Suspected Vandal Found Dead as Transmission Tower Collapses in Delta
A suspected vandal was crushed to death after a 330kV transmission tower collapsed along the Ughelli–Benin transmission line in Delta State, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has said.
The incident occurred on Saturday, August 8, 2026, after the Ughelli–Benin 330kV transmission line tripped following an earth fault.
According to TCN, its Delta Sub-Region Lines Maintenance Department launched an intensive patrol to locate the source of the fault and traced it to Tower 101, which had collapsed.
The maintenance team subsequently discovered the body of a suspected vandal trapped beneath the damaged structure.
“Linesmen found a suspected vandal crushed to death under a collapsed vandalised transmission tower,” the company said in a statement posted on its X account.
TCN said the victim was found crushed between members of the collapsed tower.
Further inspection of the area also revealed extensive vandalism of Tower 101 on the adjacent Ughelli–Sapele 330kV transmission line.
Read Also:
The company, however, said the second tower remained standing despite the damage inflicted on it.
TCN condemned the continued vandalism of electricity infrastructure, warning that such acts pose serious risks to lives, disrupt electricity supply and result in damage to critical national assets.
The company urged residents of host communities and members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities around power installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office.
It stressed that protecting the nation’s electricity infrastructure requires collective responsibility and cooperation between communities, security agencies and relevant authorities.
“This incident is a tragic reminder of the extreme dangers of tampering with power infrastructure,” TCN said, noting that vandalism not only causes power outages and damages national assets but also puts human lives at risk.
The company called for increased public vigilance and cooperation to prevent further attacks on transmission infrastructure.
“Stop the vandals, or they will stop power for us all,” TCN said.
