The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed the collapse of six transmission towers along the Apir–Lafia 330kV Transmission Lines I and II, following acts of vandalism that disrupted power supply on the corridor.
Incident Details
In a statement issued yesterday by the General Manager, Public Affairs, TCN, Ndidi Mbah, the company said the affected towers, T125 to T130, collapsed at about 1:15 a.m. on May 30, 2026, during a heavy downpour, forcing both transmission lines out of service.
Discovery of Vandalism
According to the company, an initial trial reclosure was carried out on Line II at about 2:08 a.m. after the tripping failed, prompting a physical inspection of the transmission route. TCN said the inspection revealed extensive damage to critical components of the affected towers, confirming acts of vandalism on the infrastructure.
“As a result, both Apir–Lafia 330kV Transmission Lines I and II are currently out of service pending the reconstruction of the damaged towers,” the statement said.
Response and Mitigation
The company added that engineers had been mobilised to the site to assess the extent of the damage and determine the materials required for the restoration of transmission along the corridor. TCN disclosed that the Lafia 330kV Transmission Station was being temporarily supplied through the Lafia–Jos transmission line to reduce the impact of the outage on electricity consumers within the franchise areas of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC).
Appeal for Vigilance
The company condemned the continued vandalism of electricity infrastructure, warning that such acts threaten investments in the nation’s power transmission network. It also appealed to host communities and members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities around transmission installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office.
According to the company, collective efforts are needed to safeguard national grid assets and ensure a reliable electricity supply across the country.
