The national electricity grid suffered a system collapse on Monday, leading to power outages across the country.

The development comes as Nigerians are experiencing epileptic power supply and a hike in fuel prices.

The grid is infamous for experiencing disruptions, having collapsed in February, May, July and August 2021.

Electricity distribution companies (DisCos) in the country said the recent collapse of the grid occurred at 10:40am and disrupted power supply within their networks.

On the basis of the development, Eko Electricity Distribution Company Limited (EKEDC) apologised to customers and promised to keep them updated on the situation.

“Dear esteemed customer, we regret to inform you of a total system collapse on the national grid at 10:40 am today, leading to outages across our network,” EKEDC said.

“We are closely monitoring the situation with our TCN partners to determine the cause and a timeline for resolution.” Enugu Electricity Distribution Plc, another DisCo, said its customers in five states had no power supply.

Similarly, the Enugu Electricity Distribution PLC (EEDC) informed its customers in the South East of a general system collapse which occurred on the morning, of Monday, March 14, 2022 at 10:40 am,”.

Emeka Ezeh, head of corporate communications, in a statement blamed the collapse for the loss of supply experienced across the network.

“We are on standby and awaiting signal from the National Control Centre (NCC) for restoration of supply.” he said

In a similar vein, Kaduna Electric also confirmed its customers of the national grid collapse via its Twitter handle.

“We regret to inform you that the power outage being experienced in our franchise states is sue to system collapse of the national grid,” the post reads.

For his part, Felix Ofulue, head of corporate communications, Ikeja Electric, admitted that its customers were affected by the system collapse.

Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria has appealed to the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities to as a matter of urgency resolve the issues leading to ASUU’s strike so that students can go back to school.

Speaking in an interview with our correspondent, National President, PTA, Danjuma Haruna, said an additional two months strike would have devastating implications on the education sector.

He said, “It will have devastating implications on the education sector in the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory. We call on both ASUU and representatives of the Federal Government to go back to the dialogue table and resolve their problems.

“Not every parent in the country can afford taking his child abroad or to a private university for studies, hence, the need for both the Federal Government and ASUU to help towards going back to the dialogue table so as to save the situation and keep our students and teacher in school.

“The strike comes amid an increase in the price of foodstuff, high cost of petroleum and general insecurity challenges bedeviling the peace, stability in the country. We don’t want our children to spend three months at home because of the strike. We are begging the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency go back and resolve their problems with ASUU”

ASUU warns Ngige, Adamu against salary suspension, legal action

Meanwhile, ASUU has cautioned the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige and his ministry of education counterpart, Adamu Adamu against taking trade union actions against university lecturers. 

Though the ministers had not announced plans of taking actions against the union, ASUU said it was necessary to caution the ministers against taking a “hopeless step” in a bid to get the striking lecturers back to work.

ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH in Abuja on Monday.

ASUU on Monday announced a two-month extension of its initial four weeks warning strike which it declared on Monday, February 14, 2022 at the University of Lagos.

According to a statement released by the union and made available to our correspondents, the union said it made the decision to extend the strike so as to give the Federal Government and its agencies enough time to meet the lingering demands of the union.

The statement read in part, “NEC acknowledged the intervention efforts, in various ways, by patriots and friends of genuine national development (students, parents, journalists, trade union leaders, civil society activists etc.) to expeditiously resolve the crisis which the government’s disposition had allowed to fester.

“However, ASUU, as a union of intellectuals, has obligations to make the government honour agreements. NEC, having taken reports on the engagements of the trustees and principal officers with the government, concluded that government had failed to satisfactorily address all the issues raised in the 2020 FGN/ASUU Memorandum of Action within the four-week roll-over strike period and resolved that the strike be rolled over for another eight weeks to give Government more time to address all the issues in concrete terms so that our students will resume as soon as possible.”

Osodeke noted that the union was ready to suspend the strike immediately the government does the needful. The Professor of soil science at Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, however, warned the government against taking actions against the union.

He said, “We expect that in the next one or two weeks, the Federal Government would resolve all the issues. If they resolve them next week, students will resume. If after eight weeks, they remain nonchalant, then the NEC will meet again and take action.

“Now, if they say they will apply the no-work-no-pay directive or take us to the industrial court like they did with the doctors last year, they should know that it is a hopeless step, we will also go the same way with them.

“Option two is that if they choose to drag us to court, remember when Ngige took doctors to court, a very hopeless step and he forced them back to work, what happened? When Saudi Arabia came, the doctors left the country. Who is the loser? Nigeria is the loser. Instead of solving a minor problem, you say you want to charge them to court. That simple action caused this country a lot.

“If he tries it, I can assure you that most of the academics will leave this country because they have jobs waiting for them outside the country. If they want to go the bizarre way, let them go, the country will pay for it. We also have a choice, if they want to force us to call off the strike, he should jail us.”

FG has met ASUU’s demand – Minister

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, while reacting to the extended strike, said the Federal Government had met all of ASUU’s demands.

In an interview with journalists at the end of the commemoration of the 2022 Commonwealth Celebration in Abuja on Monday, Nwajiuba said all earned allowances as well as revitalisation funds had been released.

“ASUU announced and we met and everything that they have demanded, we have done all of them including the earned allowances and the revitalisation fund; they choose to extend it for two months may be,” he said.

Don’t return to work, strike still in force, OAU ASUU tells members

Meanwhile, ASUU at the Obafemi Awolowo Universities, Ile-Ife, on Monday, told its members that the ongoing industrial action by the lecturers was still in force hence, they should not return to their duty posts.

A statement  by OAU ASUU Chairman, Adeola Egbedokun, directed members of the union not to attend postgraduate seminars and oral examinations.

Egbedokun also told ASUU members  not to participate in online classes, processing of results, attendance at statutory meetings, among others.

The statement read in parts, “The strike action is still in force and no member, irrespective of office held, should attend postgraduate seminars and oral examinations, online classes, processing of results (graduating and non-graduating)

“Comrades, let us remain resolute. This government has demonstrated that they do not have capacity to conspire to do any good unless forced.

“Let no one cajole or blackmail us with the argument about students being the ones suffering the negative effect of our strike.”

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says its operatives have arrested Osondu Igwilo, an alleged leader of a criminal network who has been on the wanted list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) since 2018.

The anti-graft agency, in a statement on Monday, said Igwilo was apprehended in Lagos on March 11 along with three other suspects.

They are said to be involved in money laundering and identity theft to the tune of $100 million.

“Fifty-two-year-old Igwilo, who is the alleged leader of a criminal network of ‘catchers’ was arrested alongside Okafor Nnamdi Chris, Nwodu Uchenna Emmanuel and John Anazo Achukwu at a studio in the Sangotedo area of Lagos for alleged fraud, money laundering and identity theft to the tune of about $100m,” the statement reads.

“Before their arrest, Igwilo and his accomplices had allegedly been involved in an advance-fee scheme that involved false promises of investment funding by individuals who impersonated some United States of America, USA, bank officials in person and via the internet.

“Investigation revealed that those who fell victims to the suspects’ criminal activities were asked to make certain payments before they could receive their funding.

“It was also revealed that proceeds of the scheme were allegedly laundered through U.S. bank accounts and diverted back to the alleged perpetrators in Nigeria.

“Consequently, Igwilo was placed on the FBI watch list, following a criminal complaint filed against him in the United States District Court, Houston, Texas in December 2016.”

The EFCC said five houses have been recovered from Igwilo in Lagos, adding that the suspects will be charged to court soon.

Meanwhile, the US mission in Nigeria has congratulated EFCC on the arrest.

“With Justice as our mutual priority, we congratulate @officialEFCC for partnering with the @FBI & arresting long-time wanted suspect Igwilo for fraud conspiracy, money laundering and aggravated identity theft,” the mission wrote on Twitter. 

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), on Monday, sealed the premises of three companies for allegedly engaging in illegal investment activities.

The affected companies are Oxford International Group, Farmforte Agro-Allied Solutions Limited/Agropartnerships and Vektr Capital Investment.

The apex capital market regulator accused the companies of carrying out capital market activities without a license.

One of the companies — Agropartnerships, an investment platform powered by Farmforte — has been in the news in recent weeks for failing to pay their investors’ money, both capital and profit.

According to a statement issued by the commission, the offices of the companies in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja were shut down for carrying out investment operations that fall within the ambit of fund management without registration.

“These companies do not have registration of the SEC to conduct fund management activities and have been found to promise exorbitant rates of returns to lure investors. The SEC has exercised its powers under Section 13 (w) Investments and Securities Act 2007, to shut them down,” the statement reads.

“The commission hereby notifies the investing public that none of these entities or their investment platforms are registered by the SEC.

“The public is hereby reminded that it is unlawful for any private enterprise whether incorporated as a company or not, to solicit funds from the public by whatever means, to fund its private ventures as doing this will be in contravention of the Investments and Securities Act, 2007.”

SEC, therefore, advised the public to always confirm from the commission whether an entity providing investment services has been duly registered and whether the investment schemes are authorised by it.

It warned that any member of the investing public dealing with unregistered entities was doing so at his/her own risk.

It further encouraged the public to exercise due diligence and caution in making investment decisions, adding that list of valid operators can be obtained on its website.

The Nigeria Police, Zone 2 comprising Lagos and Ogun on Monday disclosed that it has arrested eleven persons in connection with the gruesome murder of Olu of Agodo, in Ewekoro local government area of Ogun State, Oba Odetola Olajide Ayinde.

In a release issued by Hauwa Idris Adamu, the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, Zone 2 Command Headquarters, Onikan-Lagos, said the arrest followed a petition received by the Police over the gruesome murder of the late monarch.

The statement read, "On the 28th January, 2022, a petition with caption, "Re: Case of conspiracy, arson attempted murder and murder", was received from one Odetola Okuribido 'm' on behalf of the entire Okuribido Royal Family of Agodo town, Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun state".

"That on Monday 24th January 2022 His Royal Highness Oba Odetola Olajide Ayinde, the Olu of Agodo town in Ifo LGA, Ogun State was murdered by one Gbeminyi Sotade (aka okon) and his cohorts.

The late traditional ruler went to his village on a portion of land to clear the grave side of his late brother, all of a sudden a group of hoodlums numbering about 50; led by one Gbeminiyi Sotade ‘m’ attacked him while 3 of his relatives were assaulted and macheted".

"The hoodlums pushed the traditional ruler into his red Toyota Sienna SUV 2016 model with Registration number APP 55 GF while one Agbara drove the vehicle in the company of other hoodlums to a nearby forest, they poured petrol on him and the vehicle was finally set ablaze with the corpse locked in it".

Adamu -Hauwa added that "the three persons who narrowly escaped death are:Alfa Wahab, Deborah Onilere and Lydia Odetola.

"Eleven suspects have so far been arrested and they have confessed to their involvements in the crime and when asked why they attacked and murdered the Traditional Ruler; they claimed he was an “AJAGUNGBALE” (LAND GRABBER).

Meanwhile, efforts are on top gear to arrest others at large".

Adamu -Hauwa warned the general public to desist from taking law into their hands by involving in any form of criminality as whoever is caught up on the wrong side will face the full wrath of the law.

"The AIG is assuring the citizens of Lagos and Ogun states that whosoever is involved in this dastardly act will be brought to book no matter how highly placed the person or group of persons are."

"The release warned all hoodlums coming into Lagos and Ogun states to turn a new leaf or have a rethink of relocating out of the Zone".

One of the four teenagers acussed of killing and burning the head of a female girlfriend for money ritual in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Wariz Oladeinde , 17, has been set free.

Chief Magistrate , I .O Abudu sitting in Abeokuta on  Monday, said the judgement was based on the advice by the state Director of Public Prosecution, DPP.

Four teenagers, Balogun Mustakeem, Majekodunmi Soliudeen, Abdulgafa Lukman and Wariz Oladeinde, had been arraigned and remanded in Oba correctional centre in the Obafemi-Owode local government area of the State for the gruesome murder of Sofiat Oke-Owo .

They were arrested on January 28, at Oke-Aregba, Kugba, Abeokuta after allegedly killing and severing the skull of Oke-Owo who was a girlfriend to Soliudeen Majekodunmi .

The Chief magistrate said "Wariz Oladeinde, who is 17-year-old has been discharged on the legal advice received from the state Director of Public Prosecution".

According to the magistrate , "no charge was recorded against Oladeinde in the legal advice".

He said he based his judgement on the investigation by the police which proved his innocence in the crime .

The prosecution had alleged that the four teenagers had conspired to kill Oke-Owo who was a girlfriend to Majekodunmi .

The magistrate had also remanded the four teenagers at the Oba centre since February 3, pending the legal advice from DPP.

The matter had been adjourned till April 22 for further hearing of the charges against the three teenagers.

The Police Command in Lagos said that the 10-month-old child found with dispatch rider was neither stolen nor kept in the courier box as alleged by the mob.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos Command, CSP Adekunle Ajisebutu, disclosed this in a statement on Monday. He said the command’s attention was drawn to a video going viral on social media alleging that a yet-to-be-identified dispatch rider stole a child found and recovered in a dispatch box.

“On 11th March, 2022, a video of a dispatch rider accused of concealing a suspected stolen child in a courier box went viral on the social media, causing apprehension. “Although the incident was not reported at any police station, however, the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, directed that the incident should be investigated immediately.

“In compliance with the directive, investigation was initiated which led to the discovery of the scene.” Ajisebutu said that when the mother of the child, Mrs Lovina Biturs, was contacted, she said that the dispatch rider, Mr Williams Tadule, did not steal his child.

“The child was actually taken away and put on the dispatch motorbike by the rider with the consent of his mother. “She said that her baby is fond of the rider who is a relative and a neighbour. “The baby was crying uncontrollably when Tadule wanted to go pick up something in the neighbourhood, to pacify the baby, his mother allowed him go with the rider.

“Passersby who saw the child with the rider along Sangotedo area, Ajah on the said day, became suspicious and concluded that the child might have been stolen.”

The PPRO said that the people raised the alarm which attracted a mob, they pounced on him. “The mob descended on him through beating without finding out the truth.

“He was eventually rescued by the Chairman of the Sunview Estate, Sangotedo.”

Ajisebutu said that the Commissioner of Police, warns members of the public against any form of jungle justice as such uncivilized action has grave consequences.

(NAN)

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, on Monday, urged the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to deny the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari, bail.

The NDLEA opposed Kyari’s bail request, on a day his wife, Ramatu, collapsed in court.

The agency, in a 21-paragraph counter-affidavit it lodged before the court, insisted that Kyari posed a flight risk.

It told the court that Kyari, who hitherto headed the Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, would escape from the country and make himself unavailable for trial, should he be released from custody.

While adopting the counter-affidavit before trial Justice Emeka Nwite on Monday, the NDLEA, through its Director, Prosecution & Legal Services, Mr. Joseph Sunday, maintained that the former IRT boss has “tremendous influence in the Nigeria Police”, insisting that he has the capacity to interfere with its witnesses.

The Prosecution counsel told the court that bundles of exhibits marked NDLEA 1 to 5, were attached to the counter-affidavit.

“That there is a strong likelihood of the 1st to 5th Defendants/Applicants using their influence in the Police and the criminal underworld to interfere with Prosecution witnesses if released on bail.

“That financial investigation of the 1st to 5th Defendants/Applicants is also in progress by the NDLEA and they are likely to be subsequently charged with money laundering offences as there are yet-to-be explained financial transactions involving the 1st to 5th Defendants/Applicants”.

It averred that the Defendants, “are likely to tamper with financial records and interfere with the ongoing financial investigation”, adding that Kyari, failed to report to its office until he was declared wanted.

NDLEA added that one of Kyari’s alleged accomplices, ASP John Umoru a.k.a Too Much Money, “has absconded”.

However, Kyari, in his bail application that was moved by Mr. Mahmud Magaji, SAN, prayed the court to grant him bail on liberal conditions.

Arguing that the charge against him contained bailable offences, the embattled DCP, urged the court to invoke the powers donated to it by the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to exercise discretion in his favour.

The bail application was anchored on Sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as Section 164 and 165 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.  

The Defendant, who earlier beefed up his legal team with four SANs led by a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi, SAN, argued that the Constitution provided that he must be accorded every facility to adequately prepare for his defence.

Meantime, whereas the 2nd, 4th and 5th Defendants, through their respective lawyers, also prayed the court to release them on bail, pending the determination of the case against them, the 3rd Defendant, applied for time to respond to a counter-affidavit the NDLEA filed in opposition to his bail request.

The NDLEA, equally urged the court to deny all the Defendants bail and rather okay accelerated hearing of the case.

The other Defendants in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/57/2022, were four former members of the Police IRT, ACP Sunday J. Ubia, ASP Bawa James, Insp. Simon Agirigba and Insp. John Nuhu, as well as two drug traffickers that were arrested at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Chibunna Patrick Umeibe and Emeka Alphonsus Ezenwanne.

It will be recalled that Umeibe and Ezenwanne, who were cited as the 6th and 7th Defendants in the charge, had on March 7, when they were arraigned alongside DCP Kyari, pleaded guilty to the drug trafficking charge against them.

Following an application by the NDLEA, trial Justice Nwite, slated March 28 to review the facts of the case so as to sentence the two Defendants, accordingly.

Kyari’s lead counsel, Agabi, SAN, had contended that it would be prejudicial to his client for facts of the case to be reviewed and decision reached on it, while the trial is still subsisting.

He made reference to cases where Defendants, out of ignorance, pleaded guilty to a charge against them.

“It is not in the interest of justice for the facts to be reviewed while the trial is still ongoing”, he argued.

More so, Agabi, SAN, noted that both Umeibe and Ezenwanne were also mentioned in some counts in the charge that involved Kyari and the other accused police officers.

Before the court adjourned the matter till March 28, the NDLEA, said it was no longer willing to retain the 3rd, 4th and 5th Defendants in its custody due to their “unruly behavior”.

It told the court that the Defendants were “causing a lot of disturbances”.

“We can take the others in our custody except these three Defendants.

“But if they undertake to be of good behaviour, we have no problem, we can take them”, NDLEA’s lawyer added.

Consequently, lawyers to the three Defendants, took turns to enter an undertaking before the court, pledging that their clients would be of good behaviour “from now onwards”.

Justice Nwite said he would order the transfer of the three Defendants to a Correctional Center, should the court receive any further report of their unruly behavior.

Meanwhile, Kyari’s wife, Ramatu, fainted shortly after the court adjourned the matter for ruling.

The middle-aged woman, who wore a black Hijab, fell on the floor around 11:am, while armed operatives of the NDLEA, were leading Kyari and the others away from the court premises.

Though she appeared lifeless on the floor, she was quickly carried up and rushed inside one of the offices on the third floor of the court by some officials of the NDLEA and lawyers.

One of the officials later emerged from the office, demanding for an inhaler, even as one of the women that accompanied Ramatu to the court, hinted that she was asthmatic.

Kyari, who was initially being led out of the court premises, was brought back to assist in resuscitating his wife.

Ramatu was eventually escorted out of the court premises around 11:45am by her friends and relatives, about 15 minutes after her husband, DCP Kyari, was led out by NDLEA officials.

The NDLEA had in the charge before the court, accused DCP Kyari who hitherto headed the Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, and the other four officers of conspiracy, obstruction and dealing in cocaine worth 17.55 kilograms.

It alleged that Kyari and his men unlawfully tampered with 21.25kg worth of cocaine that were seized from the two apprehended drug traffickers, Umeibe and Ezenwanne.

The police officers were said to have committed the offence between January 19 and 25, 2022, at the office of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) IRT, Abuja, in connivance with one ASP John Umoru (now at large), contrary to section 14(b) of the NDLEA Act, CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Kyari was said to have attempted to bribe a senior officer of the NDLEA with $61, 400. 00 at a restaurant in Abuja to prevent the testing of part of the cocaine that was seized from the two arrested drug pushers.

On the other hand, the agency alleged that the duo of Umeibe and Ezenwanne, conspired with one IK that is currently at large, to import 21.35kg of cocaine into the country without lawful authority and knowingly possessed same, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 11(d) of the NDLEA Act, CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Vanguard

A lady, identified as the wife of the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP, Abba Kyari, on Monday, fainted at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Reason behind the slump has not been ascertained but eyewitness said she slumped on the ground shortly after trial Justice Emeka Nwite deferred ruling on applications that DCP Kyari and six other persons facing drug trafficking charge with him, filed to be released on bail pending the determination of the case against them.

The middle aged woman, who wore a black Hijab, fell on the floor while armed operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, were leading Kyari and others away from the court premises.

When  Oladipo Faramade, a graduate of Urban and Regional Planning from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso graduated in 2007 with high hopes, she never thought that her aspirations and dreams could be cut short, even as she could not secure a befitting job.

After her service year at the Town planning section of the Ogun State Housing Corporation, with her determination to succeed and make ends meet, she quickly opted to train in tailoring and started teaching in a private secondary school, when no job was forthcoming from her course of training.

Today, in her forties and without a partner, her dreams of becoming a real estate developer, wife and mother could be cut short, if she is unable to secure the sum of N18m needed for a kidney transplant to save her life. 

Faramade who at present is in a critical condition has emancipated and she is asking well spirited people to assist her by donating to foot her bill as she has no one to turn to. 

In her state of health, Faramade, a native of Ogbomoso could not hide her cries as she is trying to be strong, she said, "life has not been same for her since she was diagnosed of renal (kidney) related disease with series of dialysis every week. 

This takes her from Ogbomoso to Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital in Ado-Ekiti for treatment on Tuesdays and Fridays of every week, as her boss had made provision for a vehicle and driver to be taking her ". 

According to Faramade, "the dialysis have taken so much money from me that I have expended all I laboured for and sold virtually all my belongings. There is nothing my aged parents can do as I have turned into a burden , instead of helping them now at old age."

"I can only plead to God spirited people to give me another chance to live, now that the doctors say I have to do a kidney transplant since my conditions are deteriorating. Please, don't let me die, I have high hopes to live", Faramade said.

Though, she has seen a donor of organ but since she has no money to pay for both the organ and transplant, she is finding it hard to carry on with the process.

A friend of Faramade, Susan Awosoga who brought her case to Nigerian Newstrack, said "Faramade is a good friend and a wonderful woman with good heart. 

She blamed, the Nigerian health system  where life is not protected and valued above every other thing, saying "her friend is a victim of a country with no health insurance to save her first and worry about money later". 

Awosoga said, "these are some of the expenses a government should take care to give citizens a sense of belonging and also save them from dying as it could be just anyone". 

She also appealed to Nigerians to help save her friend by donating to her account with this details below: .

Account Name :Oladipo Faramade Yemisi

Account number: 0141324268

Bank: GTB

Further enquiries: +234 803 541 6016

                                +234 915 186 9448