Author: bibncollar

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced that electricity consumers caught bypassing prepaid meters or making unauthorized connections will face penalties starting from N100,000. This is outlined in a revised directive on unauthorized access, meter tampering, and bypass, issued on Tuesday. The fines range between N100,000 and N300,000, depending on the consumer category. For maximum demand customers, penalties will be calculated as 450% to 600% of their last recorded energy usage if found guilty of electricity theft. According to NERC, the Amended Order on Unauthorized Access, Meter Tampering, and Bypass replaces Order No: NERC/REG/41/2017 and came into effect on…

The National Assembly has revised the N54.9 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill, making significant changes to the distribution of funds between recurrent and capital expenditures. This amendment followed a motion presented during plenary sessions in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in Abuja. A key adjustment involved the reallocation of N500 billion from capital projects to recurrent spending. Despite these changes, the total budget remains N54.99 trillion, with statutory transfers at N3.64 trillion and debt servicing at N14.31 trillion. However, recurrent (non-debt) expenditure has risen from N13.06 trillion to N13.58 trillion, while capital expenditure has been reduced from N23.96…

The Nigerian Central Bank (NCB) has directed all banks and financial entities to make public the details of inactive accounts, unclaimed funds, and other financial assets through their official online platforms. As defined by the NCB, an inactive account refers to a bank account that has not recorded any transactions for a minimum period of one year. This instruction was detailed in a notice released on Monday, titled “Regulations for Handling Inactive Accounts, Unclaimed Funds, and Other Financial Assets in Banks and Financial Institutions in Nigeria.” The notice was endorsed by Michael Akuka, who signed on behalf of the head…

The judiciary is often described as the last hope of the common man, a sacred institution tasked with upholding justice, fairness, and the rule of law. However, in recent times, a disturbing trend has emerged—one that threatens the very fabric of our legal system. It is the growing culture of tardiness among some members of the bench, a practice that has not only inconvenienced legal practitioners but has also raised serious questions about judicial accountability. Before one ascends to the esteemed position of a judge, they must first be called to the bar and must have practiced for at least…

The Supreme Court has scheduled March 10, 2025, to hear the appeal filed by embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, challenging his removal from office. A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Ibrahim Saulawa, fixed the date on Tuesday while ruling on a motion for accelerated hearing submitted by Anyanwu. In December 2024, the Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu upheld a High Court ruling that removed Anyanwu as PDP’s National Secretary. The appellate court also affirmed Chief Ude Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the party. Delivering the lead…

The Obidient Movement has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering competent leadership in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections, vowing to support leaders who embody integrity and accountability, including former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the movement’s National Coordinator, Tanko Yunusa, emphasized that the group remains dedicated to ensuring the emergence of value-driven leaders who will transform Nigeria’s political landscape. According to Yunusa, the movement marked a major milestone on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, by successfully hosting its first Advisory and Directorate Committees meeting. The gathering brought together key stakeholders who reiterated…

The Department of State Services (DSS) has threatened to take legal action against two prominent broadcast stations, Africa Independent Television (AIT) and Channels Television, over what it described as false and malicious reports regarding its involvement in the recent crisis at the Lagos State House of Assembly. The controversy arose after reports suggested that DSS operatives, alongside the Nigeria Police, had stormed or invaded the Assembly complex on Monday, February 17, 2025. However, a letter later emerged, revealing that the Assembly had formally requested DSS to enhance security around the premises amid concerns that impeached Speaker Mudashiru Obasa was planning…

A violent clash between Hausa and Fulani youths in Agufa village, Miga Local Government Area of Jigawa State, has left two people dead and several others injured. The incident, which occurred on Monday, February 17, 2025, reportedly began as a dispute over alleged acts of mischief attributed to some Fulani youths but quickly escalated into a full-blown confrontation. Both groups engaged in a battle using bows and arrows before security forces intervened to restore order. Authorities confirmed that two Fulani individuals were found dead with gunshot wounds, while another sustained gunshot injuries. Additionally, four members of the Hausa community were…

Moses Paul, an aide to Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, has explained why some of Obi’s former associates in the banking and business sectors have been avoiding him in public. Speaking in an interview with Rudolf Okonkwo on 90MinutesAfrica, Paul claimed that fear of retribution from President Bola Tinubu’s administration has made many of Obi’s business associates distance themselves from him. He recounted an instance in Kigali, Rwanda, where Aliko Dangote and several prominent Nigerian businessmen allegedly avoided being seen with Obi during a conference. “There was an occasion when I traveled to Rwanda with Mr. Peter…

A key prosecution witness in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) case against former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, and ex-Commissioner for Finance, Demola Banu, has exonerated both officials from allegations of diverting N5.78 billion in Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) matching grants between 2013 and 2019. Testifying before Justice Mahmood Abdulgafar of the Kwara State High Court, the witness, Abubakar Hassan, an Assistant Director of Finance at UBEC headquarters in Abuja, clarified that neither Ahmed nor Banu had direct control over the funds in question. During cross-examination by the defense counsel, Kamaldeen Ajibade and Gboyega Oyewole, Hassan stated…