By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja

Amid increasing attacks on power transmission infrastructure, particularly in the South-South region, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, has called on local communities to help combat the growing vandalism of power towers.

In a statement on Sunday, TCN appealed to communities hosting transmission infrastructure to actively support efforts to curb sabotage within their areas.

TCN’s General Manager for the Port Harcourt Region, Mr. Akpa Anyaegbunam, made the appeal during a sensitisation programme for youths from Ahoada East and Ahoada West held in Igbu Ehuda, Rivers State.

Last year, over 30 transmission towers on the Ahoada-Yenagoa 132kV line were vandalised, leaving Bayelsa State without electricity for several months.

Anyaegbunam warned that such acts of vandalism not only hurt local communities but also significantly hinder Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

“Beyond the high financial costs of repairs, vandalism leads to prolonged outages, disrupting economic activities and daily life,” he said. 

“This is why we are engaging youths in Ahoada East and West — to encourage their active participation in protecting these installations.”

He noted that a recent sabotage incident that caused a blackout in Bayelsa, stressing the importance of community involvement in safeguarding infrastructure.

According to him, the ongoing awareness campaign across TCN’s Port Harcourt region aims to build local support for the protection of national assets.

“In July 2024, 20 towers on the Ahoada-Yenagoa line were vandalised, plunging Bayelsa into a four-month blackout — a crisis that could have been avoided,” he stated.

Anyaegbunam questioned how such acts could occur without local knowledge or complicity.

“We’re not accusing the youths, but no outsider can enter a community and vandalise critical infrastructure without some form of support. We understand times are hard, but economic hardship should never justify destroying public utilities meant to improve our lives”, he added.

He urged the youths to see power infrastructure as a shared asset, whose protection is a collective responsibility.

“No community can experience meaningful development without reliable electricity. Power is essential to our daily lives,” he stressed.

Responding to the call, Mr. Isaiah Sunday, a youth leader, pledged the support of local youths to partner with the government in protecting power infrastructure.

He proposed the formation of community surveillance teams to safeguard transmission facilities.

“The Federal Government provided this infrastructure to enhance our quality of life. Surveillance teams will help ensure both youths and community leaders are actively involved in protecting these vital assets”, he added.