The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said on Thursday that vandals destroyed 13 towers on the 132kV Ahoada-Yenagoa double-circuit transmission line.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that TCN towers T97 to T99 were destroyed by vandals on July 29.
Ndidi Mbah, TCN's General Manager of Public Affairs, in a statement in Abuja, said the incident was first reported by the youth chairman of Ukpeli Community in Rivers State on August 12.
The company said the destroyed towers are located in several communities, including Okobe in Ahoada East Local Government Area and Emezhi 1 in Ahoada West.
Others are located in Mbiama, Ahoada West Local Government Areas of Rivers State, as well as Igbogene community, Bayelsa State.
TCN said TCN's Port-Harcourt region, led by General Manager Transmission, Emmanuel Akpa, promptly visited the site near TCN's Ahoada Transmission Substation to assess the situation.
The company said the team confirmed that 13 towers, from T52 to T64, were affected by the vandalism.
Article page with promotion of financial support
The TCN also indicated that nine towers collapsed completely, while four were left hanging precariously and could collapse at any moment.
TCN Director General Sule Abdulaziz described the incident as a national disaster.
He urged the Rivers and Bayelsa state governments to assist TCN in addressing the ongoing vandalism at its facilities, which has become “increasingly alarming and overwhelming.”
He said TCN recently responded to the vandalism and subsequent collapse of towers T97 to T99 on the same route of the line on July 29, with work underway to rebuild the vandalized towers.
“In addition, a new contract was recently awarded for the reinforcement of towers 19 to 31 on the Ahoada-Yenagoa line, where some elements of the towers had been vandalized and stolen.
“Despite these ongoing efforts, the recent vandalism against the towers represents a significant challenge for TCN.
''It is important to note that the 132kV Ahoada-Yenagoa double circuit transmission line is crucial in evacuating power from the Ahoada transmission substation to the Yenagoa substation, which supplies electricity to the whole of Bayelsa.
“Given the extent of the destruction of the towers and the ongoing work on the previously vandalized transmission towers, TCN may need several months to complete the reconstruction and re-stringing of the towers to restore power to the state.
“TCN once again calls on security agents, host communities, traditional rulers, state governments and all stakeholders to collaborate with TCN in combating vandalism of electrical installations. Urgent action is needed,” he said.