the same transmission tower, located in the Ikeji-Ile area of Osun State, had been previously vandalised on August 13, 2024, with vital components stolen.

The suspects reportedly returned on the night of August 26 to continue their destructive activities, leading to the arrest of one of them.

Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, in a recent statement, had expressed concern over the escalating threat of vandalism, particularly in communities hosting power installations.

She highlighted that between July 1 and August 11, 2024, TCN experienced numerous vandalism attacks across all its transmission regions.

Mbah provided several alarming incidents, including an August 7 event where security operatives intercepted vandals in a blue pick-up van loaded with stolen tower components and cables along the Damboa/Maiduguri 132KV transmission line.

Two of the vandals, according to her, were killed by hunters at the Damaturu end of the line.

Further, on August 3 and 5, 2024, vandals attacked towers in the Enugu Region. The first attack targeted Tower T9 on the Apir-Aliede 330kV transmission line, and the second targeted Tower T12 on the Apir-Otukpo-Yandev 123kV transmission line, passing through Ikpayango Village.

On August 5, vandals also cut off and stole a yellow phase conductor from towers T11 to T12 along the same route, causing a tripping of the 150MVA power transformer at the Apir Transmission Substation.

Mbah recounted additional incidents, including the vandalism of Tower T328 along the 330kV Osogbo-Ganmo line in Osogbo, Osun State, on July 24, 2024.

The attack severely damaged the tower, leaving it twisted and bent, with neighbouring towers T327 and T329 also affected. In the Benin Region, on July 19 and 25, vandals targeted towers at Oluku Community, cutting off supporting members and legs of the structures.

Similar attacks were reported in the Port Harcourt and Bauchi Regions, with multiple towers collapsing due to the damage.

Mbah appealed to host communities calling for collective action against the vandals.

The TCN’s spokesperson also urged communities, security agencies, and vigilantes to join efforts in safeguarding power installations across the country. (Channels TV)

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