News

Kogi Election: Alleged APC Thugs Burn Down SDP Secretariat

Published

4 years ago

November 12, 2019

Eric

Thugs allegedly said to be members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has burnt down the Kogi State secretariat of the Social Democratic Party in Lokoja.

The secretariat is located directly opposite the Lokoja Local Government Area secretariat on Ibrahim Babangida Way.

According to a video made by the SDP governorship candidate in the state, Mrs. Natasha Hadiza Apoti from the scene of the scene, the attacks were carried first on Sunday and again in the early hours of Monday

She said the SDP office was earlier attacked on Sunday where windows and doors of the secretariat were shattered, while banners, posters and other campaign materials at the secretariat were destroyed and replaced with the posters of the candidate of the APC, Governor Yahaya Bello.

It was however, noted that Bello’s supporters became angry when SDP supporters were chanting abusive words against the governor on his way to Abuja on Sunday afternoon.

They were said to have mobilised in the early hours of Monday, set fire to the secretariat and razed it.

Mrs Akpoti, pointedly accused Bello of being behind the attack, saying he was not fit to stand for the election. He accused the police of supporting the attacks saying they were loaded with pump action and machine guns. She further said the police provided cover for the thugs for over two hours while the perpetrated the carnage.

“This is not an election, but outright brigandage. Yahaya Bello is calling out for war. This is the handiwork of Bello in collaboration with the Commissioner of Police. This is not acceptable.

“Is the APC national secretariat watching? What is Oshiomhole doing? What is El-Rufai doing? We met in Russia last week and he told me he would be supporting Bello’s re-election. Is this what you are supporting?” She said.

However, the Director General, Media and Publicity to the governor, Kingsley Fanwo, said Akpoti should deal with her issues and leave the governor out of her travails.

Fanwo said, “She is always out for unmerited sympathy. The governor is against violence and has already told security agents to ensure the governorship election is peaceful. He can never be behind that.”

The state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Busari, in a telephone conversation with The Punch, said it was “absurd” for anyone to accuse the police of “perpetrating atrocities such as this.”

Busari added, “We are security agents with the responsibility to ensure peaceful election. We got wind of the incident and have ordered investigation into the immediate and remote cause of the ugly incident.”

News

National Grid Collapses Again, Nigeria in Total Blackout

Published

18 hours ago

April 15, 2024

Eric

The electricity national grid has collapsed again throwing the entire country into total blackout.

Some electricity distribution companies (DisCos), on Monday, confirmed the fresh collapse of the national grid, resulting in loss of power supply to their customers.

The grid experienced a fresh shutdown, and generation fell to 64.70 megawatts at 2:42 am on Monday, which was confirmed by officials of some of the DisCos.

According to an earlier report, the latest data from the Independent System Operator showed that the grid was generating 266.50mw of electricity from Okpai, Geregu and Ibom power.

Confirming the collapse in a statement, Jos DisCo said: “The current outage being experienced within our franchise States is a result of loss of power supply from the national grid. The loss of power supply from the national grid occurred in the early hours at about 0242 hours today, Monday, 15th April 2024, hence the loss of power supply on all our feeders.”

The company’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Dr Friday Adakole Elijah, expressed hope that the grid will be restored for normal power supply to its esteemed customers.

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), also confirmed the collapse in a statement titled “NOTICE OF TOTAL SYSTEM COLLAPSE”.

“The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) wishes to inform her esteemed customers of a total system collapse which occurred at 2:41 am today, 15th April 2024.

“This resulted in the loss of supply to all our interface TCN stations. Consequently, we were unable to provide service to our customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States.

“However, the situation is gradually being resolved as we received the supply at Awada TCN station, Onitsha, at 7:30 am.

“We are in constant communication with the relevant authorities awaiting the full restoration of supply by the National Control Centre, NCC, Oshogbo. Thank you for your usual understanding and cooperation,”

A statement by Head, of Corporate Communications, EEDC, Emeka Ezeh said.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is yet to confirm the collapse as of press time.

News

Gunmen Abduct Channels TV Reporter in Rivers, Demand N30m

Published

4 days ago

April 12, 2024

Eric

Gunmen have kidnapped a journalist and reporter with Channels Television, Mr Joshua Rogers, at his residence in Rumuosi in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State on Thursday night.

Rogers, who covers the Rivers State Government House for his organisation, was reportedly trailed after he closed from work to his residence.

The miscreants accosted him before he alighted from his car, pointed a gun at him and whisked him along with his vehicle off to an unknown destination at about 9 pm.

A source who said he doesn’t want his name mentioned said the reporter had earlier covered an event in Ndoni in the Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of the state where Governor Siminalayi Fubara, inaugurated a Primary Healthcare Centre.

The facility was built and donated to the state by the PAMO Educational Foundation, founded by former Rivers governor, Dr Peter Odili, on Thursday.

The source said, “Yes, he was kidnapped last night at his residence in Rumuosi and taken away in his car by some unknown gunmen.

“We are appealing to the kidnappers to release him immediately and unhurt. He is just a journalist doing his job and not a moneybags. So I don’t know the purpose of his kidnap.”

It was also gathered that the hoodlums had contacted his wife and demanded N30m as ransom before releasing him.

Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, for confirmation, were unsuccessful as she did not pick up several calls put across to her by The Punch.

Iringe-Koko has also yet to reply to a text message sent to her as of publication on Friday morning.

The Punch

News

Bobrisky Goes to Jail! Sentenced to Six months Term, with No Fine Option

Published

4 days ago

April 12, 2024

Eric

Cross-dresser, Idris Olanrewaju Okuneye popularly known as Bobrisky, has been sentenced to six months imprisonment without any option fine for abusing the Nigeria currency – naira.

Justice Abimbola Awogboro of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in her sentence, said the judgment will serve as a deterrent to others who are fond of abusing and mutilating the naira.