Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has reported that six transmission towers, numbered T125 to T130, on the Apir–Lafia 330kV Transmission Lines I and II have been destroyed by vandals, causing a major disruption to electricity supply in parts of north‑central Nigeria. In a statement issued by the company’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, on Wednesday, 3 June 2026, TCN said the incident occurred at approximately 1:15 a.m. on 30 May 2026, during a heavy downpour. The collapse of the towers was preceded by a trip of the transmission lines, and a trial reclosure of Line II attempted at 2:08 a.m. failed. A physical patrol of the transmission corridor later revealed extensive damage to critical components of the affected towers, confirming acts of vandalism.
As a result of the destruction, both Apir–Lafia 330kV Transmission Lines I and II remain out of service, pending the reconstruction of the damaged towers. TCN engineers have been mobilised to the site to assess the full extent of the damage and to determine the materials required to restore normal transmission along the corridor. In the interim, the Lafia 330kV Transmission Station is being supplied through the Lafia–Jos transmission line as a temporary measure to minimise the impact of the outage on electricity customers within the franchise areas of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC).
The vandalism of the six towers is the latest in a series of attacks on Nigeria’s power infrastructure that have repeatedly exposed the vulnerability of the national grid. According to the TCN, the destruction of transmission assets undermines years of investment in the electricity sector and threatens the reliability of power supply to millions of Nigerians. “We strongly condemn the continued vandalism of power transmission infrastructure as it undermines years of investment in the sector,” the statement read. The company appealed to host communities and members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities around transmission installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office, stressing that “collective action is essential to protect national grid assets and ensure reliable power supply.”
The Apir–Lafia 330kV corridor is a critical link in Nigeria’s transmission network, serving as a major conduit for electricity flowing from the grid to consumers in the Federal Capital Territory and surrounding states. The corridor has been a target of repeated vandalism, with tower collapses and line outages becoming increasingly frequent. In a similar incident earlier in May 2026, vandals destroyed towers on the Nkalagu–Abakaliki 132kV line, an act the TCN described as “a grievous assault on national infrastructure” that threatened electricity supply to Ebonyi State and its environs. Two suspects were arrested in connection with that incident and were later charged before the Ebonyi State High Court.
The impact of the latest attack has been felt acutely by residents and businesses in Nasarawa and Plateau states, where power outages have disrupted daily life and economic activity. Many households have been thrown into darkness, while small businesses reliant on stable electricity have been forced to rely on expensive diesel generators or scale down operations. The outage has also raised concerns about the security of essential services, including healthcare facilities and water supply systems, many of which depend on grid electricity to function.
Security analysts have described the vandalism of transmission towers as a form of economic sabotage that not only inflicts financial losses on the power sector but also undermines public trust in the government’s ability to protect critical infrastructure. The TCN has repeatedly called for stiffer penalties for convicted vandals and for greater collaboration between power sector operators, security agencies, and host communities to prevent such incidents. Despite these appeals, the frequency of attacks on transmission infrastructure has not abated, raising questions about the effectiveness of current security arrangements.
The reconstruction of the six damaged towers is expected to be a costly and time‑consuming process. Preliminary assessments by TCN engineers indicate that the towers will need to be completely rebuilt, a task that could take several weeks to complete, depending on the availability of materials and the security situation in the area. In the meantime, the Lafia–Jos transmission line is being relied upon as a temporary backup, but this arrangement is not a permanent solution and may lead to capacity constraints if the outage persists.
The TCN’s statement also highlighted the role of heavy rainfall in the incident, noting that the towers collapsed during a downpour. While the rain may have weakened the structures, the company’s investigation confirmed that the primary cause of the collapse was vandalism, not a natural disaster. This distinction is crucial, as it underscores the deliberate nature of the attack and the intent of the perpetrators to disrupt power supply.
Calls for stronger legal deterrence have grown louder in the wake of the Apir–Lafia attack. Under Nigerian law, vandalism of power infrastructure carries severe penalties, including lengthy prison terms, but convictions have been rare due to difficulties in gathering evidence and prosecuting suspects. The TCN has urged the judiciary to expedite the handling of vandalism cases and to impose sentences that would serve as a deterrent to would‑be offenders.
As engineers continue their assessment and reconstruction work, the people of Nasarawa, Plateau, and adjoining states remain in the dark, their power supply dependent on a fragile backup line that may not withstand the growing strain on the grid. The attack on the six transmission towers along the Apir–Lafia 330kV corridor is not just a setback for the power sector; it is a stark reminder of the persistent threat posed by criminals determined to cripple the nation’s electricity infrastructure. Until more effective measures are put in place to protect transmission assets, such incidents are likely to recur, leaving millions of Nigerians to endure the consequences of an act of sabotage they had no part in.
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