The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, has said a suspected vandal was crushed to death under a collapsed transmission tower along the 330kV Ughelli-Benin transmission line in Delta State.
The body was discovered on August 8, 2026, during an intensive line patrol by TCN’s Delta Sub-Region, Lines Maintenance Department, LMD, after the line tripped on an earth fault.
According to TCN management in a statement issued on Saturday, the patrol team traced the fault to Tower 101, which had collapsed. The corpse of the suspected vandal was found crushed between the tower members.
Further inspection revealed that Tower 101 on the nearby Ughelli – Sapele 330kV transmission line had also been seriously vandalized. The tower was still standing as of the time of the report.
TCN condemned the act of vandalism and appealed to host communities and the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities around power installations to security agencies and 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 stated.
The company described the incident as “a tragic reminder of the extreme dangers of tampering with power infrastructure.”
“Vandalism not only leads to power outages and damage to national assets, it also endangers lives. Protecting power infrastructure is a civic responsibility. Stop the vandals, or they will stop power for us all.”
