Nigeria’s largest domestic airline, Air Peace, has expressed its willingness to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Sudan, free of charge. This is coming against the backdrop of the uprising currently ongoing in the North-East Africa country. The airline noted that Nigerian students and others stranded in the war racked nation needs our help. It would be recalled that the airline in 2019 deployed flights to evacuate Nigerians in South Africa during the heat of the xenophobic attack against Africans living in that country. A development that threatened the lives of Nigerians. However, the Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema stated that Nigerians could be moved to a neigbouring country the airline would fly there and evacuate them, as Sudan’s airspace is closed from civil aviation flights. In his word: “I am compelled to help because Nigeria cannot afford to lose her citizens in that country. It would be my own commitment to make sure that the stranded Nigerians in the war-torn country are safe. “Everything must not be left for government alone, especially as the situation calls for urgency and immediate action. “Again, Air Peace is willing to evacuate Nigerians stranded in Sudan free of charge if government can get them to a safe and secure airport in any of the neighbouring countries bordering Sudan. “Everything must not be left for government and government alone. It will be a privilege and honour of tremendous pride that we will be out there to give every Nigerian stranded in Sudan a sense of pride and oneness in their country. “We are very ready to do it immediately. No time wasting. Any action that would promote national pride, national cohesion, peace and unity, we are for it. Again, we have no apologies for believing in our nation and loving the nation despite certain national challenges. “If they are moved to Kenya or Uganda or any other country, we will move in to get them out. Some parents have started calling on us to help. We are ready to do this again and again.”

  The Nigeria Police says the Inspector General of Police (IGP has ordered an investigative team to probe Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Hudu Yunusa-Ari’s role in the recently held supplementary Adamawa State governorship election.   This comes after the commission’s appeal to the IGP seeking an investigation and possible prosecution of the Yunusa-Ari over allegations of misconduct. The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Sunday, said the police is in receipt of the letter from INEC dated April 18, 2023 “detailing the alleged impropriety of the actions of one Barr. Hudu Yunusa-Ari, the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC)”. Adejobi noted that the commission called on the police to investigate and possibly prosecute the REC “for his actions”. He added that the inspector general “has directed an investigative team to work in collaboration with the INEC to expedite action on the contents of the letter”. The statement also said Baba expressed the commitment of the NPF to upholding democratic values. He further assured Nigerians and the international community that the no stone would be left unturned in unraveling the remote causes of the “unwholesome conduct of the REC as well as ensure that all persons fingered in the course of investigations are brought to book”. It would be recalled that Yunusa-Ari had allegedly usurped the role of the Returning Officer to prematurely announce the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Aishatu ‘Binani’ Dahiru, as the winner while collation was ongoing. The declaration led to uproar, resulting in the temporary suspension of the exercise. Ultimately, incumbent Governor Ahmadu Fintiri emerged as the winner.

  The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed plans to evacuate over 2,000 Nigerians in crisis-hit Sudan on Tuesday morning. “The truth is nobody has been evacuated yet. I just spoke to the ambassador Olaniyan in Khartoum a few minutes ago,” the agency’s Director, Special Duties, Onimode Bandele, said during a live appearance Monday on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily. “It is true that there are plans to get buses to start moving tomorrow morning. And as I speak to you, the Director General, National Emergency Management Agency, Mustapha Habib, is already in Cairo because that is the window that we are looking at.” According to him, the movement is to be perfected between the Nigerian embassy in Khartoum and the NEMA director general.   Asked how many Nigerians to be removed from the troubled North African country, Bandele stated that evacuation of a few thousand citizens are in the works. “Our projection was that most students and others who want to evacuate are about 5,000. But with my discussion with the ambassador this morning, the plan is for about 2,650-2,800 to move immediately, including families of embassy staff. “As these plans continue, we’ll be able to update you with the actual figure and the exact time of departure from Khartoum to Cairo,” he said. Seeking Sudanese Authorisation Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama, on Sunday, put the number of Nigerians in Sudan at 5,500. He disclosed that out of the number, 80 percent of them are students, adding that some countries had only evacuated their diplomatic staff and not all of their citizens as speculated online. Onyeama urged Nigerians in the crisis-torn country to “stay where you are” before the evacuation begins. “Essentially, where we are at the moment is trying to get authorisation from the Sudanese government to undertake this long convoy journey and for them to provide some security,” he added.

  The President-elect’s spokesman stated that he has been on vacation in France. Barring any last-minute changes, the President-elect, Mr Bola Tinubu is expected to return to the country on Monday (today) after a 34-day absence from Nigeria. Tinubu had March 21 travelled out of the country, in what his campaign council said was meant for him to rest and plan ahead of his inauguration on May 29. A statement by the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council in March noted that Tinubu travelled to France to rest and plan his transition programme after an exhaustive campaign and election season. “The president-elect had left the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja,” the statement noted.   “The president-elect decided to take a break after the hectic campaign and election season to rest in Paris and London, preparatory to going to Saudi Arabia for Umrah (Lesser Hajj) and the Ramadan Fasting.” The planned arrival of the former Lagos State governor was confirmed on Monday by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga. Taking to his Twitter handle, Onanuga stated that the President-elect has been on vacation in France. It was gathered that Tinubu whose plane is billed to land at the presidential wing of the Abuja Airport will be escorted from the airport by a carnival-like motorcade to the Defence House.   “Nigeria’s President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu returns to Abuja today after weeks of a well-deserved vacation in France. E kaabo! Se dada le de!” he tweeted. The House of Representatives member representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, James Faleke, in a statement on Sunday in which he identified himself as “Organiser”, invited supporters of the President-elect to welcome him in Abuja. “My dear brothers and sisters of this unique family. I wish to inform and request of us all that anyone in Abuja and Nasarawa is invited to join in receiving our Peoples President and First Lady Elect tomorrow by 2pm at the Presidential wing of the International Airport. “Departure Time:2pm; Departure Venue: The Campaign Office; Accreditation time: 12pm. Buses will be provided. Only Accredited persons will be allowed at the Airport for security reasons,” he said. Meanwhile, there are reports that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling APC is preparing to meet with the President-elect to avert a repeat of the 2015 situation that produced Senator Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and House of Representatives Speaker, respectively. Both had emerged as National Assembly leaders, contrary the wishes of the APC leadership.

  At least six persons were on Monday confirmed dead after suspected terrorists attacked residents in two separate communities of Plateau State. It was learnt that while two persons were killed in Wereng village, Kuru community, Jos South Local Government Area by the fleeing terrorists while four persons were killed in Heipang community, Barkin Ladi LGA of the state. The two separate incidents, it was further gathered, occurred on Sunday night. The two separate incidents, it was further gathered, occurred on Sunday night. The Spokesman for the Military Task Force in charge of maintaining peace in the state, Captain Oya James confirmed the killing of two persons in Jos South community to The PUNCH in Jos on Monday. James said, ” For the issue in Kuru community, the commander immediately deployed officers there when we learnt of the attack. But unfortunately, one person was already shot dead before we got there yesterday (Sunday). “But this morning (Monday) the Commander told me that another corpse was discovered in the community. We don’t know those who carried out the attacks but from what we gathered, the suspects did not enter the community; it was like they shot at people while they were passing through the community which led to the death of the victims. “For the killings in Barkin Ladi, I can tell you that it was a result of a clash between two communities in the area but I will get back to you when I get details of what happened. However, residents of Barkin community who confirmed the killings claimed that four persons died during the attacks which also left many residents injured.

  A 39-year-old man, Orishagbemi Sunday, was reportedly stabbed to death in Zango Daji in Adavi LGA of Kogi State. He was reportedly killed while trying to settle a quarrel between two persons, who were quarreling over where to urinate. The incident was said to have occurred in the evening of Friday at the side of a building in Zango Daji, a settlement along Lokoja – Okene road. It was reported that the deceased’s friend, who was pressed by nature, decided to ease himself in a nearby building in the settlement, but the son of the owner of the house saw his move and rebuked him to desist immediately. Our correspondent gathered that a heated argument ensued thereafter, which made Sunday, who was standing by to move in to intervene, but he was stabbed to death by the house owner’s son. “The son of the owner of the said building, Sadiq, felt it was not appropriate for the man, claimed to be a vulcaniser at Ganaja Junction in Lokoja to urinate at the side of his father’s house. “He rebuked him, telling the man to move to another area to urinate. The deceased’s friend did not take it kindly with the order and reacted negatively, which infuriated the boy. “The deceased, who was closer by, ran there to settle them and in the confusion that followed, Sadiq stabbed the peace maker (Sunday), and he bled to death shortly,” said Jamiu Salami, a resident of the settlement. The Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP William Ovye Aya, confirmed the incident, saying the deceased came in to settle the quarrel between his friend and the boy when he was stabbed and died in the process. “The deceased was killed at Okada Park at Zango Daji. The suspect had been arrested by the police for investigation,” he said. The PPRO added that the suspect will be arraigned in court as soon as the investigation into the case is concluded.

  Justice Now Coalition, a civil society organisation (CSO), says the federal government should obey a judgement nullifying the removal of Ifeanyi Ararume as a non-executive chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited. On Tuesday, Inyang Ekwo, a judge of the federal high court in Abuja, awarded N5 billion in damages in favour of the former senator representing Imo north. President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Ararume as board chairman of the corporation in September 2021, but he was later sacked and replaced by Margaret Chuba Okadigbo in January 2022. Margaret is the widow of the late Chuba Okadigbo, a former president of the senate. The president said steps have already been taken to appeal the court verdict.   In a statement on Sunday, Tony Erha, the CSO’s convener, said the matter could be resolved in a way that there would be no losers. “The federal government should take the window of opportunity provided by the federal high court judgment to correct its mischief and put an end to the issue once and for all,” Erha said. “Afterall, senator Godwin Ifeanyi Araraume was a director on the board of NNPCL before he was simultaneously appointed as the non-executive chairman, thus enjoying the privilege of having his name in the company’s records with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).   “Araraume remains part of the NNPCL family in the face of the law. All issues settled in his favour in the judgment can be quietly revisited and resolved in ways that there will be no losers at the end of the day. “This is the best way to go about the quick restoration of the Board of the NNPCL to normalcy. The government cannot pretend not to know that all is not well with the NNPCL, especially now with the specific order nullifying all the decisions and resolutions taken by the board in the absence of senator Araraume from January 17, 2022, when he was removed as non-executive chairman of the board. “We understand that Araraume is a committed member of the ruling All Progressives Congress. We also understand that he was an appointee of President Muhammadu Buhari, as a federal commissioner at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), where he represented the southeast zone from 2016-2018, a position he held after he passed rigorous security checks by the Police and the Department of State Services. “That being the case, we believe that this issue can be resolved in-house in the interest of his party, government, and the nation, so that the NNPCL can be surefooted forthwith in its operations and dealings with the IOCs, whose confidence the new national energy company must enjoy, more than ever before, to thrive.”

  POWER generation to the national grid dipped below the 4,000 megawatts mark over the weekend leaving customers across the country with limited electricity supply. Checks on data provided by the National System Operator, NSO, an independent arm of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, showed that only 18 of the 25 power plants in the country supplied power to the grid. Further checks showed that generation as of 12 noon yesterday was 3,518.7MW, indicating a drop of 18.6 per cent, compared to the average generation of 4,324.1MW recorded last Friday. The biggest drop by a single power plant was Azura-Edo IPP which recorded 256MW from the 403.18MW recorded last week. Checks on the Azura-Edo website showed that two of its three-generation units were on the grid. The biggest suppliers to the grid were Egbin Power (529MW), Delta Power (502MW) and Kainji Hydro (426MW). Indebtedness to GenCos hits N202.6bn Checks on data made available to Vanguard by the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, also indicated that the amount owed to the generation companies in 2022 was N202.6 billion. According to NBET, GenCos were owed another N24.22 billion for power supplied to the grid in the month of January 2023. DisCos move to pacify customers With several customers expressing their frustration on social media, electricity distribution companies moved to explain the situation. Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, explained that the power outage in parts of the capital city was due to problems with transmission facilities. AEDC in a public notice posted on its official Twitter handle said: “The management of Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc. (AEDC) wishes to notify its esteemed customers in E2 Injection Substation feeding FHA Lugbe, Back of Dunamis and environs, Kuje, Pegi, Piwoyi and environs that the power outage they are currently experiencing is due to a fault on the 33kV Feeder H21 from the Transmission Station in Apo, Abuja. ”All responsible stakeholders are currently working hard to restore the power supply soonest.v v We regret any inconveniences caused.”