The Harbingerngr News

*90m without power supply *4,000MW generation shameful, mulls commercialisation  TEN years after the partial privatisation of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, the Federal Government, yesterday, admitted that the exercise has failed to meet its objectives. The government described as shameful the current generation, transmission and distribution level of just over 4,000 Megawatts. Speaking in Abuja at the 2023 NESI Market Participants and Stakeholders Roundtable, NMPSR, President Bola Tinubu said after 10 years of privatisation about 90 million Nigerians were still without power supply. The three-day conference has the theme: NESI privatisation and its 10-year milestone: the journey so far, opportunities and prospects. Represented by the Special Adviser, Energy and Infrastructure, Office of the Vice President, Mr Sodiq Wanka, President Tinubu noted that the investments expected from the private sector never came. According to him, "the key objectives of the privatisa...

•Recommends judicial, electoral reforms •It’s time to end your Presidential ambition – Presidency •Nigeria greater than your selfish ambition, APC tells Atiku THE presidential candidate of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the February 25, 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, has vowed to continue to deepen Nigeria’s democracy for as long as he lives. Atiku, who made the vow at a briefing in Abuja yesterday, said in his first official reaction to the Supreme Court judgement, which upheld the election of President Bola Tinubu:  “As for me and my party, this phase of our work is done. However, I am not going away. For as long as I breathe, I will continue to struggle, with other Nigerians to deepen our democracy and rule of law and for the kind of political and economic restructuring the country needs to reach its true potential. “That struggle should now be led by the younger generation of Nigerians, who have even more at stake than my generation.” While expressing confidence that histor...

FOLLOWING the expiration of the ultimatum given to the Federal Government by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN, for the implementation of financial autonomy in legislative houses in the country, PASAN staff in Oyo, Edo, Kano, Ondo and Ogun states, yesterday, commenced an indefinite strike and, consequently, shut gates leading into the Houses of assembly.  The assembly workers in Oyo State, who displayed placards with various inscriptions, to drive home their demands, blocked the entrance of the Assembly. The industrial action of the legislative staff was as result of the expiration of the ultimatum of the national body of PASAN as well as the peculiar agitations of the state chapter of the union. The workers, who were led by their chairman, Mr Yemi Alade, are seeking the implementation of financial autonomy for state legislatures, calling on Governor Seyi Makinde to comply with section 121 (3a, 3b and 4a) of the 1999 constitution (as amended). They also want the...

*Hoodlums bomb, burn state assembly;  *24 legislators sign impeachment notice against Gov Fubara; *26 lawmakers suspend Speaker, 3 others, install Edison;  *Go to court, new speaker tells aggrieved lawmakers, adjourns house sine dine; *Security operatives shot directly at me – Fubara, challenges 24 legislators to list his offence, condemns burning of assembly; *Police Command launches investigation; *PDP governors hold emergency meeting today; *Call Wike, security agencies to order, EK Clark urges Tinubu A political volcano literally erupted in Rivers State, yesterday, as the upwelling crisis in the state spilled over. Sections of the state House of Assembly were burnt as 24 lawmakers made moves to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who said he escaped assassination attempt from police gunshots. Amid the dust, 26 members of the Assembly suspended the Speaker,  Martins Amaehwule. and three others; elected, and inaugurated the leader of the House, Edison Ehie, as the new S...

.... As NANS protests invasion of college A mild drama played out, as seven operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Ibadan, Oyo State, were attacked and held hostage by staff and students of the Federal College of Forestry, Idishin Estate, in the state. According to the Head, Media and Publicity of EFCC, Dele Oyewale, the operatives were in the college to authenticate the address and identity of one Azeez Oluwakemi, who stood as a surety for Alakinde Kolawole, a suspected internet fraudster in the custody of the commission.  Oyewale alleged that students and staff of the college went on a frenzy of attacks against operatives of the EFCC, who were on an authorized assignment. He accused the college’s Student Union President and some staff of the institution of reportedly causing the violent confrontation with the EFCC operatives.  He said: "The bus that conveyed operatives to the college was vandalized, even, as students and staff of the college thr...

Medical Director of the Optimal Cancer Care Foundation, Doctor Olufemi Olaleye, was found guilty of raping his wife’s niece by Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Ikeja Sexual Offenses and Domestic Violence, yesterday. The judge ruled that the victim’s testimony and the medical professional who examined her were credible. He added that Olaleye’s confessional statement and exchange of WhatsApp and email messages with his wife were enough evidence against him. According to Justice Oshodi, the victim was raped and made to suck the defendant’s manhood, as evidenced by the statement and undertaking he signed at Anthony Police Station with his lawyer Olalekan Buruji and his NBA seal. Oshodi convicted Olaleye of defiling and sexually contacting a 15-year-old minor and established that the prosecution was able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and that all the evidence before the court corroborated that of the victim. Olaleye was charged with a two-count charge of defilement and sexual assaul...

A 40-year-old woman, Ann Lingwong, claimed she stabbed her neighbour to death with a kitchen knife over an argument. The tragic incident, Vanguard learned, happened at Okoroba Street, Akim road, in Calabar Municipality LGA of Cross River State, on Monday. Briefing newsmen at the Police Command Headquarters, Diamond Hill Calabar, yesterday, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO,  Irene Ugbo, said they made milestone breakthrough within the period under review. Ugbo said 15 suspects were arrested for committing different offences including Kidnapping, gun running and manufacturing, piracy, murder, theft amongst others. She said notable ones included a notorious kidnapper terrorising Akpabuyo and its environs. According to her, Daniel Eshiet was part of the gang responsible for the abduction of a Larfarge staff in September and collected million of naira as ransom for his release. She further hinted that one Mrs Ann Lingwong who stabbed her neighbour to death was also arrested aft...

A 42-year-old man, Nwoko  Eric, has revealed how his former boss allegedly deceived him to donate one of his kidneys to his (the boss) younger brother, only to abandon him after the transplant was done. Speaking with journalists yesterday, in Gbagada Estate, Phase 1, Lagos, the indigene of Abia State, who worked  for  Managing Director of a company in Ikeja, explained that  in 2018,his boss assigned him to be  driving  his ailing brother  to the Saint Nicolas hospital, Lagos Island ,for dialysis while he (boss) was outside the country. He said, “    When he  returned to the country,  he appreciated me for taking his brother to the hospital  and informed me that his  brother’s kidney had  failed and  that in the next one week , he  might lose his life. He asked if I could  donate one of my kidneys to him. Thereafter,  he  told me to  kneel down to pray for me and in the process, he  r...

•I didn't flog him —Suspect A middle aged man, Nnajiofor Nweke, has been arrested by Police for allegedly flogging a teacher to death in Alihame Mixed Secondary School, Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of the state. Nweke was alleged to have committed the offence in retaliation over the disciplinary action against his son.  The deceased, Sunday Ufua, was until his death, a physics teacher in the school. Parading the suspect, Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Bright Edafe said "On 18th October 2023, at about 9 am , one Nnajiofor Nweke, father to one Emmanuel Nweke went to Alihame Mixed Secondary School, Agbor where his child schools.  "The suspect went to the school premises aggressively in search of one of the school teachers over a punishment meted to his son at the school.  "The suspect on sighting the said teacher picked a cane in the school and started flogging him during which another teacher one Ufah Sunday while trying to mediate and stop him slumped ...

 THE Nigeria currency (naira) has depreciated to N1,200 per dollar in the parallel market from N1,160 per dollar last week Friday. However, the naira appreciated in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) yesterday to N793.34 per dollar. Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative exchange rate for the I&E window fell to N793.34   per dollar from N808.37   per dollar last week Friday, indicating N15.03 appreciation for the naira. The volume of dollars traded in NAFEM increased by 2.8 percent to $81.55 million from $79.26 million traded last week Friday. Consequently, the gap between the official and parallel market exchange rates widened to N386.68 per dollar yesterday from N351.56  per dollar last week Friday.

THE Federal Government yesterday lamented that Nigerians no longer believe the leaders they elect, and stressed the need to reintroduce national discourse on reorientation. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this while fielding questions from State House correspondents after meeting behind closed-doors with President Bola Tinubu at the presidential villa, Abuja. The minister noted that the belief in the concept of nationhood and patriotism had broken down, saying the president had now given him the marching orders to initiate a programme to reconstruct it. He said: “Well, of course, you know that the belief in the concept of nationhood and patriotism has broken down in this country. This is not in doubt. We're trying to rebuild that, to reconstruct that. “Mr. President, gave me a marching order to see that Nigerians believe in this country once again. We're coming up with national discourse on orientation or reorientation so that Nigerians ...

•How communal clash causing sorrow, tears, blood •Why govt’s 2014 Gazette failed to restore peace •Will Adeleke’s curfew restore nomalcy? •We’re tired of curfew, Ifon community begs Adeleke •Orolu stakeholders ready to cooperate THE embers of discord fanned by a perennial communal clash within some communities in Irepodun and Orolu local government areas of Osun State over land seem to have rekindled.  The unending land dispute has led to the destruction of lives and property in an unimaginable proportion. The communities of Ifon, Ilobu and Erin-Osun have been embroiled in bloody clashes for over 16 years. It was gathered that the communities have taken up arms against one another at four different times leaving a trail of sorrow, tears and blood. Unfortunately, during these times, Okanla which is inbetween these feuding communities, has always been caught in the crossfire. Successive administrations in the state have tried fruitlessly to resolve the crisis.  Former Governor o...

*Says God kills before  He makes alive In his latest book, The Day of My Death, Dr. Femi Aribisala provides the most eloquent chronicle of the armed-robbery attack on him and his family over 29 years ago. During the attack, one of the robbers pointed a gun at the author and fired, leaving him with a bleeding gunshot wound and in dire need of immediate medical care. This attack could have resulted in lasting psychological trauma. But it became a life-transforming experience, leading Aribisala to describe it ironically as a “divine contrivance.” His narrative on the attack is a theological antithesis to mass-market Christianity. It shatters many of the beliefs a large number of Christians are sold on, like the idea that becoming a believer is a sure path to success, good health, security, and prosperity. For many Christians, the existence of difficulties in a person’s life is an indication of underlying sin. However, one of the first lessons Aribisala drew from the robbery incident i...

•Senate confirms Olukoyede chairman, Hammajoda secretary •Says anti-graft war, a collective decision THE Senate has confirmed Ola Olukoyede as the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.  The appointment of Muhammad Hammajoda as secretary of the anti-graft agency was also confirmed. The confirmation of both men followed their screening by the upper chamber, about a week after they were appointed by President Bola Tinubu. Responding to questions from senators before the confirmation, Olukoyede said tax payers lost N2.9 trillion in just two years (2018 -2020)  to contracts and procurement fraud alone. He said: "Between 2018 and 2020, Nigeria lost N2.9 trillion to contract and procurement fraud.” The amount, he noted, was enough to pay for the construction of at least 1,000 kilometres of roads, build close to 200 standard tertiary institutions, and educate about 6,000 children from primary to tertiary levels at N16 million per child. Giving clarifications...

A daughter of a member of the Borno State House of Assembly, representing Ngala Local Government Area, LGA, Bukar Abacha, has been strangulated by an unknown person around Gidan Dembe in Maiduguri.  This came less than 24 hours after Governor Babagana Zulum ordred demolition of brothels, shanties and drinking joints at the Railway Terminus general area, over perceived rising criminal activities. Sources said the incident took place around 6:30pm on Tuesday, when the husband was said to have left the compound to nearby mosque for prayers. The husband of the victim, Mrs. Amma Buwa who took the corpse to the police station, said he found  her lifeless body in his house with her hand and legs tied behind her back while her two years old child was crying beside.  The Gwange Police Division evacuated the corpse to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for autopsy and investigation.  The incident, which caused tension and pandemonium in the area attracted a large cr...

Except a miracle happens and fast too, comic actor, John Okafor, popularly known as Mr. Ibu, may lose one of his legs to a sickness that has left him bedridden for weeks. The actor, who has been off the screen for some years now, due to his deteriorating health condition, is calling on well-meaning Nigerians to come to his rescue, as he battles to save one of his legs from being amputated.  In a viral video shared on Instagram, yesterday, the comic actor said he had been down with an undisclosed ailment for weeks, and had been on admission. Speaking on the state of his health from his sick bed, the actor explained that his doctors told him they might resort to amputating his leg if other options were exhausted.  “While I am hoping for prayers and assistance, as I speak to you, I am still lying down in the hospital. The medical director of this hospital said that in case his new idea does not work, the next idea is to cut off my leg. Just see me, if they cut off my leg where wo...

*9 killed, many injured as armed herders storm 2 Benue LGAs; *3 killed, district head, 11 others kidnapped in fresh Zamfara attack by bandits *Bandits kill two, abduct 3 in Kebbi village *Gunmen machete doctor to death in Nasarawa, *3 kidnapped in Lagos as abductors demand ransom *We can’t let Nigerians down, Air chief tells commanders SUSPECTED armed herdsmen and bandits, yesterday, reportedly murdered no fewer than 15 people in some local government areas of Benue, Zamfara, Kebbi and Nasarawa states, just as bandits kidnapped many in the resumed spate of killings and kidnappings across the country. In the attacks, nine people were killed and many injured when armed herdsmen invaded two local government areas of Benue State. Three persons were equally killed in Kebbi State, while 11 others were kidnapped in a fresh attack by bandits. Similarly, a medical doctor was killed when gunmen invaded Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. Kidnappers were also on the loose in Lagos State...