In another severe blow to Nigeria’s power infrastructure, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed the destruction of six major electricity towers along the Apir–Lafia 330kV Transmission Lines I and II by vandals.
According to a statement issued by the General Manager of Public Affairs at TCN, Ndidi Mbah, the targeted assets spanning from tower T125 to T130 collapsed at approximately 1:15 a.m. on May 30, 2026, during a heavy downpour.
The disruption first registered on the grid when the automated protection systems tripped the lines. Engineering teams attempted a trial reclosure of Transmission Line II at 2:08 a.m. in an effort to restore power remotely, but the system configuration failed.
The persistent trip prompted technical crews to conduct a physical line trace along the rough terrain of the transmission corridor.
The deployment uncovered severe, deliberate damage to the critical structural components of the six sequential towers, confirming that sabotage, rather than weather conditions, caused the infrastructural collapse.
As a direct consequence of the vandalism, both Apir–Lafia 330kV transmission lines have been forced completely out of service, cutting off a vital supply artery for the North-Central region.
Mbah stated that TCN engineers have already mobilized to the vandalized site to conduct an integrity assessment and determine the heavy materials required to reconstruct the fallen towers.
To prevent total blackouts across the region, she noted that the TCN has initiated emergency contingency measures.
“The Lafia 330kV Transmission Station is currently receiving back-fed supply through the alternate Lafia–Jos transmission line. While this temporary rerouting aims to keep the lights on, electricity consumers within the franchise areas of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) are expected to experience load-shedding and drop-offs in power supply reliability,” the statement read in part.
Expressing deep frustration over the incident, the company also strongly condemned the relentless targeting of high-voltage national assets, pointing out that such criminal behavior systematically subverts billions of naira in power sector investments.
The agency appealed directly to host communities and the public to take ownership of local infrastructure by monitoring transmission lines and reporting suspicious activity to security agencies or nearby TCN field offices.