From David Onuoja, Abuja
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), has foiled an attempted theft at its 330/132kV transmission substation in Bauchi, preventing the loss of critical infrastructure.
The incident which occurred recently, at about 9:34pm, according to a statement by TCN General Manager, Public Affairs unit, Ndidi Mbah said, when security personnel on duty intercepted the suspected vandals attempting to remove tower members from the facility.
According to TCN, the suspects fled the scene immediately on sighting the guards. A subsequent inspection of the area led to the recovery of 12 transmission tower angle irons, one heavy-duty metal measuring scale, and a white pickup truck believed to have been used for the operation. No equipment was carted away and no injuries were recorded during the attempted breach.
The recovered items and the vehicle have been handed over to the Railway Division Police Station in Bauchi for further investigation and prosecution. TCN commended the prompt response and vigilance of its security team, noting that their intervention prevented both the theft and potential damage to transmission infrastructure that serves parts of the region.
TCN, however, reiterated the need for host communities to remain watchful and report any suspicious activities around power installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office. The company said community collaboration remains key to protecting national grid assets from vandalism and ensuring stable power supply.

