Blackout Fears Loom in North-Central Corridor as Vandals Destroy Six Transmission Towers — TCN

The Transmission Company of Nigeria has confirmed the collapse of six transmission towers along the Apir–Lafia 330kV Transmission Lines I and II, following acts of vandalism that have disrupted power supply in the North-Central corridor.

In a statement issued by the General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, TCN said the affected towers, numbered T125 to T130, collapsed at about 1:15 a.m. on May 30, 2026, during a heavy downpour, forcing both transmission lines out of service.

An initial trial reclosure was carried out on Line II at about 2:08 a.m. after the tripping failed, prompting a physical inspection of the transmission route. The inspection revealed extensive damage to critical components of the affected towers, confirming acts of vandalism on the infrastructure.

“As a result, both Apir–Lafia 330kV Transmission Lines I and II are currently out of service pending the reconstruction of the damaged towers,” the statement said. Engineers have been mobilised to the site to assess the extent of the damage and determine the materials required for restoration.

TCN disclosed that the Lafia 330kV Transmission Station is being temporarily supplied through the Lafia–Jos transmission line to reduce the impact of the outage on electricity consumers within the franchise areas of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company and Jos Electricity Distribution Company.

The company condemned the continued vandalism of electricity infrastructure, warning that such acts threaten investments in the nation’s power transmission network, and appealed to host communities to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities around transmission installations.

Sources: Guardian Nigeria