The Federal Government has confirmed that it spent a total sum of N8.8bn for the repair and restoration of transmission towers that were vandalised across various regions of the country in 2024.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Transition Company of Nigeria, Ahmed Abdulaziz, revealed this at the Quarterly Power Sector Working Group meeting in Abuja.
The Special Adviser to the Minister of Power on Strategic Communication and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, in a statement signed on Wednesday, said the government is yet to achieve prosecution of arrested vandals as they are usually released on bail by the Nigerian Police.
Abdulaziz, who was represented by the Executive Director, TCN Transmission Service Provider, Engr. Olugbenga Ajiboye revealed that 128 transmission towers have been destroyed either by vandals or bandits, across the country between January and November 2024.
He further lamented that apprehended perpetrators are being granted bail, enabling them to return to their illegal activities and wreaking havoc on the vital transmission infrastructure in the country.
“As I talk to you today, 128 of our towers have been destroyed by either vandals or bandits. To date, we have spent about N8.8bn, by our estimation, to put them back to full and functional use.”
He explained that when the vandals were apprehended and handed over to police for prosecution, they were bailed based on theft and not vandalism.
“It is so sad that each time the vandals were caught and taken to the police for prosecution, police would arrest them for theft instead of vandalism, and they would be bailed. If they are charged for vandalism, they cannot be bailed, but this is where we are. So many of them have been arrested, but each time they will be bailed because police often incident their cases as that of theft.
“When the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna towers were destroyed, we had to get the full military escorts for our contractors to get the transmission lines and towers restored, and in some cases, they would tell us that we could only work for two hours in some days.
“In some instances, they would even tell us that it was not safe to move there. How do we get out of this? How can we deliver electricity to Nigerians under these terrible circumstances? These are part of the challenges we are facing in the power sector”, Abdulaziz said.