A principal suspect in the vandalism of six transmission towers along the Yola-Jalingo 330kV Transmission Line has been arrested, according to the Transmission Company of Nigeria. As security agencies step up their efforts to dismantle the criminal syndicate responsible for the attack, some of the stolen tower components have been recovered.
The afflicted towers, designated as T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003, and T1004, were vandalized after thieves took important structural components from the installations, posing a major risk to the transmission line’s stability, the business revealed on Wednesday.
According to TCN, the vandalism was discovered on July 29, 2026, during a routine patrol by its engineers. They discovered that the vandals had removed an estimated 130 pieces of tower members and stripped vital bracing members from the affected towers.
“The Transmission Company of Nigeria wishes to inform the public that six of its transmission towers, T995, T998, T999, T1002, T1003, and T1004, along the Yola-Jalingo 330kV Transmission Line, have been vandalized,” the company’s management said in a statement.
On July 29, 2026, TCN Engineers were conducting a normal line patrol when they saw that vandals had removed vital bracing members from the impacted towers, removing an estimated 130 tower member pieces. The towers were seriously threatened structurally by the act.
The business said that it quickly worked with security services to look into the occurrence and find the perpetrators.
It said that on July 30, 2026, TCN officials and Nigeria Police Force agents jointly raided the impacted host community, engaging the village chief and youth leaders and requesting their complete cooperation in locating and apprehending the offenders.
“Following the discovery, TCN conducted a joint raid with the Nigeria Police Force within the host community on July 30, 2026,” the statement continued. The team interacted with the village chief and youth leadership during the exercise, requesting their complete help in locating and apprehending the offenders.
TCN claims that on August 1, the police notified the firm that a primary suspect connected to the vandalism had been arrested and that some of the stolen tower members had been found, marking a significant advancement in the investigation.
After visiting the recovery site to confirm the materials found, TCN authorities reaffirmed their demand that the suspect be prosecuted in full.
It stated, “On August 1st, 2026, the Police informed TCN that some of the stolen tower members had been recovered and that a principal suspect connected to the vandalism had been apprehended.” In order to ensure that justice is done, TCN officials visited the location to confirm the items that had been found and reaffirmed their demand that the suspect be fully prosecuted.
“The police are determined to find the remaining members of the syndicate and have received strong leads from the suspect in prison. There are still investigations going on.
The business denounced the ongoing damage to power transmission infrastructure and warned that it jeopardized the stability of the electricity supply and destroyed years of investment in the industry.
TCN urged the public and host communities to be on the lookout for unusual activity around transmission facilities and to report it to the closest TCN office or security agency.
“We strongly condemn the ongoing vandalism of power transmission infrastructure as it undermines years of investment in the sector,” the statement read.
“We urge the public and host communities to exercise caution and notify the closest TCN office or security agencies of any suspicious activities surrounding transmission facilities. To safeguard national grid assets and provide a steady supply of electricity, cooperation is crucial.
Workers’ welfare arrangements, such as unpaid wage awards, promotion arrears, and salary-related allowances, are being implemented slowly.
The commitment was made by Taiwo Oyedele, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, during a meeting in Abuja with Kabiru Ado Minjibir, National President of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Trade Side.
The Federal Ministry of Finance’s Head of Information and Public Relations Unit, Efe Ovuakporie, revealed this in a statement on Wednesday.
“The Federal Government has assured public servants that the outstanding wage award will be paid before the middle of August, while promotion arrears are being processed as part of ongoing efforts to fulfill its commitments to workers,” the statement stated.
The minister added that President Bola Tinubu’s administration remained dedicated to upholding agreements made with workers and that the administration had already started resolving a number of the issues brought up by labor even before receiving its formal communication.
“The government fulfills its commitments,” he declared. We don’t often make unfulfilled promises. We shall provide reasonable deadlines and see to it that any unresolved concerns are carried out.
Oyedele expressed optimism that qualified employees will start receiving the outstanding salary award before the middle of August and revealed that the approval process for the transfer of cash had reached its final stage.
“The necessary release for payment of the outstanding wage award is being concluded, and we are confident that eligible public servants will begin receiving the payment before the middle of the month,” he stated.
Additionally, the minister reassured labor groups that the government was following established protocols when processing pending promotion arrears. He instructed ministry representatives to promptly examine all of the council’s proposals, consult with pertinent Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, and expedite the resolution of outstanding labor disputes.
Oyedele acknowledged organized labor’s worries about past accords’ implementation delays, but he assured them that the government will keep fostering trust through openness and consistent participation.
“Our goal is to create a system where problems are addressed proactively,” he stated. We want employees to trust that the government will keep its word once it makes a commitment.
In order to guarantee that authorized workers’ entitlements are processed without needless delays, Raymond Omachi, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, has promised closer cooperation with organized labor.
He stated that in order to expedite the resolution of outstanding labor issues, the ministry would keep collaborating with pertinent government agencies. He stated, “The ministry will continue to engage relevant government institutions to expedite the resolution of outstanding labor issues, stressing that constructive dialogue remains the most effective path to sustaining industrial harmony.”
Speaking as well, Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, revealed that Batch 7 promotion arrears—which had not been included in a previous payment exercise—were now being processed in conjunction with Batch 9.
He said he was confident that after processing was finished, impacted workers will start getting their benefits. Danjuma went on to say that the government was also collaborating with pertinent organizations to settle disputes pertaining to the payment of the Peculiar Allowance and other unresolved labor-related claims.
Christiana Osho, Director of Cash Management, gave an update on the payment procedure and stated that the outstanding salary award reconciliation was finished.
She clarified that the payment release was nearing its conclusion and that, while the processing of promotion arrears would proceed in accordance with the authorized schedule, eligible employees will start getting the arrears right away.
Kabiru Ado Minjibir, the president of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, had earlier asked the Federal Government to move quickly on outstanding workers’ entitlements.
He determined that unresolved welfare issues, such as salary relativity for health personnel, promotion arrears, and outstanding wage awards, needed immediate treatment.
He claims that prompt fulfillment of the unfulfilled promises would improve labor relations and increase workers’ trust in the government’s dedication to their well-being.
In order to guarantee the timely resolution of unresolved labor issues throughout the federal public service, all sides reiterated their commitment to ongoing communication and cooperation.
