Police arrest key suspect after six TCN towers vandalised
Police have arrested a key suspect after vandals damaged six transmission towers along the Yola‑Jalingo 330kV line, removing bracing parts and stealing about 130 components. TCN engineers discovered the vandalism on July 29 during a routine patrol, finding towers T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003 and T1004 compromised. A joint TCN‑police operation on July 30, supported by local leaders and youths, led to the suspect’s arrest on August 1, with some stolen parts recovered. TCN officials verified the recovered materials and urged full prosecution, saying investigators have obtained useful leads and are hunting remaining gang members. The utility warned that repeated attacks threaten the national grid and years of investment in the power sector, urging communities to report suspicious activity near transmission facilities to security agencies or the nearest TCN office.