… vandals strike four towers along Jos-Gombe 330kV transmission line on Monday
…. third time’s the charm: Gombe’s connecting transmission line hit again
Oredola Adeola
Nigeria has recorded a surge in incidents of vandalism of transmission lines, with five significant incidents reported in the first quarter of 2024 alone and one recorded in December 2023, including the recent destruction of four towers along the Jos-Gombe 330kV transmission line by vandals on Monday, April 22, 2024.
According to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) four towers (288, 289, 290, and 291 ) along the Jos-Gombe 330kV transmission line were damaged by vandals on Monday, April 22, 2024, around 3:32 pm, resulting in the disruption of bulk power supply to the Gombe, Yola, and Jalingo Substations and affecting the supply to parts of the Yola and Jos Electricity Distribution Companies’ franchise areas.
Ndidi Mbah, TCN General Manager, Public Affairs, confirmed this in a statement obtained by Advisors Reports on Monday.
Mbah said, “While fault tracing, TCN’s engineering crew discovered that towers 288, 289, 290, and 291 were vandalised and that some tower members were carted away. Also, the towers had equally collapsed as a result of the incident.”
The trajectory of vandalism as gathered by Advisors Reports includes:
December 21, 2023: Towers T372 and T373 along the Gombe-Damaturu 330kV Single Circuit transmission line was brought down.
February 1: Tower 388 along the Jos-Bauchi 132kV Single Circuit transmission line was vandalized, leading to a power outage in Yobe and Borno States.
February 23: Two transmission towers, T377 and T378, along the Gombe-Damaturu 330kV transmission line were destroyed by vandals, resulting in a load loss of approximately 5MW.
February 26: Tower 70 along the 330kV Gwagwalada-Katampe transmission line was vandalized, reducing bulk power supply flexibility and the volume of power into Abuja by 250MW.
March 10: The Shiroro-Katampe 330 Kilo Volt (kV) transmission line was vandalized, the fifth such incident between February and March.
These acts of vandalism which has taken a new form, have significantly reduced bulk power supply flexibility and the volume of power in affected states, causing discomfort to residents who rely on these infrastructures.
Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, has in a recent statement recommended capital punishment for any offender arrested in connection with the practice.
The TCN on its part, has also secured the support of the Office of the National Security Adviser and other Security Agencies to ensure the safety and security of its installations.
Stakeholders have called for sensitization on the culture of protecting public assets, coupled with stiffer penalties for vandals, as deterrence.
The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) for instance have urged the government to strengthen enforcement of existing laws to deter vandalism, treat such acts as a criminal offense, and invest in newer technologies that can help detect and prevent vandalism.
