Vandals Destroy 13 TCN Towers, Plunging Rivers, Bayelsa into Darkness

The Youth President of the Ukpeli Community in Rivers State has reported a major act of vandalism that has plunged parts of Rivers and Bayelsa states into darkness.

Vandals destroyed thirteen Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) towers along the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV Double Circuit transmission line. This incident has resulted in a severe disruption of power supply, with nine towers collapsing completely and four hanging precariously.

The affected towers are located across several communities, including Okobe in Ahoada East, Emezhi 1 and Mbiama in Ahoada West Local Government Areas of Rivers State, and the Igbogene community in Bayelsa State.

The destruction has cut off power to critical areas, including TCN's Yenagoa Substation, which supplies electricity to the entire Bayelsa State.

Ndidi Mbah, General Manager of Public Affairs at TCN, described the situation as "alarming and overwhelming," urging the governments of Rivers and Bayelsa states to assist in addressing the ongoing vandalism.

Despite recent efforts to reinforce towers 19-31 on the same line, the new wave of vandalism presents a massive challenge.

TCN's Managing Director/CEO, Engr. Abdulazeez, labeled the incident a national disaster and called for urgent collaboration among security operatives, host communities, traditional rulers, and state governments to combat the rising spate of attacks on power infrastructure.

Given the extent of the damage and the ongoing work on previously vandalized towers, it may take several months for TCN to complete the rebuilding and stringing of the towers to restore power supply.

This prolonged blackout is expected to exacerbate the already challenging living conditions in the Niger Delta region, which is also grappling with issues like poor town planning and annual flooding, particularly in areas such as Ekeremor, Southern Ijaw, Sagbama, Kolokuma/Opokuma, and Yenagoa in Bayelsa State.