In the early hours of Saturday, 9th November 2024, vandals targeted the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN) 330kV Lokoja-Gwagwalada transmission line 1, cutting off a key bulk power supply route in central Nigeria. TCN engineers, attempting to re-energize the line, encountered repeated tripping, prompting an inspection by TCN’s patrol team. “Upon inspection, they discovered that transmission towers T306, T307, and T308 along line 1 had been vandalized,” TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, said in a statement. “Further examination revealed that the vandals had stolen two spans of aluminum conductor from line one,” Mbah added, underlining the severe impact on power stability in the region.
While TCN has continued to supply power through the remaining circuit of the Lokoja-Gwagwalada double-circuit transmission line, the theft of essential materials has compounded challenges for the company. “Efforts are underway to source replacement aluminum conductors for the two spans stolen from line one,” Mbah explained, emphasizing the urgency of repairs.
This incident is the latest in a series of destructive attacks on power infrastructure across Nigeria, with recent acts of vandalism in the Gwagwalada area alone, including incidents on the Gwagwalada-Kukuwaba-Apo line in December 2023 and the Gwagwalada-Katampe line in February 2024. “The rising trend of vandalism targeting transmission lines and towers has become a significant challenge,” Mbah stated. “It severely impacts the country’s power infrastructure and hinders the expansion and stability of the national grid.”
Mbah appealed to the public, particularly those in communities near transmission lines, to support TCN and security agencies in curbing the attacks. “Vandalism of power installations is a disservice to us all and undermines efforts to strengthen the nation’s transmission system,” she said, urging citizens to help protect national assets essential for Nigeria’s development.
