Nigerian government spent N8.8bn to repair 128 vandalised electricity towers in 2024 – TCN
The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, has revealed that it has spent N8.8 billion to repair 128 vandalised electric towers nationwide from January to November 2024.
The managing director of TCN, Sule Abdulaziz, disclosed this in a recent quarterly power sector working group meeting held in Abuja.
Abdulaziz was represented by the Executive Director, Transmission Service Provider, TCN, Olugbenga Ajiboye, who stressed that 128 transmission towers have been destroyed either by vandals or bandits across the country in the period under review.
He lamented that when the vandals were apprehended and handed over to the police for prosecution, they were bailed based on theft and not vandalism.
“As I talk to you today, 128 of our towers have been destroyed by either vandals or bandits. To date, we have spent about N8.8 billion, by our estimation, to put them back to full and functional use,” he stated.
“It is so sad that each time the vandals were caught and taken to the police for prosecution, the police would arrest them for theft instead of vandalism, and they would be bailed.”
This comes amid the surge in cases of vandalism, which had negatively impacted the country’s national grid and electricity supply.
DAILY POST reports that parts of the Niger Delta region have remained in darkness as vandals disrupted the ongoing repair of the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132 kilovolt line and stole tower components from Benin-Egbin and Benin-Omotosho 330kv transmission lines.
Nigerian government spent N8.8bn to repair 128 vandalised electricity towers in 2024 – TCN
