Florence Sadiku
THE Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has apprehended 13 individuals involved in alleged illegal soil excavation near the bases of its transmission towers along the 330kV Benin-Onitsha transmission lines.
The suspects were arrested on 21 November 2024 by TCN linesmen from the Benin Region in collaboration with officials from the Department of State Services (DSS). The arrested individuals will be charged in court, TCN said in a statement. 
TCN further urged the public to avoid any soil excavation activities along the transmission line Right of Way, especially around tower bases. Such actions, it says, can weaken the tower foundations, cause severe erosion, and compromise the stability of the towers, potentially leading to their collapse.
Eighteen-Eleven Media