The Federal Government has disclosed spending N8.8 billion in 2024 to repair and restore transmission towers vandalized across various regions of the country.
Ahmed Abdulaziz, Managing Director and CEO of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), revealed this during the Quarterly Power Sector Working Group meeting held in Abuja. Represented by TCN’s Executive Director of Transmission Service Provider, Engr. Olugbenga Ajiboye, Abdulaziz stated that 128 transmission towers were damaged by vandals or bandits between January and November 2024.
Speaking on the challenges faced in addressing vandalism, Abdulaziz lamented the inability to secure convictions for arrested suspects, as they are often released on bail by the Nigerian Police.
“It is disheartening that when vandals are apprehended and handed over to the police, they are charged with theft instead of vandalism, which allows them to be granted bail. If prosecuted under vandalism charges, they would not be eligible for bail. Unfortunately, this misclassification undermines efforts to protect critical infrastructure,” Abdulaziz said.
He highlighted the difficulties in restoring key transmission lines, citing the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna towers as an example. Restoration efforts required full military escort for contractors, with limited working hours due to security concerns.
“In some cases, contractors are allowed only two hours of work per day, or we are told it’s unsafe to access the site altogether. These challenges make it nearly impossible to deliver reliable electricity to Nigerians,” he added.
The Special Adviser to the Minister of Power on Strategic Communication and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, also issued a statement acknowledging the severity of the problem and emphasizing the need for stricter measures to combat vandalism.
This comes amid growing calls for enhanced security for transmission towers and a more robust legal framework to deter vandalism and protect Nigeria’s power infrastructure.
