Six Suspected Vandals Arrested in Rivers State as TCN Decries Tower Attacks

The Port Harcourt region of TCN comprises six states: Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River. Anyaegbulem assured that the company remains committed to improving power transmission despite ongoing challenges.

Port Harcourt, Nigeria – The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Port Harcourt Region, has raised concerns over recurring attacks on its power transmission towers, revealing that six suspected vandals have been arrested and four others prosecuted within its jurisdiction.

The General Manager of TCN Port Harcourt Region, Emmanuel Anyaegbulem, disclosed this on Monday during a press briefing in Port Harcourt, where he highlighted the company’s recent achievements and challenges.

Anyaegbulem lamented the destruction of 20 towers along the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132KV lines, which plunged significant parts of Bayelsa State into darkness for four months. He stated that the incident, which occurred on July 29, 2024, marked one of the most severe challenges the company has faced.

“Some of these hoodlums used machines to cut the tower channels and sell them as scraps,” Anyaegbulem said. “To construct a single tower costs nothing less than N12 to N13 million, and when the brackets are removed, the towers become vulnerable. With the slightest breeze, they collapse, causing a cascading effect, which is exactly what happened in this case.”

The TCN GM explained that the collapse affected power transmission between Ahoada (Rivers State) and Yenagoa (Bayelsa State), resulting in the loss of 20 towers. He said the challenging swampy terrain further delayed the repair work, which was eventually completed on November 30, 2024.

Anyaegbulem emphasized the company’s efforts to address vandalism, stating, “We ensure that anyone caught is handed over to the police, and we follow through with the legal process. So far, we have successfully prosecuted four individuals, while six more suspects are currently in police custody awaiting trial.”

He called on host communities to support TCN by safeguarding its infrastructure and reporting any suspicious activities to security agencies.

Highlighting TCN’s achievements, Anyaegbulem announced the commissioning of a 100MVA power transformer at the Port Harcourt Main Transmission Substation and the rehabilitation of the 132/33KV switchyard.

He also noted the delivery of a 150MVA 330/33KV transformer at the Adiabo Substation in the Calabar sub-region and another 100/110MVA transformer at the Port Harcourt Main Transmission Substation.

The Port Harcourt region of TCN comprises six states: Rivers, Bayelsa, Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River. Anyaegbulem assured that the company remains committed to improving power transmission despite ongoing challenges.