🗞️ One good, many not-so-good
This issue was written with a lot of help from music: Gus Dapperton’s Hinge (album), Video Age’s “Is it really over?” (EP) and Rachel Chinouriri’s latest single, The Hills.
Good news
The Federal Government has acquired six million doses of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to vaccinate girls aged nine to 14 years starting on October 24, 2023.
This vaccine helps prevent HPV infection, a common sexually transmitted infection that can lead to cervical cancer, the second most common cancer among young women in Nigeria.
The vaccination campaign will begin in 16 states and later expand to all states in Nigeria.
Now, let’s get into the mess
In this edition
EndSars memorial
The state of the currency
Electricity is looking bleak
This edition is 2,500 words (approx. 9 min read)
Terrorism
EndSars memorial and police brutality
On the 20th of October 2020, Nigerian citizens at a peaceful protest on the Lekki-Ikoyi bridge in Lagos were attacked by the Nigerian military. The military shot, killed and injured citizens who has gathered to protest police brutality in the country. In the 3 years since people have gathered at the bridge for a memorial service.
On Friday, people gathered peacefully for this year’s memorial and were surrounded by Nigerian security agents welding guns and teargas
The police commissioner in Lagos, Idowu Owohunwa, says the police were there to “make sure there was no trouble and to keep the area safe”.
The police were told to be “respectful and professional”. The goal, he said, was to protect the people's rights and safety while preventing any problems or disturbances.
Police extortion and brutality are still an everyday struggle.
Terrorists attacked
The Nigerian Air Force conducted airstrikes to target and eliminate terrorists in two different regions, Borno and Zamfara - Punch
In Borno, they bombed a terrorist hideout in Bukar Meram to prevent potential attacks on soldiers and civilians.
The airstrikes were successful, killing several terrorists and destroying motorcycles and guntrucks. In Zamfara, they killed another group of terrorists.
Kidnap victims rescued
On October 15, 2023, the army and police said they rescued four students from Gusau University who had been kidnapped by terrorists.
The soldiers and police said the terrorists ran away during the raid. Two students escaped on their own and the troops safely rescued the other two.
Tribunal update
The Supreme Court will listen to three appeals on Monday, October 23rd. These appeals challenge the decision of the Presidential Election Petition Court, which confirmed Bola Tinubu's election as president.
Background: the appellants, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and the Allied Peoples Movement, want the Supreme Court to overturn the previous court's decision that upheld Tinubu's victory on September 6th. They claim the previous court was biased and didn't properly consider their evidence.
Background 2: Atiku also uncovered new evidence (lies) regarding Tinubu's academic records from Chicago State University. The US court ordered the release of these records despite Tinubu's opposition.
Similarly, Peter Obi has filed an appeal as well, with 51 grounds challenging the previous court's decision. He argues that the court made errors in evaluating his evidence.
The Allied Peoples Movement’s fight is with Tinubu’s VP, Kashim Shettima. They say his nomination dodgy.
Tinubu and other respondents in the cases have asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the appeals, stating that the previous court's decision was correct. But they’re not hearing that.
Politics and politicking
EFCC’s new boss… it’s against the law
The Senate has approved Ola Olukoyede as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chairman.
People are questioning Olukoyede’s appointment because he doesn’t have the mandatory prerequisites according to the EFCC’s laws (I can’t even hate. I stay applying for jobs that require 10+ years of experience when I know I don’t have it)
According to the EFCC act, to head the commission, you “must be a serving or retired member of any government security or law enforcement agency not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or equivalent”. You need at least “15 years experience” in said position.
Until this appointment, Olanipekun worked as the Executive Chairman of a law firm, Osinbajo, Kukoyi & Adokpaye owned by former Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo. In 2018, he was appointed as the Secretary of the EFCC by President Buhari.
Despite the concerns, however, the Senate confirmed the appointment.
Appointed along with Olukoyede was Muhammad Hammajoda who now serves as Secretary of the commission.
The previous EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, was suspended 4 months ago and has been wrongfully detained since.
Ministers list growing
President Tinubu recently appointed three new ministers.
Balarabe Lawal is now the Minister of Environment, Jamila Bio-Ibrahim is the Minister of Youths, and Ayodele Olawande is the Minister of State for Youths.
The minister, Nasir El-Rufai was identified as a possible security risk and disqualified from the ministerial race.
Trouble with new NIPOST CEO
Some workers at the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) in Abuja closed their office to protest the appointment of Tola Odeyemi as the new CEO.
Tinubu had made changes in leadership, appointing Odeyemi, but there were reports that the previous CEO, Adeyemi Adepoju, was reinstated.
This led to controversy, and the protesting workers refused to let Odeyemi enter, as they preferred Adepoju and disagreed with Odeyemi’s appointment.
They protested by chanting, holding signs, and expressing their discontent.
SUVs for the boys
With the current state of most people in this country’s economic condition, the lawmakers needed something to take the edge off. Solution? New cars all round 🥳
The House of Reps is planning to buy SUVs for the members to “help lawmakers do their jobs better” by “visiting different places to see the needs of the people”.
They say the vehicles are “not personal gifts” to lawmakers “but tools for their work”. (Essentially same as your employer giving you a work laptop?)
The vehicles will belong to the National Assembly during the current assembly, and lawmakers can buy them later. The House says they are trying to reduce the cost of government, and the budget for the legislature has been decreasing.
Structure
The government of Ogun State in Nigeria has been given permission by the Federal Government to repair the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Road. - Punch
This road has been in awful condition for years and caused many accidents, especially in Ogun State.
The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya, said the state will work with other partners in a Public-Private Partnership project.
The state is presently looking for private partners and when they secure some, they’ll begin working as soon as possible.
Lagos state is asking people living along the Ogun River to relocate
The Lagos State Government has issued a warning to people living near the Ogun River about the possibility of flooding this month.
They are advising residents in areas like Alagbole, Meiran, Kara, and others to consider moving to safer places.
The warning comes after weeks of consistent heavy rainfall. The flooding and other consequences of these rains have gotten increasingly worse in the last decade
The government says they’re closely monitoring the situation but they’re urging people to seriously consider relocating (to where?).
Electricity woes
A national mess
There is a problem with electricity meters in Nigeria. Many people don't have metres, and this issue is causing a crisis in the electricity sector. - Guardian NG
According to a report from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), as of June 30th, 2023, about 55.84% of electricity users in Nigeria (7,014,566) don’t have a meter. It’s messing with their revenue.
The report also mentions that electricity generation across the country is consistently dropping. The 26 grid-connected power plants have dropped to 4,387.91MW (4.73%) compared to 4,605.72MW recorded at the start of the year.
Nigeria’s available power capacity from connected power plants has decreased due to gas shortages and mechanical problems with power plants.
High frequency causes explosion in Plateau
In a neighbourhood called Kabong Central in Plateau, a power transformer caught fire, exploded and killed at least 10 people. The residents had experienced a power outage, and when the power came back, it was too strong, causing the explosion. Several houses and shops were destroyed - Guardian
Kano power workers shut off electricity
Workers at the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) have gone on strike because they claim that the company hasn't been contributing to their pension funds for the past 72 months.
The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) is leading the strike, and they say they won't end it until the pension contributions are made.
The workers also accuse the company of not providing proper medical care.
The management of KEDCO says the strike is due to “lingering staff welfare issues” and that they are working to address the problems.
Speaking of strikes, teachers in Bayelsa are threatening to strike because they haven't been receiving the nationally imposed minimum wage of N30,000 and their promotion arrears.
They gave the government a warning, but since the government didn't respond, the teachers are now threatening to go on strike. They say the government's behaviour has been disrespectful and frustrating for them.
The strike is on if the government doesn't address these issues before schools resume in November (schools closed due to flooding)
Lagos knocks down more buildings
The government of Lagos State is taking action to remove and seal illegal buildings in the Lagos Island area. - Guardian ng
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, has given this order to enforce the state's laws about how buildings should be constructed.
The government wants to make sure that there are no unsafe or unauthorised buildings in the area. They are also giving a two-week deadline to the owners of a mosque in Okepopo to make their building safe.
This is to prevent accidents like building collapses, and to protect people and property.
The government plans to continue this effort in other parts of Lagos to get rid of illegal buildings.
Trigger Warning: Foreign Exchange
The current exchange rate is $1/N1,170
The debilitating exchange rate is causing the failure of small businesses, manufacturers, and the economy.
The falling value of the naira makes it harder for businesses to buy materials, and some may have to shut down, leading to job losses.
The naira has been decreasing in value since the Central Bank allowed it to freely trade against the dollar.
The government is being asked to take measures to address this problem. Meanwhile, the government plans to start selling crude oil at the exchange rate of N700/$1,
The CBN is lifting the ban on previously banned items
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has lifted the ban imposed rice, tomatoes and 41 other items — the ban was to stop people from importing/buying these items with foreign currency. – Nairametrics
The ban was initially imposed when the price of petrol fell in 2015, which also reduced the country's money reserves fell.
The CBN had two choices: spend its money to keep the local currency strong or let the currency become less valuable. They chose to limit the demand for foreign money by banning these 43 items. It created two markets for foreign money, and many people turned to the black market due to formal market restrictions.
Now, the CBN is changing this policy to compete with the black market and encourage more people to use the official foreign exchange market.
This might help increase the flow of foreign money into the CBN.
Conditional cash transfer for the poorest of the poor
The Nigerian government plans to give 15 million poor households monthly cash of N25,000 for 3 months.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, who announced this said that once the President approves it, they will start giving money to these poor families.
The government wants journalists to help ensure transparency and connect with the people.
They are also working with the World Bank to get funding and support for this program, and they plan to create a fund to help reduce poverty.
The condition of this cash transfer is that the beneficiaries must have NIM and BVN, and must presently have a daily spending cost of $1.95 (Presently approx 2,200 lol)
Crime & fraud
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, has confirmed the arrest of one Benjamin Nnanyereugo for allegedly killing his girlfriend by the Sierra Leonan Police Force.
Nnanyereugo murdered and decapitated his girlfriend on July 13, 2023, in his home at Oral Estate in the Ajah, Lagos.
He admitted to the murder on his social media and has since been in hiding.
INEC says you’re being hard on them
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says that it's not fair to judge the 2023 elections based solely on the number of complaints filed in court. - Channels
Many of these complaints, they said, are about candidates' eligibility, not INEC's actions.
Some cases get withdrawn or dismissed, and the majority don't overturn the election results. So, just looking at the number of complaints doesn't tell the whole story about the credibility of the elections. Let’s look at the number of actual forged results instead
COVID-19 fund seems fishy - House of Reps
The House of Representatives has asked its Public Accounts Committee to investigate how N183.9 billion meant for COVID-19 relief was spent by government departments from 2020 to 2022. They believe that these funds were not properly used, and some were even diverted aka embezzled. The lawmakers want to ensure that the money allocated for COVID-19 relief is used appropriately. - Guardian ng
The Nigerian Army discovered illegal refined gas in imo
The Nigerian Army found illegal fuel and oil processing equipment in Imo State while following a lead on illicit activities - Guardian ng
They discovered 57 sacks of illegally refined fuel hidden in a health centre, as well as stolen crude oil, equipment, and weapons used by criminal groups.
Some people were arrested in connection, and various items were seized, including weapons, phones, and drugs.
Police on recruiting ex-criminals
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has defended its decision to recruit former criminals as Special Constables in Kano state.
These "repentant thugs" were hired to help the police fight crime in the area. The PSC clarified that these Special Constables are not full-fledged police officers, but they are allowed by law to assist the police.
They have received training and will work in their local areas to help identify and combat criminals. Many of them are young people who used to be involved in illegal activities but have now chosen to help create a safer community.
The PSC's goal is to improve security and promote peace and development in the state. They will also make sure the Special Constables have distinct uniforms to avoid confusion with regular police officers and define their specific roles in maintaining security in the country.
Other news
Lagos tackles housing deficit, targets completion of 7,000 units - Guardian.ng
Lagos to seal bars, nightclubs and religious places causing noise - The Cable
Lagos reopens mile 12 market - Punch
The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) says it has issued a “Stop-Work” order to, Sun Flag and Top Steel, two steel and iron manufacturing companies in the Ikorodu area of the state for pollution-related offences - Premium Times
Nigeria Railway Corp moved some coaches in Maiduguri train to Jos and the people of Maiduguri are furious - Premium Times
Zamfara Gov appoints public relation expert, Yaro, as ZIPA executive secretary - Guardian.ng
Telecoms want banks to pay the N120 billion debt for USSD services, but political issues complicate it. Telcos are considering withdrawing service - Guardian.ng