Five transmission towers along the Ikot Abasi–Eket 132kV Double Circuit Transmission Line have collapsed following extensive vandalism, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has said.
TCN disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, saying the damage was discovered during a routine joint patrol of the transmission line by its linesmen on August 9, 2026.
According to the company, preliminary assessment showed that critical structural bracing members had been removed from Towers N9, J4, N10, N11 and N12, leading to their collapse.
TCN said further inspection revealed that structural members had also been removed from seven other towers along the same transmission corridor.
The affected towers are J3, N8, N13, N14, N15, N18 and N19, which the company said had become structurally compromised and were at risk of collapsing.
“Preliminary assessment indicates that critical structural bracing members were removed from Towers N9, J4, N10, N11 and N12, resulting in the collapse of five towers,” TCN said.
The company said it had reconfigured the network to mitigate the impact of the incident on electricity supply, with priority given to supply to the Ekim Transmission Station.
However, Ibom Power is currently the only station without electricity supply as a result of the damage.
TCN Management said it was mobilising an urgent intervention to reconstruct the affected sections of the transmission line and restore the integrity of the corridor.
The company added that security agencies had been notified to assist with investigations and prevent further acts of vandalism along the transmission route.
TCN condemned the incident as an act of sabotage, while reaffirming its commitment to maintaining a robust and reliable national electricity grid.