The kidnapped parish priest of Saint Thomas Catholic Church, Zaman Dabo community in Zango Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Reverend Father Gabriel Ukeh, has regained his freedom.   The priest was abducted from the Rectory of St Thomas Parish, Zaman Dabo, Zango Kataf where he shepherds on Sunday, June 9th, 2024.   However, the Director-General of Communications, Kafanchan Catholic Diocese, Reverend Father Gabriel Okafor confirmed that the kidnapped priest was released at about 9 pm on Monday. But he acknowledged and appreciated the kind and prayerful support of all and sundry who worked round the clock to ensure the speedy and safe release of the abducted priest.

  A 13-year-old boy, Wisdom Hashimu, has died by suicide in the Ungwan Maigero Community in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The incident reportedly happened on Thursday, June 7, after a soldier and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force in the area tortured the deceased. The late Wisdom who carried out the act in the family’s compound on Lafiya Sarki Street was said to have been falsely accused of stealing N10,000 from a neighbour on June 1. In a report on Channels TV, the 16-year-old neighbour, identified simply as Hope, was said to have invited her boyfriend, Segun Samson, who is a serving soldier at Bodi Camp in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. However, the money went missing during the visit, thereby prompting Hope to involve his boyfriend who dragged Wisdom and her brother to the Civilian JTF office. Wisdom, who was sitting for his Junior Secondary School examination, was reportedly severely beaten to a pulp by a soldier and members of the civilian JTF. Wisdom’s father, Mr Saul, who spoke to the news medium said, “Rather than report to the police, the soldier was said to have dragged Wisdom and Hope’s brother, both accused of stealing the money, to the civilian JTF office. “At the civilian JTF office, Wisdom was severely beaten to the point where he was unable to walk. He returned home after receiving medical attention.” Tragedy however struck on Thursday after Wisdom’s lifeless body was found hanging on a noose at the back of their compound. According to the grieving father, the Civilian JTF took the law into their own hands by torturing Wisdom. “But, beyond my wildest imagination, the Civilian JTF only beat Wisdom to the point of coma while Hope’s younger brother was spared and returned home unscathed. “After interrogation at home, her (Hope’s) younger brother confessed to the crime. When he was searched, N9,000 was found in his pocket, and he said he had spent N1,000 already,” he added. The family therefore demanded justice over the torture that supposedly led to the suicide committed by their late son. The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, said investigation had begun into the matter. “An investigation has since commenced. The Commissioner of Police has directed the Department of Criminal Investigation to take full charge of the case and whosoever is involved will be brought to justice.”

  The police command in Katsina says bandits have killed about 20 people in the Gidan Bofa and Dan Nakwabo communities in Kankara LGA of Katsina state. The bandits were said to have attacked the two villages on Sunday afternoon. The assailants killed 15 people in Gidan Boka village and another five in the Dan Nakwabo community. In a statement issued on Monday, Abubakar Sadiq, police spokesperson in Katsina, said the bandits also killed four officers — three inspectors and one corporal—as well as two members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (KSCWC) in an ambush. “On the same date, at about 15:00 hrs, a distress call was received at the Kankara Divisional Headquarters that armed bandits in their numbers riding on motorcycles armed with dangerous weapons, shooting sporadically, attacked Gidan Baki village in the same Kankara LGA, killing unsuspecting villagers,” the statement reads. “Immediately, the nearest armoured personnel carrier (APC) patrol team was dispatched to the scene. “While en route to Gidan Baki village, the team discovered that the attack was actually on Gidan Boka village via Yar Goje village, Kankara LGA, where they quickly redirected towards the scene.   “Upon reaching Kurmeji village via Yar Goje, the team fell into an ambush, where a firefight ensued between the team and the bandits. ‘Upon receipt of the information on the attack of the responding team, swiftly the DPO mobilized and led a team of operatives to the scene and restored normalcy. “During preliminary investigation, it was revealed that the armed bandits attacked Gidan Boka village, killing fifteen (15) people and injuring two (2) others. “They also ambushed our patrol team and killed four (4) police officers, three (3) inspectors and one (1) corporal, and two (2) members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (KSCWC). Also, the bandits, while escaping through Dan Nakwabo village, Kankara LGA, shot and killed five (5) persons.”   The police command said investigations are ongoing, adding that further development will be made public.

  The Indigenous People of Biafra has called on the South-East governors to cancel all power contracts with Enugu Electricity Distribution Company for being “an impediment to the development of the region.” In a statement on Monday, the spokesman for the pro-Biafran group, Emma Powerful, said EEDC has proven to be incapable of providing reliable, adequate, and affordable electricity to support economic stimulation and growth of the South East. Powerful alleged that the firm is just extorting money from the people of the South-East without providing reliable electricity. The statement read in part, “The global family IPOB ably led by the leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, calls on the governors in the South-East to cancel all power contracts with Enugu Electricity Distribution Company for being an impediment to the development of the Region. “The South-East governors should leverage the electricity deregulation policy of President Bola Tinubu’s government and engage other local or foreign electricity generation and distribution companies to take the place of the incompetent company called EEDC. “The current electricity deregulation policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria has given powers to the state government to generate and distribute power to their state. Therefore, South-East governors must not subject the Eastern Region to darkness in order to please the insatiably greedy company called EEDC and its owner. “Electricity is a catalyst for economic development and growth, which Ndigbo must not be denied at a time like this. “South-East governors have no excuse for not providing reliable and efficient electricity in their states. The time of giving excuses with the monopoly of NEPA, PHCN, or EEDC is over. Now, the Federal Government Electricity deregulation has given them the power to hire and fire any electricity company in their state. Eastern region governors can come together and partner with a reputable power company that can provide steady and affordable electricity for the entire region.” The group said the governors must ensure that there is adequate electricity in the region without further delay. “Our attention has been drawn to the unconfirmed letter written to the South-East governors, universities, institutions, companies and communities by EEDC to come and pay what they did not consume and failure to do so EEDC will shut off their lights. “We beg EEDC to jettison such an idea because we don’t want to use force on them, and if they want to test the power IPOB possesses, we will let them taste the venom. If they venture to cut any lights in the South-East this time around, we will react because we have endured enough. The citizens of the South East are charged to deal with anyone seen as EEDC representatives anywhere in our land who try to shut off people’s lights. “Their extortion and incompetency should not be endured any longer. IPOB wants the governors to take responsibility for providing steady light in the South-East region. The development and progress of the South-East is dependent on these conditions. “The South-East governors must wake up and demonstrate their willingness to drive economic development of the East via the provision of steady and affordable electricity by canceling all power deals with EEDC,” the statement further added.

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Hashimu Argungu, a retired police officer, as the chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC). Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, announced the appointment in a statement released on Monday. Ngelale said other PSC members will be appointed in due course, adding that the appointments are subject to confirmation by the senate. The president also appointed Mohammed Sheidu as the executive secretary of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) with immediate effect.   Argungu will succeed Solomon Arase, a former inspector-general of police (IGP), as chairman of PSC. In March 2023, former President Muhammadu Buhari swore in Arase as the PSC chairman after confirmation by the senate. Arase retired from the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in 2016 after serving as the 18th IGP.

  The federation account allocation committee (FAAC) says the three tiers of government shared N1.14 trillion for May. The figure represents a decrease of N60 billion compared to the N1.20 trillion shared in April. FAAC made this known in a communique issued at its June meeting on Monday. The meeting was chaired by Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy. According to the communique, the N1.14 trillion total revenue comprised statutory revenue of N157 billion, and value-added tax (VAT) revenue of N463 billion. The revenue also includes electronic money transfer levy (EMTL) revenue of N15 billion and exchange difference revenue of N507 billion. FAAC said a total revenue of N2.32 trillion was available in May. “Total deduction for cost of collection is N76.647 billion, while total transfers, interventions, and refunds is N1.104 trillion,” FAAC said. “Gross statutory revenue of N1.223 trillion was received for the month of May 2024. This was lower than the sum of N1,233 trillion received in the month of April by N9.6 billion.” The committee further said gross revenue of N497 billion was available from VAT in May. This, FAAC said, was lower than the N500 billion available in April. A breakdown of the N1.14 trillion total revenue showed that the federal government received N365 billion, states received N388 billion, and local governments received N282 billion. FAAC also said the sum of N106 billion was shared with the benefiting states as 13 percent derivation revenue. Out of the N157.183 billion statutory revenue, the committee said that the federal government received N61 billion, states received N30.9 billion, and local governments received N23.8 billion. “The sum of N41.371 billion (13 percent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting states as derivation revenue,” FAAC added. From VAT revenue of N463 billion, the federal government received N69 billion, states got N231 billion, and the local government received N162 billion. In addition, the committee said a total sum of N2.2 billion was received by the federal government from the N15 billion EMTL, while state and local governments received N7.5 billion and N5.3 billion, respectively. According to the communiqué, in May, companies income tax (CIT) and petroleum profit tax (PPT) increased significantly while import and excise duties, royalty crude and gas, EMTL, CET levies, and VAT decreased considerably. FAAC said the balance in the excess crude account remained at $473.754.

  The Nigeria Labour Congress has ruled out strike action scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, to demand a new national minimum wage. The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made this known on Monday during the ongoing International Labour Conference taking place in Geneva, Switzerland. According to the Guardian, Ajaero said organised labour cannot embark on strike tomorrow because the figures presented by the Tritiparte committee on minimum wage are with President Bola Tinubu. He clarified that the submission of N62,000 as proposed by the government and the organized employers’ body with labour proposing N250,000 does not translate to labour accepting N62,000 as the new minimum wage.   He said: “The tripartite committee submitted two figures to the President. Government and employers proposed N62,000 while labour proposed N250,00o. We are waiting for the decision of the President. Our National Executive Council (NEC) will deliberate on the new figure when it is out. “We cannot declare strike now because the figures are with the President. We will wait for the President’s decision. “During the tenure of the immediate past President, the figure that was proposed to him was N27,000 by the tripartite committee but he increased it to N30,000. We are hopeful that this President will do the right thing. The President had noted that the difference between N62,000 and N250,000 is a wide gulf.” The NLC president also berated the governor of the 36 states under the umbrella body of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum for rejecting the N62,000. He said, ‘How can any governor say he cannot pay? They cannot also be calling for the decentralization of the minimum wage “Are there wages decentralized? Governors whose states are not contributing a dime to the national purse and who generate pitiable Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) are collecting the same amount as governors whose states are generating billions of dollars into the FAAC. “They should decentralize their salaries and emoluments first. “So, where is the governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki getting his money from? He is paying N70,000 minimum wage. This is the type of governor that should be emulated and not the lazy ones.”

  The tripartite committee set up by the federal government to review the minimum wage for workers has submitted its report to George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF). A statement issued on Monday by Segun Imohiosen, director of information and public relations in the office of the SGF, said a formal presentation of the report will be made to President Bola Tinubu soon. More to follow…

  Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) says the federal government should stop the payment of electricity subsidies saying it is “ineffective”. The state governors made this known on Monday in a document seen by TheCable titled ‘Development of the National Integrated Electricity Policy & Strategic Implementation Plan: Policy Recommendations by State Governments to the Federal Ministry of Power’. “Electricity is a commodity and a product that must be paid for by consumers. The States believe that electricity subsidies and other forms of financial interventions in the power sector by the FG over the last 15 years have been inefficient and ineffective so far,” NGF said. “Rather than improve the quality and reliability of service, electricity subsidies in the sector have been applied to cover inefficient costs and lack of service by DisCos, TCN, GenCos and gas producers across the NESI.” Advertisement In the document, the state governments recommended a series of policies to tackle the challenges within the power sector. The recommendation comes at a time when regulatory authority is being transferred to states. In April, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) transferred oversight of the electricity market in Ondo, Ekiti and Enugu to each state’s electricity regulatory bureau. According to the document, the states recommended that wholesale and retail electricity subsidies to customers and across the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) value chain be reduced and eventually eliminated over time. “Moreover, the so-called electricity subsidies benefit only customers who are connected to the national grid and enjoy some form of supply reliability. Millions of households, particularly in underserved and unserved communities, pay more than twice the average true cost of on-grid supply,” the states said. “The 2001 national electric policy recommended the restricted use of subsidies for the promotion of universal access to electricity. States agree with the retention of this policy. “To this end, States recommend that wholesale and retail electricity subsidies to customers and across the NESI value chain are reduced and eventually eliminated over time, except for pre-defined customer categories or in line with national economic growth initiatives. “Where electricity subsidies are deemed necessary, the States propose a cost-of service analysis which will be conducted by the state to determine the cost of supply and arising electricity subsidies for each state.” The NGF further said if subsidies must continue to be implemented as a specific policy of the federal government, there must be a provision for funding the subsidies before implementation. The forum also asked the federal government to be transparent and precise in its regulatory framework to determine the extent of subsidies required and the category(ies) of consumers that would be eligible to receive electricity subsidies. ‘NO METER- NO SERVICE IMPLEMENTATION’ The states advised the federal government to implement a “no-meter, no-service” policy for all new electricity connections. According to NGF, the provision of electricity meters to close the huge metering gap is a requirement to make sub-national markets viable. However, NGF said States Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) in conjunction with the distribution licensees should be allowed to determine the meter technology, type and form of meters to be deployed within their states’ electricity markets. “States are of the view that the national electricity policy should mandate an immediate “no-meter, no-service” policy for all new connections, to prevent the metering gap from further increasing,” NGF said. “The federal government is urged to provide low-cost, long-term funding for metering schemes as direct loans to distribution licensees or off-balance sheet funding through special purpose meter finance companies (or meter asset SPV companies) to close the metering gap, whilst also encouraging electricity customers to directly purchase prepaid meters from accredited meter asset providers and manufacturers accredited by the SERC. “States on their own will implement their viable metering programs and metering regulations to close the metering gap within their state electricity market.” In terms of electricity tariff, NGF said states will implement different end-user tariff methodologies within their markets according to the state electricity policies and strategic implementation plans, viability and market sustainability requirements and peculiar socio-economic characteristics in states. “However, states recommend that electricity tariffs should be both efficient and cost-reflective across the federation,” NGF said. “States urge the federal government to revert to the 2001 Electric policy recommendation on electricity tariffs regulation. “The national assembly and the federal government should allow NERC to independently carry out its regulatory functions of determining, approving, and implementing economic wholesale tariffs at the appropriate time, and not (politically) intervene in the tariff setting process.” In determining wholesale tariffs, NGF said NERC must also adhere to its regulations for tariff approvals and reviews, including the need to transparently hold consultative public hearings and mandatorily consult with SERC on wholesale tariff methodologies and tariff proposals by licensees of the commission.