The company explained that the activities of excavators on this particular site have largely affected the integrity of Towers 15 and 16 at the Umelu community in Benin City.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Monday said that the activities of illegal sand excavators around its transmission towers at Umelu community in Benin City in Edo State are a threat to its towers and operations.

The TCN disclosed this in a statement posted on its X handle on Monday.

Sand excavation is the expulsion of sand, usually from an open pit. This can also be mined from dunes and beaches and even dredged from rivers and ocean beds.

The company explained that the activities of excavators on this particular site have largely affected the integrity of Towers 15 and 16 at Umelu community.

"The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has disclosed that the activities of illegal sand excavators around its transmission towers are a threat to its towers and operations.

"Recently, while on routine patrol on B1T and B2T Benin-Onitsha 330kV transmission lines. The TCN lines patrol team discovered a violation of its transmission line Right of Way (RoW) by sand excavators.

"The activities of excavators on this particular site have largely affected the integrity of Towers 15 and 16 at Umelu Community in Benin City," the company said.

The TCN noted that such activities by sand excavators around its towers cause deep erosion, which affects the foundation of the towers and can lead to their collapse, causing power outages.

It said tower collapse can also threaten grid stability and, in addition, lead to loss of lives and property.

"The GMT, Benin Region, Isaac Okpe, is working with the Edo State Government and the Department of State Security (DSS) in the state to end the menace," it said.