Electricity supply has been disrupted in several parts of Nigeria following the destruction of six transmission towers along the Apir-Lafia transmission corridor in Nasarawa State, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed.
The incident, which affected the critical Apir-Lafia transmission line, has resulted in outages across areas served by the affected network, impacting customers under the Abuja and Jos electricity distribution companies.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, the company disclosed that the vandalism occurred in the early hours of May 30 during a heavy rainstorm.
According to the statement, the transmission line initially tripped at about 1:15 a.m., prompting efforts by TCN engineers to restore service through a trial reclosure operation. However, the attempt was unsuccessful.
A subsequent inspection and physical assessment of the transmission corridor revealed extensive damage to transmission towers numbered T125 to T130, confirming that the infrastructure had been deliberately vandalised.
As a result, both Apir-Lafia 330kV Transmission Lines I and II have remained out of service while reconstruction efforts are being planned.
TCN said engineers have already been deployed to the site to assess the extent of the damage and determine the materials required for repair and restoration works.
“The company has mobilised engineers to evaluate the affected infrastructure and commence the process of restoring normal transmission along the corridor,” the statement said.
To reduce the impact on electricity consumers, TCN announced that it has activated an alternative power supply arrangement for the affected areas.
Under the temporary arrangement, the Lafia 330kV Transmission Station is being supplied through the Lafia-Jos transmission line to maintain service to customers within the coverage areas of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company and the Jos Electricity Distribution Company.
Rising Threat to Power Infrastructure
The latest incident highlights the persistent challenge of vandalism facing Nigeria’s power sector, with attacks on critical infrastructure continuing to disrupt electricity supply and increase maintenance costs.
Similar acts of vandalism have also affected the telecommunications and oil and gas sectors, often leading to service interruptions and financial losses.
According to previous government data, billions of naira have been spent on repairing damaged transmission infrastructure across the country.
Reports from the transmission sector indicate that 128 transmission towers were destroyed by vandals and criminal elements between January and November 2024.
The trend has continued into 2025, with 42 separate vandalism incidents recorded in the first half of the year alone, affecting 178 transmission towers nationwide.
Industry stakeholders have repeatedly called for stronger protection of critical national infrastructure to curb recurring attacks and improve the reliability of electricity supply across the country.
