The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) revealed that it has expended over ₦8.8 billion in the last 11 months on repairs for transmission towers vandalized by bandits and vandals across the nation, SAVANNAH NEWSNOW REPORTS.
At a quarterly power sector working group meeting in Abuja, TCN’s CEO, Sule Abdulaziz, disclosed this information.
He was represented by Olugbenga Ajiboye, the Executive Director of Transmission Service Provider (TSO) at TCN, who emphasized the extensive damage caused. Abdulaziz reported that from January 13 to the current date, 128 transmission towers have been destroyed across the country, severely impacting the national power transmission infrastructure.
He also voiced his dissatisfaction with the judicial system, noting that caught vandals frequently receive bail only to repeat their offences, and advocated for harsher penalties to prevent such acts.
“Till date, we have spent about N8.8 billion, by our estimation, to put them back to full and functional use,” Abdulaziz said.
“It is so sad that each time the vandals were caught and taken to police for prosecution, police would incident them for theft, instead of vandalism and they will be bailed.
“If they are charged for vandalism, they cannot be bailed, but this is where we are. So many of them have been arrested, but each time they will be bailed because police often incident their cases as that of theft.
“When the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna towers were destroyed, we had to get the full military escorts for our contractors to get the transmission lines and towers restored and in some cases, they would tell us that we could only work for two hours in some days.
“In some instances, they would even tell us that it was not safe to move there. How do we get out of this? How can we deliver electricity to Nigerians under these terrible circumstances?
“These are part of the challenges we are facing in the power sector.”
