A suspected vandal has been killed after a 330kV transmission tower collapsed along the Ughelli–Benin transmission line in Delta State, according to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
The incident happened on Saturday, August 8, 2026, after the transmission line developed an earth fault and tripped, prompting an inspection by the Delta Sub-Region Lines Maintenance Department.
TCN said its maintenance personnel traced the fault to Tower 101, where they discovered that the structure had collapsed.
The company said a suspected vandal was found dead beneath the fallen tower, with the body trapped between sections of the structure.
“Linesmen found a suspected vandal crushed to death under a collapsed vandalised transmission tower,” TCN said in a statement shared on X.
The company disclosed that further checks in the area uncovered extensive vandalism of another Tower 101 located on the adjoining Ughelli–Sapele 330kV transmission line.
According to TCN, the second tower had suffered significant damage from suspected vandals but remained standing when the inspection was conducted.
The transmission company condemned the continued destruction of electricity infrastructure, warning that such acts pose a major threat to public safety and the stability of the national power supply.
TCN called on residents of communities hosting transmission facilities, as well as members of the public, to remain alert and promptly report suspicious activities around electricity installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office.
“The fight against the vandalism of power infrastructure is one that must be inclusive. All hands must be on deck for this fight to be won,” the company said.
TCN also warned that interference with transmission infrastructure could result in serious injuries or deaths, while causing power disruptions and damage to critical national assets.
“This incident is a tragic reminder of the extreme dangers of tampering with power infrastructure,” the company said, noting that vandalism “not only leads to power outages and damage to national assets, it also endangers lives.”
The company described the protection of electricity infrastructure as a shared civic responsibility and urged Nigerians to support efforts to safeguard power facilities across the country.
“Stop the vandals, or they will stop power for us all,” TCN said.
