TCN: Vandals destroyed three transmission towers on Lokoja-Gwagwalada line

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says its 330-kilovolt (kV) in Lokoja – Gwagwalada transmission line 1 has been attacked and destroyed by vandals. 

The development comes amid efforts by the federal government to overhaul the national grid due to its incessant collapse.

Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s general manager of public affairs, in a statement on Sunday, said the incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, with the vandals damaging transmission towers T306, T307, and T308.

“Early on Saturday, TCN engineers attempted to re-energize the 330kV Lokoja-Gwagwalada transmission line 1, but the line tripped,” Mbah said.

“After efforts to reclose the line failed, a patrol team of TCN linesmen was dispatched to physically trace the line for faults. 

“Upon inspection, they discovered that transmission towers T306, T307, and T308 along line 1 had been vandalized, disrupting bulk power transmission along the route.

“Further examination revealed that the vandals had stolen two spans of aluminium conductor from line one. 

“The Lokoja-Gwagwalada line is a double-circuit transmission line, and while TCN is still supplying bulk power through line two, efforts are underway to source replacement aluminium conductors for the two spans stolen from line one.”

Mbah also raised concern over the increasing trend of vandalism targeting transmission lines and towers, which is severely impacting the country’s power infrastructure.

“The rising trend of vandalism targeting transmission lines and towers has become a significant challenge, severely impacting the country’s power infrastructure and hindering the expansion and stability of the national grid,” Mbah said.

“This recent incident adds to an alarming pattern of attacks on the transmission network nationwide. 

“In the Gwagwalada area alone, recent acts of vandalism include the attack on the Gwagwalada-Kukuwaba-Apo transmission line on 10th December 2023, the Gwagwalada-Katampe line on February 26, 2024, and several others on that axis.”

Mbah also said such acts of vandalism continue to disrupt the stability and growth of Nigeria’s national grid.

On October 18, TCN  said two towers along its 330-kilovolt (kV) Shiroro-Kaduna transmission lines 1 and 2 have been vandalised.