The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced that Bayelsa state will experience an extended power outage due to the destruction of 13 transmission towers by vandals. The affected towers are part of the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV double circuit transmission line, which plays a critical role in supplying electricity to the state.
According to TCN’s General Manager of Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, the incident was reported on Monday and confirmed by a team led by Emmanuel Akpa, General Manager of the Port Harcourt Transmission Region. The assessment revealed that nine towers have collapsed, while four are on the verge of collapse.
The TCN Managing Director, Sule Abdulaziz, described the incident as a national disaster and called for assistance from the governments of Rivers and Bayelsa states to combat the increasing vandalism of TCN installations. Abdulaziz noted that the company is already working to rebuild previously vandalized towers and has awarded a new contract to reinforce towers on the same line route.
The vandalized towers are located in several communities across Rivers and Bayelsa states. TCN appealed to security operatives, host communities, traditional rulers, state governments, and stakeholders to collaborate in the fight against power installation vandalism, emphasizing the need for urgent action.
