Nationwide blackout as national grid collapses — sixth time in 2024

Published

2 weeks ago

October 14, 2024

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The national electricity grid collapsed on Monday, leading to a nationwide blackout.

According to a statement on X by Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), the national grid collapsed at 6:58pm.

AEDC said a system failure at the national grid affected the power supply from its franchise area.

“Please be informed that the power outage being experienced is due to a system failure from the national grid at 6:58pm today, affecting the power supply to our franchise areas,” the company said.

“Rest assured, we are working with the relevant stakeholders to restore power as soon as the grid is stabilised. Thank you for your understanding.”

Also, in a statement by Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC), Emeka Ezeh, head of corporate communications, said the company is unable to provide power to its customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states.

“The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) wishes to inform her esteemed customers of a general system collapse that occurred at 18:48 hours today, 14th October, 2024,” Ezeh said.

READ Blackout as national grid collapses again

“This has resulted in the loss of supply currently being experienced across EEDC network.

“Consequently, due to this development, all our interface TCN stations are out of supply, and we are unable to provide services to our customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo States.

“We are on standby awaiting detailed information of the collapse and restoration of supply from the National Control Centre (NCC), Osogbo.”

‘WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS TO RESTORE POWER’

On its part, Eko ElectricityDistributionCompany (EKEDC) also said the company is working with stakeholders to restore.

“Kindly be informed there was a system collapse at 18:48hrs which has resulted to a loss of power supply across our network,” EKEDC said.

“We are currently working with our partners as we hope for speedy restoration of the grid. We will keep you updated as soon as power supply is restored.”

The national electricity grid has collapsed six times in 2024.

On August 5, various distribution companies (DisCos) said their feeders became inactive, resulting in widespread blackouts across the country.

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On July 6, Nigeria recorded the fourth system failure at the national grid.

Also, the national grid collapsed on April 15, March 28 and February 4.

On May 1, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said the number of system collapses has declined by 76.47 percent in five years.

Ndidi Mbah, TCN’s spokesperson, said the country recorded 20 system collapses from 2020 till May 1, compared to the 85 grid disturbances between 2015 to 2019.

TCN said it had deployed a digital system called generation dip/loss detection system (GLDS) to swiftly detect and respond to sudden drops in power generation.

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Police detain VeryDarkMan after honouring invitation

Published

21 mins ago

November 1, 2024

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Deji Adeyanju, the Nigerian lawyer, says the police have detained VeryDarkMan, the social media critic.

In a Twitter post on Thursday evening, the lawyer said the activist, born Martins Otse, was detained after honouring the police invitation.

Adeyanju lamented that his client was taken into custody despite cooperating with the police authorities.

“Our client, VDM has been detained after honouring police invitation just like yesterday. VDM who has been consistent in saying the Nigerian Police are our friends even when we all know they are not,” the tweet reads.

The development comes after VeryDarkMan shared a video of himself in a matching suit. In the footage, he said he was heading to the police station in Abuja to respond to the invitation.

Trouble began when VeryDarkMan wore a police uniform and introduced himself as the “chief superintendent of police (CSP) of the online division”.

The police said it would launch an investigation to determine the source of the police gear used and the authority under which the activist acted.

READ ‘Without workers, no work can take place’ — labour defends shutting down national grid

VeryDarkMan would later apologise to the police while emphasizing that he didn’t intend to impersonate the law enforcement agency.

The fitness expert had also revealed that he returned from the police station where he was interrogated based on the controversial footage.

The police have yet to confirm VeryDarkMan’s detention or provide further details.

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We secured over 3,000 convictions, recovered N248bn, $105m in one year – EFCC

Published

29 mins ago

November 1, 2024

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it recovered over N248 billion, $105 million, and secured 3455 convictions in one year.

Ola Olukoyede, chairman of EFCC, spoke in Abuja on Thursday during a press conference to mark his one year in office.

Represented by Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC’s director of public affairs, Olukoyede said the achievements were recorded between October 18, 2023, and October 18, 2024, when he assumed office.

“The commission within the year recovered N248, 750,049,365.52; $105,423,190.39; £53,133.64; €172,547.10; T1,300.00 Indian rupees and CAD $3,400.00 Canadian dollars,” he said.

“It also recovered ¥74,859:00 Chinese Yuan; AUS $ 740:00 Australian Dollars; 170:00 UAE Dirham; 73,000:00 Korean Won; CFA 7,821,375:00 and R 50:00 South Africa Rands.

“On asset recovery and return, the EFCC on Sept. 6 handed over to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) the sum of $180,300 and 53 vehicles, being assets recovered for Canadian victims of Nigerian fraudsters.”

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The EFCC chairman said $164,000 of the recovered cash assets was from one Elena Bogomas, while $16,300 belonged to another victim, known as Sandra Butler.

He added that about 53 vehicles recovered “were stolen over a period of time in Canada, freighted to Nigeria, and distributed to multiple locations in Nigeria by the criminal elements”.

He said the commission charged four former governors to court over corruption allegations in the past year.

The former governors are Yahaya Bello, Abdulfatah Ahmed, Willie Obiano, and Darius Ishaku.

Olukoyede said the commission also arrested two former ministers of power, Saleh Mamman and Olu Agunloye, who are currently facing prosecution.

“Also, a former minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika, is currently standing trial before two different courts: Justice S.B. Belgore of the FCT high court, Garki, and Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the FCT high court, Maitama,” he said.

He said Sirika is being prosecuted alongside his brother, Ahmad Sirika, and two companies, Enginos Nigeria Limited and Samahah Integrated Investment Limited, on 10 counts bordering on alleged N5.8 billion fraud.

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He added that the former minister is also standing trial for six counts alongside Fatima Sirika, Jalal Hamma, and Al Buraq Global Investment Limited over alleged N2.8 billion fraud.

JUST IN: NSIB locates wreckage of crashed helicopter in Port Harcourt

Published

9 hours ago

October 31, 2024

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The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) says its search and recovery teams have successfully located the wreckage of the ditched Sikorsky SK76 helicopter.

In a statement on Thursday, Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, NSIB’s director of public affairs and family assistance, said the wreckage was identified during recovery dives conducted on Wednesday night.

Details later…