A suspected vandal was crushed to death after a 330kV transmission tower collapsed along the Ughelli–Benin transmission line in Delta State, the Transmission Company of Nigeria has said.

The incident occurred on Saturday, August 8, 2026, and was discovered during an intensive patrol by TCN’s Delta Sub-Region Lines Maintenance Department (LMD).

According to TCN on X on Saturday, the patrol was conducted after the Ughelli–Benin 330kV transmission line tripped on an earth fault.

The maintenance team traced the fault to Tower 101, which had collapsed.

“Linesmen found a suspected vandal crushed to death under a collapsed vandalised transmission tower,” TCN said.

The company added that the victim’s body was found “crushed between the tower members.”

Further inspection of the area revealed that Tower 101 on the adjacent Ughelli–Sapele 330kV transmission line had also been seriously vandalised.

However, TCN said the second tower was still standing at the time of the inspection.

The transmission company condemned the vandalism and appealed to host communities and members of the public to remain vigilant around power infrastructure.

TCN urged Nigerians to report suspicious activities around electricity installations to security agencies or the nearest TCN office.

“The fight against the vandalism of power infrastructure is one that must be inclusive. All hands must be on deck for this fight to be won,” the company said.

TCN warned that tampering with power infrastructure poses serious risks to lives and national assets.

“This incident is a tragic reminder of the extreme dangers of tampering with power infrastructure,” the company said, adding that vandalism “not only leads to power outages and damage to national assets, it also endangers lives.”

The company described the protection of electricity infrastructure as a civic responsibility and called on the public to help prevent further vandalism.

“Stop the vandals, or they will stop power for us all,” TCN said.