Vandals pull down power tower in Akwa Ibom

Vandals have pulled down an electricity transmission tower in Ete Community, Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, causing major disruptions in power supply to several towns. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, October 15, confirming that Tower T35 along the EketIkot Abasi 132 kV Transmission Line collapsed on October 12 due to vandalism. According to Mbah, a TCN inspection team visited the site and found several dismantled tower components scattered on the ground. Following the collapse of the transmission tower, a TCN inspection team from the Lines Department visited the site of the incident in Ete Community, Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, and found several dismantled tower components on the ground, she said. She added that additional metal parts from the fallen tower had been removed and carted away, while other nearby towers; T7, T33, and T34, showed signs of tampering. A closer investigation revealed that additional tower members had been removed from the fallen tower and carted away. The team also observed that Towers T7, T33, and T34 had been tampered with, she explained. As a result, Mbah confirmed a temporary disruption of bulk power supply through the Eket and Ekim 132/33 kV Transmission Substations and the Ibom Power Station, which has in turn prevented the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) from delivering electricity to customers in Eket and Ekim towns. As a result, there is a temporary disruption of bulk power supply through the Eket and Ekim 132/33 kV Transmission Substations, as well as the Ibom Power Station. Consequently, the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company will be unable to off-take power from these substations for onward distribution to its customers in Eket and Ekim towns, she said. Mbah stated that TCN had already begun mobilising resources to reconstruct the collapsed tower and restore power transmission as quickly as possible. She reiterated that vandalism remains a major threat to the stability of Nigerias power system and appealed to host communities to remain alert and report suspicious activities. We reiterate that vandalism poses a serious threat to the stability of the nations transmission system and urge host communities to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities around transmission installations to security operatives or the nearest TCN office. The fight against the vandalism of power infrastructure is a collective responsibility. We call on all stakeholders to join hands in protecting these critical national assets from further attacks, she said. The TCN also revealed that the Federal Government has spent 88 billion repairing and restoring vandalised power transmission infrastructure across the country between 2021 and 2025, including 8.8 billion in 2024 alone. Meanwhile, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has called on the National Assembly to introduce stricter laws prescribing harsher penalties for those found guilty of vandalising electricity infrastructure.The post Vandals pull down power tower in Akwa Ibom appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.