The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has revealed it has spent over ₦88 billion on repairing vandalised power infrastructure nationwide between 2021 and now, warning that the persistent attacks are draining resources meant for upgrading Nigeria’s electricity network.
Speaking at a public sensitisation campaign against vandalism at the Odogunyan 132kV Transmission Substation in Ikorodu, Lagos, TCN’s Principal Manager (Lines), Engr. Seyi Onabajo, described the trend as unsustainable.
“This is a wake-up call for the whole community and beyond to protect TCN infrastructures and report cases of vandalism to the appropriate authorities. We cannot continue to spend so much on repairing vandalised power towers, especially as the cost of building a tower from scratch is cheaper than repairing it,” he stressed.
General Manager, TCN Lagos Region, Engr. Mojeed Akintola, explained that community engagement is now a quarterly exercise to improve awareness and prevent further sabotage. He noted that Ikorodu has been marked for system upgrades, but reports of vandalism force the reallocation of funds to repairs — leaving many communities in darkness for three to four months.
“The downtime after vandalism is high, and the negative impact on our economy is massive. In some cases, the cost of repair is more than triple the original construction cost, and many of these repairs were not planned in the budget,” Akintola added.
Divisional Police Officer of Ogijo Police Station, CSP Fatoberu Oyekan, called for community policing and recommended that TCN deploy local vigilantes to monitor and secure infrastructure in collaboration with community leaders and security agencies.
The TCN reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the national grid but stressed that lasting success depends on joint efforts between government agencies, security operatives, and local communities.
The public is strongly urged to be vigilant, report any suspicious activities near power installations immediately, and actively participate in safeguarding the nation’s power infrastructure. Every citizen’s effort counts in keeping the lights on for all Nigerians.
---
For media enquiries or further information
Please contact:
Favour's Blog
Email: favoursblog.news@gmail.com
Comments
Post a Comment
What will you say about this?