Tragedy struck in Borno on Tuesday as fire gutted the Muna Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in the Muna area of the North-Eastern state.

The incident that happened in the Muna Alamdari IDP camp in Maiduguri led to the loss of two children’s lives.

As of the time of filing this report, the remote cause of the fire could not be ascertained.

Also, the Borno State Police Command or the state government are yet to comment on the incident.

Borno has been ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgency for over a decade which has left thousands dead and displaced many people.

Nigerian Army troops say they have uncovered and neutralized a major firearms and drone manufacturing factory allegedly operated by the Eastern Security Network (ESN).

According to Army spokesman, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, the factory was located at Onicha Ulona in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State.

He said the troops faced stiff resistance upon raiding the facility but managed to overpower the armed fighters in a fierce firefight.

Nwachukwu said two of the fighters were neutralized, and a substantial cache of arms and ammunition was recovered.

”Items captured by the troops include, a wide range of IPOB/ESN firearms, ammunition, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and a drone manufacturing factory.

”Other items recovered are a variety of weapons, drones under construction, with prototypes, Improvised Explosive Device materials, a fully equipped workshop, and several power generating sets.

”Troops also apprehended four male and two female fighters during the operation,” he stated.

He assured members of the public of the troops’ unalloyed commitment to dismantling terrorists’ and insurgents’ networks.

”We urge the public to continue to support the Nigerian Army and other security agencies as they strive to restore peace and stability in the country,” he concluded.

A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nasarawa State, Senator Abubakar Danso Sodangi, is dead.

According to sources, the former senator, who represented Nasarawa West in the upper chamber of the National Assembly for 12 years, died on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the age of 70.

Sodangi served as the Chairman of the Campaign Council for the re-election of Governor Abdullahi Sule in 2023.

He was elected Senator in the Nasarawa West Constituency of Nasarawa State in May 1999 and was re-elected in 2003 and 2007.


The circumstances surrounding his passing away are still sketchy at the time of this report.

The Executive Director of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, Sunday Oduntan, has revealed that the Nigerian government is indebted to about N100 billion in outstanding electricity bills.

Oduntan emphasized the need for the government to create an enabling environment for energy distributors and fulfil its financial obligations.

In an interview with Arise TV, Oduntan disclosed that the debt owed by Ministries, Agencies, and Departments (MDAs) amounts to N100 billion.

He pointed out that the government’s timely payment of electricity bills could have prevented recent situations, such as the presidential villa’s outstanding bill to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).

The executive director highlighted the recent payment made by President Bola Tinubu to clear the N342.3 million electricity bill owed by the presidential villa stressing the importance of government agencies, including ministries, in fulfilling their financial obligations to electricity distribution companies.

He called for an effective resolution to address outstanding debts and ensure a conducive business environment for energy distributors.

“You will be surprised to find some ministries that are owing Abuja Disco. The ministries, departments and agencies are owing in essence N100 billion. We’ve been saying this for a long time. They didn’t start owing from May 2023. So there is no politics or mischief here. We are talking facts and how we can solve problems,” he said.

As the April governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State approaches, aspirants within the party have intensified their lobbying efforts to secure the candidacy.

The major contenders, including Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Olusola Oke, Isaac Kekemeke, Mayowa Akinfolarin, Wale Akinterinwa, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Gbenga Edema, Dr. Paul Akintelure, and Jimi Odumayo, are said to be engaging in efforts to garner support.

According to Vanguard, aspirants are reaching out to influential figures close to the presidency, such as the first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and the President’s daughter, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo.

Overtures have also been made to the national leader of Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, and the Umar Ganduje-led National Working Committee of the APC.

“The party is also considering a neutral candidate, someone who was not involved in the state’s recent political crisis before the death of the late governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu,” a source quoted in the report said.

Meanwhile, the Akeredolu family, led by his widow, Betty, are said to be backing the ambition of the former state finance commissioner, Wale Akinterinwa.

It was also gathered that a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mayowa Akinfolarin, has the backing of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila and the Interior Minister, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

Gbajabiamila, Akinfolarin, and Tunji-Ojo were all members of the Ninth Assembly in the House of Representatives.

Former Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, says that Steven Oronsaye’s report was not presented to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari during his administration.

Shittu was a minister during Buhari’s first term in office between 2015 and 2019.

According to him, the report was not brought to the attention of the Buhari administration, and as such, there was no need for implementation.

He said, “The report had been with the previous government (Jonathan’s) but they didn’t do anything. Nobody brought it to our (Buhari government’s) attention, at least not when I was there. So, the issue never came up for discussion at the Federal Executive Council meeting at all. If nobody brought it and there were no complaints, we didn’t have cause to look at it at all.”

There was controversy over the report since the Federal Government approved the implementation of some of its recommendations to reduce the cost of governance on February 26, about 12 years after it was submitted.

Twenty-nine government agencies are expected to be merged, even as eight parastatals will be subsumed into eight other agencies, even as some Nigerians fear that this may lead to job losses.

The National President, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Tommy Etim, had warned that job losses amidst the current hardship in the country could lead to mass protests.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, described the report as outdated, advising the Federal Government to ensure that “the crisis of insecurity is not compounded through the retrenchment of hundreds of thousands of workers.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Government, on Thursday, inaugurated the implementation committee.

Speaking on the matter, Shittu said that civil servants should not be afraid of job losses, adding that only politicians would be affected as the number of appointees would reduce.

“We must avoid or do away with duplication of services because that would increase the cost of governance. When we talk about some people losing jobs, I think that national interest is more important than personal interest, and I don’t see any civil servant losing his job on that,” he stressed.

Also speaking on the matter, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Yusuf Ali, said implementing the Oronsaye’s report would reduce the excessively complicated administration of ministries, departments, and agencies of government.

Ali said, “One of the things you will find is that there is a lot of inter-agency rivalry. It happens almost everywhere, including in the US. If the report is implemented faithfully, at least we will be out of the problem of rivalry as well as overlapping functions and duties.

“It may not affect the personnel because it will become a larger body. And it will lead to having a leaner government that will be able to manage bureaucracy better. The fact that you are merging A and B does not mean you will dismiss people. It only means that you will have a larger number of people working in the same space.

“If you are talking about the loss of jobs, what will you say with the advent of artificial intelligence and robotics? Should we say people will lose their jobs and not invest in AI, robotics like drones, and others? Anything that will bring progress, we should try to adopt it.”

Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, has been appointed as chairperson of the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) Convergence Council.

The WAMZ aims to create a single currency for countries in West Africa, similar to the Euro in European nations.

While Nigeria’s economy was projected to grow in 2023, Edun warned that this growth may not significantly improve living standards for most Nigerians.

He said: “The macroeconomic outlook for Nigeria in 2023 suggests that the country’s economic growth is not expected to significantly improve living standards or socio-economic indicators for a majority of the population.

“Despite overall growth, many people may not see significant benefits due to existing structural challenges or inequalities within the economy.

“Addressing these issues is crucial to ensure economic growth translates into tangible improvements in living standards and socio-economic conditions for a broader segment of the Nigerian population.”

Edun noted that the government’s goal is for economic growth to translate into real improvements in people’s lives of the people.

Nigeria, he told the West African gathering, acknowledges the challenges it faces but remains committed to leading the WAMZ Convergence Council.

He maintained that the country plans to achieve economic transformation through its National Development Plan and reforms in key sectors.

Edun noted that factors like rising oil prices and coordinated economic policies are expected to contribute to a more stable economic environment.

Nigeria’s leadership role at the WAMZ Convergence Council comes at a time when member countries are experiencing slow economic growth due to global factors.

The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Bago, has called on the Federal Government to censor the contents of the social media platforms in Nigeria saying that they are being abused.

Bago said this will checkmate the spread of fake news in the country while promoting objective reportage by practitioners of conventional journalism.

He made this known on Thursday during his decoration as the Grand Patron of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Niger State Council.

The governor became the latest politician to call for regulated social media after President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, called for social media regulation.

The NUJ National President, Chris Isiguzo, who also presented the governor with a certificate, said the honour was in recognition of his exemplary leadership qualities.

Bago described the role of journalism as vital to the development of any society stressing that journalists have helped in shaping democracy in Nigeria through their reportage.

“As the fourth estate of the realm, journalists should carry out their duties as watchdogs of the society and ensure the objectivity in their reports.

“I call for the introduction of censorship on social media contents to checkmate the spread of fake news and hate speeches,” he said.

The governor lauded the NUJ for finding him worthy of the award, noting that it has set a benchmark for him to do more. He affirmed that his administration will not rest on its oars in its quest to transform Niger State.

Isiguzo disclosed that the conferment on the Governor followed his transformative and developmental strides in the areas of infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, good governance and education among others.

Pressure is mounting on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe officials who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The calls for the anti-graft commission to take action have been getting louder by the day.

The recent call is from a famous human rights lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, who called for an extensive audit of financial transactions involving all officials who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The appeal comes in the wake of revelations emerging from the trial of ex-Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, who is embroiled in a $6.2 million fraud case related to the last presidential poll.

Olajengbesi commended the EFCC for exposing the alleged forgery of Buhari’s signature and that of ex-Secretary General of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, in connection with the fraud case.

The human rights lawyer emphasized the need to curb the audacity of those in power and address their criminal influence.

He urged the EFCC not to limit its investigations to Emefiele but to extend it to all principal actors who served under the Buhari administration.

Olajengbesi stressed the importance of establishing deterrents for such behaviour and called for a thorough audit to ensure transparency and accountability.

His words: “The EFCC must not stop at just the former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele but should carry out an entire audit of principal actors who served under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. There should be a deterrent for bad behaviour.

“Again, the case of the suspended Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, Ahmad Salihijo, over alleged N1.2bn fraud is fresh and a pointer to the gross abuse of power by those who served under Buhari.

“Emefiele and all those who served under the Buhari administration should be properly audited and given a chance to clear their names as the corruption that manifested under that government is gargantuan.”

Despite the economic hardship facing the country, Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi has distributed a total of 24 brand new cars worth millions of naira to lawmakers at the State House of Assembly.

Governor Idris disclosed in a tweet via his X handle on Wednesday, March 6.

According to him, the gesture signified the harmonious relationship between the executive and legislative arm of government in the state.

He wrote: “I am honored to fulfill my promise by distributing 24 First Class Toyota Jeeps to the dedicated members of the Kebbi State House of Assembly for their official engagements.

“Today, at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi, I personally presented these vehicles, expressing gratitude for the Assembly’s cooperation and understanding. The harmonious working relationship between the Executive Arm and the Assembly has been paramount.

“In the spirit of collaboration, I joined the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Usman Muhammad Ankwe, in a test drive of the Jeep allocated to him. Let this be a symbol of our commitment to serving the people of Kebbi State diligently.”

As Nigeria continues to grapple with the epileptic power supply, an outage on Tuesday disrupted the Senate Plenary session.

Meanwhile, the Senators have reportedly suspended plenary till the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) restored the electricity supply.

SaharaReporters reported that the power problem in Nigeria had been made worse with the removal of fuel subsidy which escalated the pump price of petroleum otherwise known as Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and AGO known as gas to all time high in the history of the country.

SaharaReporters also reported that national grid collapse had become a regular feature in the country in the last nine months.

While the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Electricity Distribution Companies had recently absorbed themselves of the epileptic power supply, it blamed the problem on generation.

The Governor of Plateau state, Caleb Mutfwang, on Monday, lamented the economic hardship being faced by Nigerians and blamed the situation on the last administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking during the swearing-in of 22 Special Advisers and heads of other government agencies appointed by his administration which took place at the Rayfield Government House in Jos on Monday, the governor noted that President Bola Tinubu inherited the worst-performing economy of Nigeria from Buhari since the country started its democratic experiment in 1999.

The governor said “We are at a very difficult juncture in the history of this country and I’m an advocate that after the election you forget politics and face governance.

“And even though the Federal Government is being led by a party other than my own, I owe you the duty to tell Nigerians the truth that this government inherited a worse situation than 1999.

“This government inherited an economy where we simply printed money up to the tune of N30 trillion and shared. This government inherited an economy where the crude oil we’re yet to take out of the ground has been sold in advance.

“So when you’re talking about the fall of the naira, it’s not rocket time. We sold our future under the last administration. No wonder you’re hearing of riots today, people intercepting food on the way. We are lucky on the plateau that perhaps we have more food than many other states.

“And I pray that the time will not come on the Plateau that we will see this kind of riot for food, but it means we must roll over our sleeves and get to work. And that is why, for us as a government, when we announced one of the positions that talked about Food Security, people were laughing but it is a serious issue.”

The governor announced plans by his administration to set up a special agro-processing zone in Barkin Ladi LGA in partnership with the African Development Bank to the tune of 300m dollars

He called on the new appointees to brace up to the challenge to enable his administration to reverse the ugly situation for the good of the people.

Mohammed Ibrahim, the President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), has threatened that the union alongside the Non-academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions (NASU) will shut down the universities in the country if the government refuses to grant their demands in the next seven days.

He disclosed this while speaking as a guest on Channels TV’s Sunday Politics.

Ibrahim said a 7-day ultimatum which will start counting from Monday (today) had been issued to the Federal Government, threatening that the two bodies would embark on a total strike if nothing was done by the government at the end of the ultimatum.

He said there would be a total shutdown of the universities if members of the non-academic staff went on strike, saying: “We are in charge of security, we are in charge of administration, we are in charge of medicals, we are in charge of hostels, we are in charge of electricity, we are in charge of everything apart from teaching. So, once our members down tools, no university can function in Nigeria.”

“It’s quite unfortunate. No union member wants to go on strike but when you are pushed to the wall, what would you do? You have to push back.

“You can see what is happening in the country. The economy is in dundrums and everybody is suffering. Most of our universities are located far outside the township and our members have to commute every day. Fuel cannot be accessed, food is scarce, our medicals can not be attended to, and members are suffering quite clearly,” he added.

Speaking about the union’s grievances, the SSANU President said, “It’s quite absurd that we have to speak like this and it is because we have been clearly shown that we do not matter in the system while we all know that there is no university that can function without the non-teaching staff.

“We are populated by professionals, we oil the engine in the administration of every university and therefore treating a segment of staff with disdain does not speak well of the system.

“In 2022, all the university-based unions were on strike – four of us. For us in NASU and SSANU, we went on strike on the 27th of March and we called it off on the 27th of August after the intervention of the then Minister of Education, Mal Adamu Adamu.

“We had an agreement that we signed with the government to review the situation and ensure that justice is done,” he recalled.

Ibrahim said the last part of the agreement was that no one should suffer for taking part in the strike and salaries should not be withheld.

He said the government however stopped the salaries of all non-teaching staff in May and was only restored in September of the same year, adding that the current government decided to pay the withheld salaries of only ASUU members.

“Today, as I speak to you, our colleagues in ASUU have been able to get theirs and no one is saying anything about NASU and SSANU,” he lamented.

The union leader however said if the issue was addressed within the seven days ultimatum given to the federal government, there would be no need for any industrial action.

Tochi3:
Pius Anyim just confirmed the reasons why Barth Nnajji resigned..

In Igboland..nobody..I mean no one takes Anyim serious. He knows how to önly play sophisticated politics detrimental to Ndigbo..

...guilty conscience has smoked him out to come play more sophisticated politics..

Anyim.. can you pls show one tangible development you brought to your constitutuents as a senate president.. can you Show any progress or support you made as SGN.towards power infrastructures in the whole East.. what about Airports, road infrastructures, police Checkpoints all over the eastern road Network ..what did you about the RUGA..what did you say

When evil is melted out on Ndigbo.. youbare always silent..always hiding.

Nobody in Igboland takes you serious efulefu

atiku4President:
Story story..we know Anyim as a greedy politician who will not let any thing that will not benefit him fly. What of the Enugu airport?

Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

Ngelale said President Tinubu was visiting the State of Qatar on the invitation of His Highness, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar.

He said the President will be accompanied on the trip by senior government officials who are expected to sign several agreements focused on boosting Nigeria’s real sector and creating value-additive investments across the fields of trade, education, culture, solid minerals and others.

Ngelale said: “Honouring an invitation by His Highness, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, President Bola Tinubu will depart Lagos State and embark on a two-day official visit to the State of Qatar on Thursday, February 29, 2024, to further strengthen cooperation between the two nations in several areas, including security, cultural exchange, and economic development.

“During the visit, President Tinubu will witness the signing of several agreements focused on boosting Nigeria’s real sector and creating value-additive investments across the fields of trade, education, culture, solid minerals, digital economy, agriculture, and gas, as well as fostering cooperation on counter-terrorism.

“The President will also participate in a business and investment forum that will bring together top-level executives in both the private and public sectors of Nigeria and Qatar to advance cross-sectoral opportunities for mutually beneficial growth and development.

“The President will be accompanied on the trip by senior government officials for the signing of agreements.”

Wale Akinterinwa, one of the frontline aspirants in the forthcoming APC primary election in Ondo, has accused Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of preventing him and other aspirants from welcoming President Bola Tinubu.m to the state.

Politics Nigeria earlier reported that Tinubu arrived Akure, the state capital on Wednesday, to condole with the government and people over the passing of former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.


The tradition, according to Akinterinwa, is that party members will converge at the airport to welcome the president to the state.


The APC chieftain, however, alleged that Aiyedatiwa prevented them from seeing the president.


He described the directive from Governor Aiyedatiwa against their coming to the airport as undemocratic, disrespectful and unreasonable.

Describing Governor Aiyedatiwa as an “ignorant mind”, Akinterinwa alleged that the governor had planned to “unleash mayhem” on other aspirants and their supporters if they had gone to the airport.

But reacting to Akinterinwa’s claims, spokesperson to the governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said President Tinubu was on a private visit to Ondo State and not for political campaigns.

The family of late Herbert Wigwe, the former group chief executive officer (GCEO) of Access Holdings Plc, has released his burial arrangements.

Recall that Wigwe died in a helicopter crash in the United States alongside his wife and son.

Onboard the ill-fated helicopter was Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), which crashed early February.


According to the programme, the burial ceremony of the Wigwes will begin with a celebration of the professional legacy of the former GCEO of Access Holdings at the Eko Hotel in Lagos on March 4.


It will end with an outing service at the Redeemed Christian Church Of God (RCCG), Lion of Judah Parish, Isiokpo, Ikwerre LGA, Rivers, on March 10.

The lives of his son, Chizi and wife, Chizoba will be celebrated in separate ceremonies scheduled for March 5 at the Eko Hotel in Lagos, before a night of tributes a day later at the same venue.

A combined service of songs will be held on March 7 at the RCCG, Resurrection Parish, Lekki, followed by a Christian wake-keeping at Wigwe University, Isiokpo, Ikwerre LGA, Rivers.



The combined funeral and private internment service are scheduled for March 9, 2024.

THE BURIAL PROGRAMME

Celebrating Herbert Wigwe — ” A Professional Legacy”
Monday, March 4, 2024
Venue: Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos
Time: 2:00pm-6:00pm

Celebrating Chizi Wigwe
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
Venue: Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos
Time: 10:00am

Celebrating Chizoba Wigwe
Tuesday, March 5, 2024
Venue: Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos
Time: 5:00pm

Night of Tributes
Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Venue: Eko Hotel Victoria Island, Lagos
Time: 5:00pm

Combined Service of Songs
Thursday, March 7, 2024
RCCG, Resurrection Parish,
1 Resurrection Drive, 1st Gate,
Jakande Estate, Km 15 Lekki
Time: 10:00am

Christian Wake-Keeping
Friday, March 8, 2024
Wigwe University, Isiokpo
6:00pm

Combined Funeral Service
Saturday, March 9, 2024
RCCG, Lion of Judah Parish, Isiokpo
10:00am

Private Interment Ceremony
Saturday, March 9, 2024

Outing Service
Sunday, March 10, 2024
RCCG, Lion of Judah Parish, Isiokpo
10:00am

The cost of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), commonly known as cooking gas, has experienced a 38% increase on a month-on-month (MoM) basis, reaching N16,250 for a 12.5kg cylinder compared to N11,735.72 in January 2024.

Additionally, the price of 1kg of gas rose by 37% to N1,300 from N950 during the same period.

The latest report from the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Liquefied Petroleum Price Watch for January 2024 revealed a 3.55% MoM increase in the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of cooking gas, reaching N5,139.25 compared to N4,952.87 in December 2023.

On a year-on-year (YoY) basis, the 5kg cylinder price saw a 12% increase, rising to N5,139.25 in January 2024 from N4,588.75 in the corresponding period of 2023.


Nassarawa State recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cooking gas cylinder at N5,790.00, followed by Jigawa State at N5,681.82 and Gombe State at N5,660.00.

Conversely, Kaduna State had the lowest price at N4,150.00, followed by Ogun and Osun States with N4,751.04 and N4,763.53, respectively.

Experts say the latest information will pressure the finances of an already stretched citizenry as Nigeria continues to battle inflation.

Yoruba nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has called on President Bola Tinubu to order the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Igboho urged the Tinubu-led Federal Government to drop the treasonable charges against Kanu.

In a video released on Monday, Igboho emphasized that releasing Kanu is crucial to attending to his failing health.

He stressed that Kanu, like himself, is an agitator fighting for the interests of his people in the Southeast.

" Please release Nnamdi Kanu, stop politics. This guy did not do anything. Today is February 26, 2024. Release him; let him go and stay with his family.

“This guy is just fighting for his people in the South East like me, and I am fighting for my people in Yorubaland. Release him, let him go. Release Kanu. Please release him,” Igboho appealed.