Vandals destroy 13 towers on Ahoada-Yenagoa line in Rivers, Bayelsa

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said on Thursday that vandals have destroyed 13 towers on the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV Double Circuit transmission line in Bayelsa and Rivers States.

Vandals destroyed TCN towers T97 to T99 on July 29, according to Persecondnews.

TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, said in a statement in Abuja that the incident was first reported by the Youth President of the Ukpeli Community in Rivers on Aug. 12.

Various communities, including Okobe in Ahoada East, Emezhi 1 in Ahoada West, Mbiama in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, and Igbogene community in Bayelsa, are home to the affected towers.

TCN said the Port Harcourt region of TCN, led by the General Manager of Transmission, Mr. Emmanuel Akpa, promptly visited the site near TCN’s Ahoada transmission substation to assess the situation.

The company confirmed that the vandalism affected 13 towers, from T52 to T64.

TCN reports that four towers are dangling precariously and could collapse at any moment, while nine towers have completely collapsed.

The Managing Director of TCN, Mr. Sule Abdulaziz, described the incident as a national disaster.

He appealed to the governments of Rivers and Bayelsa States to support TCN in combating the escalating and distressing vandalism of its facilities.

He said TCN had recently addressed the vandalism and subsequent collapse of towers T97 to T99 on the same line route, which occurred on July 29, and reconstruction efforts are still underway.

Abdulaziz said: “Additionally, a new contract was recently awarded for the reinforcement of towers 19–31 on the Ahoada–Yenagoa line, where tower members had been vandalised and stolen.

“In spite of these ongoing efforts, the recent vandalism of the towers presents a significant challenge to TCN.

‘‘It is important to note that the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV double-circuit transmission line is crucial for evacuating power from the Ahoada transmission substation to the Yenagoa substation, which supplies electricity to the entire Bayelsa.

“Given the extent of the destruction to the towers and the ongoing work on previously vandalised transmission towers, it may take several months for TCN to complete the rebuilding and stringing of the towers to restore power supply to the state.

”TCN once again appeals to security operatives, host communities, traditional rulers, state governments, and all stakeholders to collaborate with TCN in the fight against power installation vandalism. Urgent action is required.”