Vandalism of TCN Tower Disrupts Power Supply to Maiduguri and Damaturu
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The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed the vandalism of its critical infrastructure along the Gombe–Damaturu 330kV transmission line, leading to partial disruption of electricity supply to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, and Damaturu in Yobe State.
In a statement issued on Saturday, October 25, 2025, by TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, the company disclosed that Tower T347 on the transmission line was vandalized at about 5:46 p.m. on Friday, October 24. The TCN team, during a routine inspection along the line route, discovered that the tower’s legs had been cut off, causing it to buckle to one side.
The company said the incident has affected bulk power supply to parts of the North-East, particularly Maiduguri and Damaturu, along with their surrounding communities. Despite this setback, TCN assured that electricity supply to the affected areas is being sustained through the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant (MEPP), which currently feeds the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC).
The supply is distributed to consumers through key 33kV feeders including Beneshiek, Damasak, Bama, University, Campus, Maiduguri Town, Monguno, and other locations.
Similarly, TCN stated that Damaturu and its environs will, for the time being, receive power supply from the Potiskum Substation while efforts are ongoing to repair the damaged infrastructure.
According to the statement, TCN engineers are already on site, working to replace the vandalized tower and restore normal transmission as quickly as possible.
The company strongly condemned the act of vandalism, describing it as a deliberate sabotage of national assets that jeopardizes the collective well-being of citizens. It appealed to the public to take ownership of power infrastructure in their communities by reporting any suspicious activities around electricity installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office.
Mbah reiterated TCN’s commitment to sustaining reliable electricity transmission nationwide despite persistent challenges posed by vandalism and other threats to its infrastructure.
