BENIN CITY, Nigeria — Nigerian security officials have arrested a 24-year-old man caught attempting to vandalize high-voltage electrical infrastructure in the country’s southern region, state power authorities said.
The suspect, identified as Wisdom Amaunam, was detained inside a 330-kilovolt switchyard operated by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in Benin City. According to local officials, a patrolling security officer caught him stripping cables and wiring from a marshalling kiosk—a critical control panel used to monitor power equipment. Amaunam was handed over to the Critical National Assets and Infrastructure unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for interrogation. He remains in custody as federal investigators prepare formal charges.
Vandalism and equipment theft have long plagued Nigeria’s electrical grid, causing frequent regional blackouts and forcing state-run utility firms to spend millions of dollars on emergency repairs. The 330kV transmission networks form the backbone of the West African nation’s national power system, transmitting high-voltage electricity across long distances.
In a statement, TCN management commended security personnel for intercepting the suspect and warned that deliberate sabotage of energy assets would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
The company urged residents living near major utility corridors to report any unauthorized individuals seen near power installations to local authorities.
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