Just days after an attack on one of its facilities in Osogbo, Osun State, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced another security incident at its Ogbomosho Transmission Substation in Oyo State, raising renewed concerns over the safety of critical national power infrastructure.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah, the company disclosed that armed men attempted to invade the Ogbomosho substation in the early hours of May 10, 2026, but were repelled by security personnel on duty.

TCN said preliminary reports indicated that the attackers gained unauthorised access into the premises by scaling the perimeter fence near the gate between late Saturday night and early Sunday morning.

According to the company, the intruders advanced towards the gate house with the intention of attacking and immobilising the vigilante operatives stationed at the facility.

However, the security personnel reportedly resisted the attack by firing warning shots, forcing the suspected criminals to abandon the operation and flee through the same route they used to enter the premises.

“During their escape, the suspects abandoned some of their tools and personal items near the fence wall,” the statement said.

The company explained that an early morning inspection of the premises revealed implements suspected to have been intended for use in the attempted attack, as well as traces of blood and footprints leading towards the escape route.

TCN added that a further search conducted after daylight led to the recovery of a bag containing additional tools believed to belong to the fleeing suspects.

The latest development comes amid growing concerns about repeated attacks, vandalism and theft targeting Nigeria’s electricity infrastructure, which industry operators say have continued to undermine power supply reliability and increased operational costs across the sector.

The company noted that the incident had already been reported to relevant security agencies and that investigations were ongoing to identify and apprehend those behind the attempted breach.

TCN stated that no personnel were injured during the incident and reiterated its commitment to protecting critical transmission infrastructure across the country.

“The incident has been reported to the relevant authorities, and TCN is working closely with security agencies to investigate the matter and prevent a recurrence. No personnel were injured.

“TCN remains committed to safeguarding its installations and ensuring the safety of staff and infrastructure nationwide. The company has directed a formal report of the incident to the Oba’s Palace,” the company stated.

The attempted attack at Ogbomosho comes only days after another reported security breach involving a TCN installation in Osogbo, underscoring the mounting pressure on electricity infrastructure nationwide.

Nigeria’s power assets, particularly transmission installations, have in recent years come under increasing attacks from vandals, cable thieves and organised criminal groups seeking to cart away high-value electrical components.

Sector stakeholders have repeatedly warned that the destruction of transmission towers, cables and substation equipment not only disrupts electricity supply but also imposes huge replacement costs on the government and electricity consumers.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, TCN announced the commencement of the second phase of compensation payments to Project Affected Persons (PAPs) under the 330kV Double Circuit QUAD Conductor Mando–Rimin Zakara Transmission Line Project in Kaduna State.

The company said the second phase of the compensation exercise commenced on May 7, 2026, in Shika, Zaria, with over 2,000 claimants receiving compensation.

TCN explained that the compensation process forms part of efforts to clear the right-of-way before the commencement of major transmission projects, in line with standard operational procedures.

According to the company, the clearing of transmission corridors is critical to ensuring safety, protecting infrastructure integrity and guaranteeing seamless execution of projects.

It described the compensation programme as a major milestone demonstrating its commitment to fairness, transparency and effective community engagement in the implementation of national power projects.

“The second phase of the compensation process began on Thursday, 7th May, 2026 in Shika, Zaria, Kaduna with over 2000 claimants receiving compensation,” the TCN said. (Arise News)

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