The federal government ordered the demolition of the 3 Battalion Mammy Market in Effurun, Delta State, on 12 October, after issuing a 24‑hour eviction notice two days earlier. The market, which had operated for years beside the Tomatoes Market, housed traders, residents and a variety of informal businesses within a military compound. The clearance displaced thousands of occupants and was justified as a measure to protect national power infrastructure and address security concerns.
The catalyst for the eviction was a formal letter dated 9 October addressed to the [National Security Adviser](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Security_Adviser_(Nigeria)) by the [Transmission Company of Nigeria](https://www.tcn.gov.ng), signed by Managing Director/CEO Dr Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz. The correspondence accused individuals operating in and around the Mammy Market of repeatedly vandalising TCN’s transmission lines, threatening the reliability of electricity supply in the region.
Key facts:
- The complaint cited a surge in sabotage incidents on TCN’s installations along the Effurun‑Sapele corridor.
- Investigators linked the attacks to “hoodlums” based in the Mammy Market.
- The letter requested that the NSA direct Brigadier General Ibrahim Baba Buhari to intervene and apprehend the suspects.
- During the demolition, security sources reported the seizure of approximately 40 AK‑47 rifles, ammunition and the arrest of the market’s informal leader.
- A senior officer indicated that high‑profile detainees would be handed over to police after investigation.
"TCN has been experiencing a series of vandalism targeting its installations around the area of Delta State," Abdulaziz wrote. "These repeated attacks pose a serious threat to the reliability and security of electricity transmission infrastructure in the area."
**What did the military say about the operation?**
A senior officer from the brigade clarified that the demolition was not a raid but a clearing exercise, stating that suspects with firearms would be transferred to police custody once investigations concluded. He also noted that the Mammy Market falls under the command of the 3 Battalion, not the brigade or sector.
**What illicit activities were uncovered?**
According to unnamed security sources, the demolition revealed a thriving underworld involving gunrunning, hard‑drug trafficking and prostitution. The scrap market adjacent to the Mammy Market was identified as a key conduit for dismantled power‑line components, which are quickly melted and sold. One source warned that without shutting down the scrap market, vandalism is likely to persist.
**How extensive was the power‑line damage?**
TCN’s patrol on the Delta/Afisere 132 kV line documented nine towers (T9‑T18, excluding T13) that had been stripped of base bracing, angle iron, bolts and gusset plates, rendering them vulnerable to collapse. Visual evidence showed total failure of towers such as T98 and T100 after systematic removal of structural elements.
**Is this problem isolated to Delta?**
Advocate Alhaji Brian Barile of Rivers State highlighted similar sabotage along the Afam Power Plant corridor, noting that base braces and components have been stolen from multiple towers, compromising their structural integrity.
The demolition, while intended to safeguard the national grid, left a humanitarian toll on lawful traders who lost homes and livelihoods. The incident underscores the complex nexus between infrastructure security, illicit trade and the challenges of enforcing law within military zones.