The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has raised alarm over the rampant vandalism of transmission towers in Kaduna State, reporting that over 100 towers have been destroyed by criminals in 2024 alone. This disturbing trend has severely hindered the Federal Government’s efforts to achieve uninterrupted power supply across the nation.
Speaking at a town hall meeting in Jaji, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, TCN’s General Manager for the Kaduna Region, Engr. Ganiyu Aliyu, represented by Assistant General Manager of Technical Service, Engr. Abubakar Usman, highlighted the devastating impact of these criminal activities. He emphasized that each step forward made by TCN is often negated by vandals, pulling progress back by several steps.
Aliyu urged traditional leaders to take an active role in protecting these critical infrastructures within their communities. He pointed out that vandals often cut, steal, and sell parts of the towers to scrap metal dealers, with devastating consequences. The most affected areas include Rigachikun, Barakallahu, Kwarau, Birnin Yaro, Jaji, and Kwanan Dangora.
The meeting also addressed the dangerous trend of encroachment on transmission Right of Way (RoW). Aliyu warned that building houses, schools, or shops under high-tension power lines poses severe health risks, including exposure to harmful radiation, increased cancer risks, and other long-term health issues. He explained the critical need for maintaining safe distances: 50 meters for 330kV lines, 30 meters for 132kV lines, and 11 meters for 33kV lines.
Principal Manager of Health, Safety, and Environment for the Kaduna Region, Ahmad Rufai Sani, echoed these concerns, stating that the encroachment makes maintenance work difficult and increases the risk of deadly accidents. He explained that high-voltage lines could produce deadly sparks in the event of a power cut, potentially igniting buildings along their routes.
Read also: NNPC rakes in record-breaking N14 Trillion from Crude Oil sales in 2023
In response, the district head of Jaji, Alhaji Adamu Saleh, pledged that traditional leaders would continue to educate their communities on the dangers of building under high-tension installations. He also called for stronger collaboration between TCN and the Kaduna State Urban Planning Agency (KASUPDA) to prevent unauthorized construction near transmission lines.
Adding to the discussion, Air Vice Marshal Hassan Idris Alhaji, Commandant of the Armed Forces and Staff College Jaji (AFSC), represented by Commodore Dickson Chigbata, condemned the act of stealing tower components, emphasizing that such acts should not be downplayed as mere vandalism but treated as serious theft and a criminal offense. He pledged the support of the Armed Forces in helping TCN combat this menace.
As Kaduna faces increasing power disruptions due to these attacks, the call for collective action and stricter enforcement of laws against vandalism has never been more urgent. TCN’s appeal highlights the critical need for community involvement and stronger measures to protect Nigeria’s power infrastructure.
