Vandals have once again targeted the 330kV Lokoja–Gwagwalada transmission line 1, leading to a significant disruption in power supply to Abuja. The latest attack, which occurred in the early hours of November 9, 2024, damaged three transmission towers and compromised the nation’s power infrastructure.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) confirmed that the incident severely impacted the stability of the national grid. Engineers from TCN had been attempting to restore power to the line when it unexpectedly tripped. After several unsuccessful attempts to reclose the line, a team of TCN engineers was dispatched to inspect the route. They discovered that transmission towers T306, T307, and T308 along the line had been vandalized, severely affecting bulk power delivery.

Further investigation revealed that two spans of aluminum conductor had been stolen by the vandals. Although the Lokoja–Gwagwalada line operates as a double-circuit transmission line, TCN has been able to maintain power supply through the second circuit while efforts to replace the stolen conductors are underway.

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The TCN expressed growing concern over the recurring vandalism targeting critical power infrastructure, underscoring its detrimental impact on the expansion and stability of the national power grid. The company highlighted previous attacks, such as the December 2023 assault on the Gwagwalada–Kukuwaba–Apo transmission line and the February 2024 attack on the Gwagwalada–Katampe line, emphasizing how these incidents continue to disrupt power stability in the region.

In response, TCN has called on communities near transmission towers to collaborate with the company and local security forces to prevent future attacks. The company reiterated that vandalism of power installations harms everyone, derailing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s transmission network.