Nigeria: Five Towers On Ikot Abasi-Eket 132kv Line Collapsed After Severe Vandalism

What the report says

The Transmission Company of Nigeria said five towers on the Ikot Abasi-Eket 132kV double-circuit transmission line in Nigeria’s Akwa Ibom area collapsed after vandals removed key structural parts. According to the company, the damage was identified during a joint patrol by its staff on August 9, and a later statement dated August 14 described the incident as sabotage.

TCN said inspectors found that critical bracing members had been taken from Towers N9, J4, N10, N11 and N12, causing them to fall. It also reported that structural pieces were stolen from seven other towers, leaving those spans weakened and at risk of collapse. The company did not give an estimate for repair costs or a restoration timeline.

To limit disruption, TCN said it has reconfigured the network to prioritize power supply to the Ekim transmission station. That left Ibom Power as the only generating station on the corridor without an immediate supply connection, according to the company. TCN said it is mobilizing reconstruction work and has alerted security agencies to investigate and help prevent further vandalism.

The episode underscores a recurring problem for Nigeria’s power grid, where theft and sabotage of transmission infrastructure can trigger outages and raise maintenance costs. In this case, TCN said its immediate goal is to stabilize supply while repairs are prepared and further damage is prevented.