Vandalism Suspect Killed As Tower Collapses On Ughelli-Benin 330kV Line—TCN

A suspected vandal was found crushed to death under a collapsed transmission tower along the 330kV Ughelli-Benin line in Delta State, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said on Saturday.

TCN linesmen discovered the body during an intensive line patrol conducted by the Delta Sub-Region Lines Maintenance Department, after the line tripped on an earth fault, the company said in a statement.

The patrol team traced the fault to Tower 101, which had collapsed, with the victim’s body found crushed between the tower members.

TCN said further inspection showed that Tower 101 on the adjacent Ughelli-Sapele 330kV transmission line had also been seriously vandalised, though it remained standing at the time of the report.

TCN condemned the vandalism and called on host communities and the public to remain vigilant, urging them to report suspicious activity around power installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office.

The company described the fight against infrastructure vandalism as one requiring collective effort, warning that such acts cause power outages, damage national assets, and endanger lives.