The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has commenced rehabilitation works on four vandalised transmission towers along the Afam/IPP/Elelenwo 132-kilovolt (kV) Double Circuit Transmission Line in Rivers State.
The affected towers, identified as T50, T51, T52 and T53, were discovered to have been vandalised on August 6, 2026, during an inspection of the transmission corridor by TCN linesmen from the Port Harcourt Transmission Region.
According to a statement issued by TCN management on September 9, 2026, further inspection showed that critical bracing members had been removed from the four towers, compromising their structural integrity and creating a risk to reliable electricity transmission along the corridor.
TCN said it subsequently mobilised a contractor to the site to carry out the necessary repairs. A formal handover ceremony was held on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, by the Port Harcourt Transmission Region to mark the commencement of the rehabilitation works.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, TCN’s Head of Lines for the Port Harcourt Transmission Region, Engr. Azuh Lucky, who represented the company’s management, called for greater community involvement in protecting transmission infrastructure.
Lucky urged residents of Elelenwo, traditional rulers and the local government chairman to support TCN’s efforts to prevent further vandalism as the rehabilitation work continues.
“We are mindful of the risk that vandalism of these towers poses to reliable transmission of electricity along the corridor. The Company will do everything possible to ensure the timely completion of the rehabilitation works,” he said.
TCN also appealed to residents of Elelenwo and surrounding communities to remain vigilant and support the rehabilitation exercise, stressing that community cooperation would be important to protecting the repaired infrastructure.
The incident highlights the continuing challenge of vandalism facing Nigeria’s electricity transmission network. TCN said the Afam/IPP/Elelenwo line has suffered vandalism attacks on previous occasions, with the latest incident described by the company as the fifth attack on the same line in recent times.
The company’s wider figures also show the scale of the problem. In May 2026, TCN General Manager (Transmission), Adeshina Adeonipekun, said the company recorded no fewer than 276 cases of tower vandalism between 2022 and 2025. He added that about 40 cases had been recorded in 2026 at the time, which TCN attributed to stronger collaboration with host communities and proactive measures by its staff.
TCN has said it uses community-based measures, including local vigilantes and engagement with host communities, to protect transmission infrastructure. It has also conducted sensitisation programmes aimed at encouraging residents to report suspicious activities around transmission facilities.
The company urged stakeholders in Elelenwo and neighbouring communities to work with it to prevent further vandalism and safeguard electricity transmission along the corridor.
