Why ‘barking dogs’ are not capturing Peter Obi’s attention

 

BY Ike Abonyi.

Certain individuals are making a concerted effort to divert Peter Obi’s focus by attempting to capture his attention. The increasing frustration of these individuals is palpable.

 

What exacerbates their predicament is that their attempts to engage Obi are proving futile; instead, these efforts only seem to deepen his concentration on critical national issues, thereby intensifying their frustration and leading to further missteps. This mirrors the wisdom of elders who advise against digging oneself deeper into a hole. Such is the situation for those agitated by Peter Obi’s political influence.

 

The public discourse has been inundated with vitriolic pronouncements from paid agents, who evidently anticipate a reaction. However, this reaction will not materialise, which is a source of their vexation. Obi appears indifferent to their clamour because a person on a significant mission, possessing wisdom, would not permit themselves to be sidetracked by the noise of barking dogs. Peter Obi comprehends that a traveller does not reach their destination by pelting every barking dog encountered along the path. Since entering national politics, his trajectory has been guided by substantive issues, recognising that the political landscape in this region is often fraught with manufactured controversies designed to derail one’s objectives. Consequently, those expecting Peter Obi to engage in such futile diversions will likely wait indefinitely. This is because Obi remains steadfastly committed to his mission and is acutely aware from the outset that certain distractions must be disregarded to achieve his goals. Obi is prepared to engage any Nigerian on substantive issues, which form the bedrock of his political approach, rather than participating in the clamorous and overcrowded arena of opportunistic political actors seeking undue recognition and financial gain.

 

In recent weeks, a coordinated onslaught of baseless accusations, misrepresentations, and fabricated controversies has been deliberately disseminated to target Mr Peter Obi. For observant individuals, the underlying motive of this sudden surge in political manoeuvring is evident: it is a classic distraction tactic. When those responsible for a nation’s well-being face scrutiny for their governance failures, their customary response is to create a common adversary and instigate artificial crises.

 

It is imperative at this juncture to state unequivocally that Peter Obi is neither distracted nor appearing to be drawn into the mire of transactional politics. Nigeria is currently grappling with existential economic and security crises. Food inflation has reached unprecedented levels, millions are descending into poverty daily, and insecurity continues to imperil lives. While children and educators are abducted from schools, the government, rather than declaring an emergency, engages in ostentatious displays of distributing vehicles and funds to sycophants.

 

Mr Obi firmly believes it is a profound disservice to Nigerians to expend energy on petty political squabbles when citizens are struggling for survival. His focus lies in identifying solutions, not in engaging in verbal altercations.

 

The reason these outlandish allegations against Obi consistently fail to gain traction is their fundamental lack of truth. Throughout his public and private life, Peter Obi’s guiding principles have been accountability, integrity, and the judicious management of public resources. No amount of orchestrated messaging can alter a history of integrity that Nigerians have witnessed firsthand.

 

While his detractors squander valuable time manufacturing controversies, Mr Obi’s schedule remains filled with activities that are genuinely crucial for Nigeria’s future. He consistently collaborates with experts on economic recovery, visits and supports educational and healthcare institutions nationwide, and advocates for fundamental governance reforms. He prioritises the discussion of ideas over personal attacks, as evidenced by his clear assertion: “Our focus is on Nigeria’s structural flaws—not political soap operas. You cannot fix a broken nation by fighting imaginary enemies; you fix it by confronting hunger, insecurity, and institutional decay.”

 

I implore the Nigerian youth, the media, and the general public to recognise these diversionary tactics and cease lending them any attention. It is crucial not to allow the narrative to be shifted. The discourse must remain centred on the escalating cost of living, the state of our economy, the safety of our communities, and the accountability of our leaders.

 

Peter Obi’s commitment to the Nigerian people is rooted not in political expediency but in a shared aspiration for a feasible, productive, and secure new Nigeria. This vision remains entirely intact and deserves the support of all who desire an achievable, egalitarian Nigeria, requiring collective effort.

 

The reason ‘barking dogs’ are not capturing Obi’s attention, much to their frustration, is precisely as outlined above. May Providence guide us.

 

Ike Abonyi is Editor @Large based in Abuja.

Peter Obi to Tinubu: “Where are our undeployed funds”, laments excessive borrowing without accountability

 

 

By Okey Muogbo

The 2027 Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has uncovered stark impropriety in President Bola Tinubu’s three-year reign and asks for an explanation.

 

Obi, who took a holistic look at the borrowing habit of the APC-controlled federal government from the Muhammadu Buhari era, wrote in his X handle on Tuesday that: “President Bola Tinubu’s administration has engaged in remarkably imprudent borrowing, escalating Nigeria’s total debt to approximately N200 trillion.

“This represents an increase of over N100 trillion within a mere three years, a stark contrast to the roughly N49 trillion accumulated during President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure, which would have projected to around N80 trillion.

“As millions of Nigerians grapple with the shock of this unsustainable debt accumulation, the situation is exacerbated by the government’s reckless approach to borrowing and a profound absence of accountability and transparency in the utilisation of these funds.”

 

Giving details, the former Governor of Anambra State said: “For instance, data from the Federation’s Budget Office reveals that the Bola Tinubu government borrowed N11.89 trillion in the first three quarters of 2025 (January to September), exceeding the planned borrowing target of N10.34 trillion by approximately N1.54 trillion.

“Under a responsible and accountable government, such an overshoot would necessitate rigorous scrutiny and explanation from relevant governmental bodies.

“Regrettably, this is not the reality under the current administration.

 

Compounding this issue, only N3.10 trillion of the borrowed funds was allocated to capital expenditure during the same January-September 2025 period.

“This constitutes a mere 17.66% of the N17.58 trillion earmarked for capital projects, leaving a deficit of roughly N14.48 trillion, or 82.34% of planned capital expenditure unfunded.”

Obi was not done with the revelation as according to him, “The most disturbing aspect of the financial management fiasco under Bola Tinubu is that there is no explanation or information regarding how the balance was utilised or deployed.

“The question that Nigerians are rightly asking and deserve an answer to is what happened to the balance? Was it deployed for recurrent expenditure/ consumption, for the entertainment of guests to Aso Rock or transferred to the Renewed Hope Agenda 2027 Election Campaign Fund?

“Nigerians deserve an answer on how our economy and resources are most unpatriotically managed!” Obi insisted.

Atiku to Babachir Lawal: You brought accusations, but forgot the proof

 

African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar has dismissed the latest allegations by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Babachir Lawal, describing them as an unfortunate cocktail of bitterness, conjecture, and political revisionism masquerading as public interest.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said Nigerians who watched Mr. Lawal’s recent television interview were confronted with a curious spectacle: a man armed with outrage but bereft of evidence; rich in allegations but poor in facts. He noted that what was presented as a serious political intervention ultimately collapsed into an extended exercise in speculation and unsubstantiated claims.

 

“Mr. Lawal spent nearly an hour making grave accusations about the conduct of the ADC presidential primary. Yet he failed to produce a single piece of verifiable evidence. No document. No petition. No result sheet. No witness statement. No recording. Nothing. For a man who repeatedly insisted that proof was ‘everywhere,’ his performance was a masterclass in making extraordinary allegations without meeting the elementary obligation of substantiating them.

 

“He arrived with accusations. He left with accusations. In between, the evidence never arrived.

 

“Ordinarily, one would expect a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and former National Vice Chairman of a political party to understand the elementary distinction between evidence and suspicion. Instead, Nigerians were treated to stories about unnamed callers, unnamed officials, unnamed witnesses, and unnamed conspirators. By the time the interview ended, the only thing in abundance was speculation.

 

One would have expected a higher regard for evidence from a man who once vigorously resisted being judged by mere allegations. Having demanded fairness for himself, Mr. Lawal should understand that accusations without proof are nothing more than prejudice dressed up as argument

 

“What the interview ultimately revealed was not a whistleblower exposing wrongdoing but a disappointed political actor struggling to come to terms with the failure of his preferred candidate. By his own admission, Mr. Lawal openly aligned himself with another aspirant long before the conclusion of the process. He campaigned for that candidate, promoted that candidate, and publicly believed that candidate should emerge victorious. Having failed in that objective, he now seeks to dress personal disappointment in the borrowed robes of moral outrage.

 

“Perhaps the most laughable contradiction in Mr. Lawal’s performance was his attempt to portray Atiku Abubakar as both politically irrelevant and politically omnipotent at the same time. According to his own account, Atiku was inactive, unpopular, and absent from the field. Yet Nigerians are simultaneously expected to believe that this same supposedly dormant politician somehow orchestrated a nationwide conspiracy across 8,809 wards.

 

“What makes this theory particularly absurd is that it requires Nigerians to believe that thousands of ADC members across the federation abandoned their own judgment and surrendered their votes to an invisible conspiracy directed by a man whom Mr. Lawal simultaneously describes as politically inactive. Such arguments are not merely implausible; they are insulting to the intelligence of party members whose democratic choices he now seeks to invalidate simply because they did not favour his preferred candidate.

 

“One is left to wonder whether Mr. Lawal was describing a presidential aspirant or a mythical political deity endowed with powers of omnipresence. Such theories belong not in serious political discourse but in the realm of fantasy.

 

“More revealing, however, was Mr. Lawal’s astonishing confession on national television that if he ever needed money, all he had to do was call President Tinubu and the money would reach him before he got home. Nigerians heard him. Nigerians understood him. And Nigerians can draw their own conclusions from the implications of such a remarkable declaration.

 

“Increasingly, Mr. Lawal cuts the figure of a political mercenary, eagerly retailing narratives carefully designed to discredit Atiku Abubakar before Christian communities in the Middle Belt and other constituencies where the former Vice President continues to enjoy considerable goodwill. His latest crusade therefore raises legitimate questions about motive, especially when viewed against his own public declarations.

 

“The tragedy of Mr. Lawal’s intervention is that he appears to have become so consumed by bitterness that he no longer recognises the difference between evidence and speculation. Every outcome he dislikes is rigging. Every defeat is a conspiracy. Every disagreement becomes proof of manipulation. This is not the language of reason. It is the language of grievance.

 

“More unfortunate was his descent into reckless personal abuse. Unable to defend his allegations with facts, he resorted to insults. Yet history teaches us that insults are often the last refuge of those who have run out of arguments.

 

“Perhaps the most revealing moment of the entire interview was Mr. Lawal’s astonishing declaration that Atiku Abubakar has ‘absolutely nothing.’ Such a statement could only have come from a man blinded by animosity. Nigerians know Atiku Abubakar’s record. They know his role in the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector, his contributions to economic reforms, private sector development, education, and national growth. They know that political relevance sustained across three decades and multiple political generations cannot be built on ‘nothing.’

 

“Indeed, the most devastating rebuttal to Babachir Lawal’s allegations came not from Atiku Abubakar, the ADC, or any member of the public. It came from Babachir Lawal himself. Given every opportunity to substantiate his claims, he left the studio exactly as he entered it — with accusations but without proof, with outrage but without evidence, and with bitterness but without credibility. By the end, Nigerians were left not with a scandal, but with a spectacle.

 

“Mr. Lawal is entitled to his opinions. He is entitled to his preferences. He is even entitled to his disappointments. What he is not entitled to are his own facts.

 

“As far as we are concerned, this is the final response to Mr. Lawal’s increasingly desperate attempts to remain politically relevant through sensationalism and character assassination. Nigerians have heard him. Nigerians have seen him. And Nigerians have judged for themselves.

 

“The facts remain unchanged. The truth remains intact. And no amount of bitterness can alter either.” Sunrisereporters.

TCN not problem of electricity sector -MD/CEO, lists strides, challenges facing the Power Sector

 

 

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz has made it clear that the TCN is not the primary constraint in Nigeria’s electricity sector.

Engr Abdulaziz made the clarification at the on-going four-day Parliamentary/Stakeholders’ engagement summit on power sector reforms in Nigeria.

The Summit which began on Monday in Lagos was the initiative of the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee probing the Power Sector reforms and expenditure between 2007 and 2024.

Said Abdulaziz: “I wish to address a common misconception: that transmission is the primary constraint in Nigeria’s electricity sector. The facts tell a different story.

“According to NERC’s February 2026 Operational Factsheet, Nigeria’s installed generation capacity is 13,625MW. However, the highest power ever generated and delivered to the national grid was 5,801.84MW, recorded on 4th March 2025.

“On the same day, TCN also achieved a record daily energy delivery of 128,370.75MWh. Meanwhile, TCN’s transmission wheeling capacity stands at 8,700MW.

“The implication is clear: the national grid can currently transmit significantly more power than has ever been generated and supplied to it.

“TCN has consistently wheeled all available generation, demonstrating that the transmission network is ready to support higher levels of electricity delivery,” Engr Abdulaziz said.

The TCN MD/CEO also stated that the Company has made a lot strides in its efforts to improve the electricity sector in the country adding that the TCN welcomed the intervention by the legislators.

According to him: “Over the past few years, TCN has expanded the nation’s bulk wheeling capacity from about 7,000MW to 8,700MW, adding 1,700MW of transmission capability through strategic investments supported by the Federal Government and development partners.

“On March 4, 2025, the national grid achieved a historic peak transmission record of 5,801.84MW and a record daily energy delivery of 128,370.75 MWh—the highest ever recorded in Nigeria’s electricity industry.”

These milestones, the MD said underscore the growing strength and reliability of the transmission network.

 

“Between January 2024 and November 2025, TCN commissioned 82No. transformers, adding approximately 8,500MVA of transformation capacity nationwide, while also delivering key substations and transmission line projects that have improved grid reliability, redundancy, and operational flexibility across all geopolitical zones.

“TCN has also mobilized over US$1.4 billion in development financing from the World Bank, AfDB, JICA, and AFD to support transmission expansion and modernization projects nationwide.

“In parallel, the company is advancing grid digitalization through the implementation of a nationwide SCADA system, which will provide real-time network visibility, faster fault management, improved dispatch efficiency, and the foundation for future smart-grid operations”, Abdulaziz further disclosed.

 

These achievements, he went on, demonstrate TCN’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s transmission infrastructure, enhancing grid reliability, and positioning the sector to support future growth in electricity generation and delivery.

He listed a number of challenges facing the electricity sector in Nigeria insisting that the problems needed coordinated national response.

“First, vandalism and sabotage of transmission infrastructure continue to disrupt power supply, increase repair costs, and undermine investments in the sector. Protecting electricity infrastructure requires stronger security measures, community cooperation, and stricter legal deterrents.

“Second, persistent encroachment on transmission Rights-of-Way creates safety risks, hinders maintenance activities, and constrains future network expansion. This calls for coordinated action among federal, state, and local authorities, supported by a stronger legal framework.

“Third, expanding the grid to support Nigeria’s long-term electricity needs requires substantial capital investment. While TCN has several critical projects ready for implementation, financing constraints, foreign exchange pressures, and counterpart funding requirements continue to affect project timelines.

“Fourth, unlocking Nigeria’s full generation potential requires coordinated investments across the entire value chain. While TCN has expanded transmission capacity to 8,700MW, increased generation dispatch, adequate energy supply to power plants, and stronger distribution networks remain essential to delivering more electricity to consumers.

“Fifth, the long-term sustainability of the sector depends on a financially viable electricity market, supported by cost-reflective tariffs, improved revenue collection, stronger payment discipline, and a stable regulatory environment that encourages investment.

“Finally, land acquisition and community engagement challenges continue to affect the timely delivery of transmission projects.”

According to the MD, streamlined processes, fair compensation mechanisms, and structured stakeholder engagement would significantly accelerate infrastructure development.

“These challenges”, he went on, “are sector-wide and require coordinated action by government, regulators, security agencies, market participants, communities, and development partners”, assuring that TCN remains committed to playing its part in building a stronger, more reliable, and more resilient electricity sector for Nigeria.

The TCN MD/CEO who was represented by GM Transmission Services Engr. Ali Sharifai, assured that the TCN fully supports the implementation of the Electricity Act 2023 and all government initiatives aimed at improving electricity supply.

 

“As a committed partner in sector transformation, TCN brings over US$1.4 billion in active development financing, a workforce of more than 5,000 professionals, and over five decades of operational experience in managing Nigeria’s national grid” adding that: “the challenges facing the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry are resolvable through coordinated legislative and executive action.

Senate to fast-track constitution amendment for state police, transmit bill to state assemblies this week

The Senate has scheduled amendments to the 1999 Constitution to provide for the establishment of State Police in Nigeria. Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele said the bill will be transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for further legislation after passage at the National Assembly.
In a statement by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs on Monday, Bamidele said all stakeholders across the federation “are on the same page with the National Assembly on the establishment of State Police.” He added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all state governors are aligned with the National Assembly on the proposal.
Bamidele explained that the National Assembly will isolate the state police aspect from the ongoing constitutional amendment and pass it into law due to its national exigency. He said there is no need for further delay as the desire for state police is a popular one.
He disclosed that the legislative week beginning Tuesday will be crucial for the Senate, as the issue of state police will top their agenda. “It is going to be the subject we will be dealing with this week,” he stated.
Recall that Section 214 (1) of the 1999 Constitution currently provides that “There shall be a Police Force for Nigeria, which shall be known as the Nigeria Police Force.” The proposed amendment seeks to change this by providing for state-level policing.
Bamidele revealed that there have been series of meetings in the last one week involving Senate Committee Chairman on Constitution Review Senator Barau I. Jibrin, House Committee Chairman Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Attorney-General, Chief of Staff Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Inspector-General of Police Mr. Tunji Disu and other stakeholders. The consultations are approaching completion.
He said the bill will be isolated from other constitutional amendment bills so it can be voted on as soon as possible and transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly. Two-thirds of state assemblies must approve it before the president can assent to it. “The state assemblies are also waiting for this bill to come,” he noted.
Bamidele expressed confidence that President Tinubu is ready to assent to the bill immediately it reaches him. Gbajabiamila had earlier disclosed that the president will receive a comprehensive report on the proposed creation of state police as consultations on the constitutional framework approach completion.

 Banditry: Stop stereotyping ethnic groups, Obi pleads

 

 

The 2027 Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has risen against what he calls  “Media Framing of Crime Along Ethnic Lines”, describing it as divisive and unfair to the tribes involved.

 

Writing on his X handle this Monday morning, the former Anambra State Governor said, “As an Igbo man, I have endured stereotypes, judgment, and labelling solely based on my ethnic origins.

 

“This is not an isolated Igbo experience. Most Nigerians have, at some point, been reduced to their ethnicity rather than recognised for their true character.

“I understand the pain of the ordinary Fulani man today, often unfairly judged by the actions of criminals he does not support, has never met, and who are not representative of his people.

Borrowing from experiences abroad, the former Governor of Anambra state said: “Even in America, such unjust labelling fueled the civil rights movement and prompted Martin Luther King Jr. to declare that people should be judged by the content of their character, not the colour of their skin.”

He insisted that: “Every Nigerian ethnic group is known for its unique traditions, occupations, skills, and strengths. Crime, however, has no ethnicity.

“A thief is a thief. A terrorist is a terrorist. A kidnapper is a kidnapper. They are bad actors, not representatives of any people. They must be identified, arrested, and punished according to the law. We must decisively abandon the dangerous practice of blaming entire ethnic groups for the actions of a few criminals.

” It is unjust, it breeds hatred, and it damages our national unity.”

Obi went on urging Nigerians: L”et us proudly celebrate our diverse cultures, talents, and contributions, rather than falling prey to stereotypes and prejudices that politicians and divisive interests exploit for their gain.

“A new Nigeria must emerge—one where no citizen is condemned because of tribe, religion, or birthplace.

“We can cherish our cultural roots while standing united by justice, mutual respect, and hope for a better future.

“We are capable of this. A new Nigeria is within our reach,” Obi insisted.

Iyabo Obasanjo defects from APC, gives reasons

 

Former Senator representing Ogun Central and daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing what she described as repeated disrespect, exclusion and unfair treatment by the party leadership in Ogun State.

Her decision was contained in a resignation letter dated May 31 and addressed to the Ogun State APC Chairman, Chief Yemi Sanusi.

 

The development comes just weeks after she stepped down from the race for the party’s governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 election.

 

Prof. Obasanjo, an Associate Professor of Epidemiology based in the United States, expressed dissatisfaction with the consensus arrangement that produced Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as the APC governorship candidate.

 

According to her, she had accepted the idea of a consensus process and was ready to support any candidate that emerged through it. However, she claimed that she was not consulted before the final decision was announced.

 

She also alleged that some of her supporters were denied access to the venue where the candidate was unveiled and were intimidated during the exercise.

 

Despite her concerns, the former senator said she decided to put the interest of the party first and publicly congratulated Adeola on the day he emerged as the consensus candidate.

 

She disclosed that after the exercise, the senator reached out and requested a meeting with her supporters. During the meeting, three requests were presented, with an assurance that a response would come within one week.

 

According to her, more than two months have passed without any feedback, a situation she said confirmed a pattern of neglect.

 

Explaining her decision to leave the ruling party, Obasanjo stated, **”I agreed to support whichever candidate emerged through a consensus process, but I was not consulted before Senator Adeola was presented as the consensus candidate. Some of my supporters were denied access to the venue and intimidated. Nevertheless, I accepted the outcome in the interest of party unity and publicly congratulated Senator Adeola that same night.

 

“Following his emergence, Senator Adeola requested a meeting with my supporters. During that meeting, three requests were made and he promised to respond within one week. More than two months later, no response has been received.

 

“The treatment I have received since then has reflected a consistent pattern of rejection and disrespect. When disrespect is the only dish served, then one should leave the table. I am therefore leaving the APC table where I am not welcomed.”

 

Although she expressed disappointment over her experience in the party, the former lawmaker thanked President Bola Tinubu, the Ogun APC chairman, Chief Sanusi, and members of the Ogun Central Senatorial leadership for the support and courtesies extended to her while she remained in the party.

 

Prof. Obasanjo only returned to active politics earlier this year after formally joining the APC in Ward 11, Ibogun, Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State. Her return sparked political discussions across the state after campaign billboards bearing her image surfaced in Abeokuta, signalling her intention to contest the 2027 governorship election.

 

Recall that  Politics Nigeria had earlier reported that Iyabo Obasanjo suspended her governorship ambition after the APC adopted Senator Solomon Adeola as its consensus candidate for the 2027 Ogun governorship race. Reubenabati.com.

TCN grants mainstream site access for construction of 2x330kv bays at Kainji substation

 

 

By Okey Muogbo

The Management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, said it has formally granted access to Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited, MESL, operator of the Kainji Hydro Power Plant in Niger State, to commence the Kainji Switchyard Units 1G3 and 1G4 bays construction project at the Kainji Transmission Substation.

 

A statement by Ndidi Mbah, General Manager (GM), Public Affairs of TCN said the site handover was conducted on Friday, 5 June 2026.

 

According to Ndidi, the physical handover of the 2x330kV bays construction site is intended to facilitate the start of construction activities, including civil, electrical, and mechanical works, as well as testing, commissioning, and all other approved project tasks.

 

“After completion, the 220MW capacity bays will enable the evacuation of the two additional IG3 and IG4 turbines with capacity to generate 110MW each, totalling 220MW, which is to be installed in Kainji power station,” the GM said.

 

During the signing and handover ceremony on behalf of TCN, General Manager, Materials Control and Stores, and Chairman of the Project Technical Committee, Engr. Abdulkadir Gwaram Adamu, stated that the event marked a critical milestone and that its execution will enable TCN evacuate power that will be generated by MESL’s new turbines on completion into the national grid.

 

He commended the management of Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited for their cooperation and commitment towards improving electricity supply to Nigerians, noting that the project is to be carried out wholly by MESL and at no cost to TCN. The project is scheduled to be completed by December this year.

 

In response, the Chief Technical Officer of Mainstream Energy Solutions Limited, Engr. Cleber Romao Grisi, expressed appreciation to TCN for granting site access and assured that the project would be completed within the agreed schedule.

 

Also present at the handover were the General Manager (Business Development), Engr. Robert Bodam; General Manager (Transmission) Shiroro Region, Engr. Kabiru Suleiman; Assistant General Manager (System Electrical), Engr. Ebenezer Opadare; and Principal Manager (Transmission) Kainji Work Center, Engr. Gbenga Akorede.

Police rescue abducted woman, twin sons in Ibadan

 

 

THE Nigeria Police Force has confirmed the rescue of Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul and her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul, abducted in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Okon Placid, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja.

 

The Police said the victims were rescued during a coordinated operation by the Force Intelligence Department-Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT).

 

Placid said the operation took place at about 7:30 p.m. on Saturday in Ibadan.

 

According to him, Mrs. Adegoke and her children were abducted on June 3 while she was driving them to school.

 

He said the victims were seized at about 7:30 a.m. by suspected kidnappers.

 

The police spokesman said sustained intelligence gathering, surveillance and tactical operations led to the rescue.

 

He said investigators tracked the kidnappers’ movements, resulting in a confrontation with FID-IRT operatives.

 

Placid said two suspected kidnappers were fatally wounded during the operation.

 

He added that two rifles were recovered from the suspects.

 

According to him, the victims were rescued unharmed and are receiving medical care and support.

 

The Inspector-General of Police commended the operatives involved in the rescue mission.

 

He praised their courage, professionalism and commitment to duty.

 

Placid said security operatives had intensified efforts to apprehend fleeing members of the kidnapping syndicate.

 

He said preliminary intelligence indicated that some suspects escaped with gunshot wounds.

 

According to him, operations are ongoing to track and arrest all those connected with the crime.

 

The police also appreciated members of the public for their cooperation and support during the operation.

 

Placid reaffirmed the force’s commitment to protecting lives and property across the country. Realnews.

Gov Idris orders immediate review of security strategies

 

Kebbi State Governor, Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris has directed an immediate review of existing security strategies to address the resurgence of armed banditry in parts of the state.

The directive followed an emergency security meeting convened at the weekend at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, to assess recent attacks and strengthen response measures.

The meeting was attended by the Brigade Commander, Commissioner of Police, Director of State Security Service, Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Commander of the Vigilante Group, as well as Controllers of Customs and Immigration Services.

Speaking before the closed-door session, Governor Idris expressed concern over the renewed activities of notorious bandit groups, particularly Lakurawa, in Wasagu Chiefdom and parts of Argungu Emirate.

He declared that new strategies must be introduced to protect lives and property “regardless of cost implications”.

While the meeting was ongoing, a high-powered government delegation led by the Deputy Governor, Senator Umar Abubakar Tafida, was dispatched to Wasagu Chiefdom.

The delegation included the Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Dangoje, the Emir of Zuru, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi Mikailu Sami Gomo III, Honourable Commissioners, and Chairmen of State Boards and Commissions.

At the palace of the Chief of Wasagu, Alhaji Mukhtar Mùsa Muhammad, the Deputy Governor delivered the Governor’s sympathy message to the affected community and assured them of the government’s commitment to ending the banditry menace.

The delegation also assessed the extent of damage and engaged community leaders to strengthen local participation and support for security efforts.

Governor Idris reiterated that his administration remains committed to supporting security agencies. To date, the state government has trained thousands of selected youths to complement security operations and has provided over 100 operational vehicles, 7,000 motorcycles, and financial support to officers on the frontline.

The Governor is scheduled to present the current security situation and recommendations from the State Security Council to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Federal Ministry of Defence, and Defence Headquarters, with the aim of securing lasting solutions to the unfortunate situation.