A significant power outage has struck the Eket and Ekim communities in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, after vandals dismantled a transmission line along the Eket–Ikot Abasi route. The incident occurred on October 12, 2025, when Tower T35 of the 132 kV transmission line collapsed due to vandalism, according to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). An inspection team from TCN’s Lines Department visited the site and found several dismantled tower components scattered on the ground. Further investigation revealed that additional tower members had been removed from the fallen tower and carted away.
In addition to Tower T35, towers T7, T33, and T34 had been tampered with, causing a temporary disruption of bulk power supply through the Eket and Ekim 132/33 kV transmission substations and the Ibom Power Station. As a result, the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company is unable to distribute power to customers in Eket and Ekim towns.
TCN has begun mobilising resources to reconstruct the collapsed tower and restore the transmission line as quickly as possible. The company emphasized that vandalism poses a serious threat to the stability of the nation’s transmission system and urged host communities to remain vigilant, reporting any suspicious activities around transmission installations to security operatives or the nearest TCN office. The fight against vandalism of power infrastructure is a collective responsibility, and TCN called on all stakeholders to join hands in protecting these critical national assets from further attacks.
The incident highlights the need for increased security measures to prevent such events, which can have significant economic and social implications for affected communities. TCN’s prompt response and efforts to restore power supply are crucial in minimising the impact of the outage on the daily lives of residents and businesses in the affected areas.
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