Suspected Vandal Killed by Collapsed Transmission Tower

On August 8, 2026, a suspected vandal was crushed to death when a 330kV transmission tower collapsed along the Ughelli–Benin transmission line in Delta State. The incident was identified during a patrol by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) Delta Sub-Region Lines Maintenance Department, which was conducted after the transmission line tripped on an earth fault.

The maintenance team traced the fault to Tower 101, which had collapsed, and found the victim's body "crushed between the tower members." Further inspection revealed that Tower 101 on the adjacent Ughelli–Sapele 330kV transmission line had also been vandalized but remained standing. TCN condemned the vandalism and urged communities to report suspicious activities around power infrastructure, emphasizing that tampering poses serious risks to lives and national assets.

TCN described the protection of electricity infrastructure as a civic responsibility and called for collective action against vandalism, stating, "Stop the vandals, or they will stop power for us all.".