Vandals have destroyed two towers along the crucial 330kV Shiroro–Kaduna transmission lines 1 and 2, throwing parts of Kano and Kaduna into darkness. The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) said Friday that the towers, T133 and T136, suffered extensive damage, resulting in a disruption of electricity supply to parts of the North-West, including Kaduna and Kano. The incident was first detected when one of the transmission lines tripped, shortly followed by the second, prompting TCN to mobilise local vigilante groups for increased patrols around the affected area. TCN’s Shiroro Regional Office said the cables were found to be severely compromised at multiple points. “Investigations reveal that this is not a case of routine damage but a deliberate act of vandalism,” said TCN spokesperson Ndidi Mbah. “We are working closely with security operatives to secure the area, which has been identified as vulnerable to banditry, posing risks to our infrastructure and personnel.” In response to the emergency, TCN has deployed a newly procured emergency restoration system to the site to stabilize the situation. Plans are also in progress for the reconstruction of the damaged towers to restore the affected lines fully. “Our engineers have swiftly implemented a temporary solution to ensure continued electricity supply,” Mbah added. “We are currently using the 330kV Kaduna–Jos transmission line to deliver bulk power to the Kaduna and Kano regions as an interim measure.” An aerial survey was conducted to assess the extent of the damage and to enhance security measures around the affected transmission lines. This survey was carried out in collaboration with security operatives to identify any further vulnerabilities in the area. The Shiroro–Kaduna transmission lines are critical to Nigeria’s power supply, as each line can carry 600MW of electricity to the North-West. The loss of these lines has significantly impacted the power distribution network. “We are appealing to communities living near transmission infrastructure to assist in safeguarding these national assets,” said TCN Managing Director Sule Abdulaziz. “The vandalism of power installations affects everyone, and ensuring their security is a collective responsibility.” Efforts are ongoing to restore the towers, with TCN assuring the public of its commitment to restoring normalcy as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, increased patrols and surveillance will continue to prevent further incidents. Authorities are also investigating the incident to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice, as the attack threatens to exacerbate the already strained electricity situation in the region.

The Rivers State Government has approved a minimum wage of N85,000 for civil servants in the state. The Head of Service of the state, George Nwaeke, announced that the approval was granted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara during a closed-door meeting with labour leaders and senior government officials. Following the meeting, Nwaeke confirmed that the implementation of the new minimum wage will take effect immediately. “He granted a minimum wage of N85,000 to Rivers workers and that is what our resolution was by the time we left the place,” the head of service said. “The implementation is with an immediate effect. A committee has been set up – the SSG is heading it. The labour leaders and I are going to the drawing board immediately to work out the details for the immediate takeoff of the scheme.” On their part, the Chairman of the Joint Negotiation Team, Chukwu Emecheta, praised Governor Fubara for meeting the expectations of Rivers State workers. He expressed appreciation for the Governor’s commitment to the workforce. “Today, we are happy that our expectation for our governor, he is living up to it,” he said. “He has demonstrated it this afternoon,” Emecheta said after the meeting. Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Rivers State, Alex Agwanwor, noted that the minimum wage will greatly alleviate the economic hardships faced by workers in the state. Fubara’s move is the latest in a series of states announcing the payment of the new minimum wage. Days back, his Lagos State counterpart Babajide Sanwo-Olu said civil servants in the state will be paid N85,000 as minimum wage. President Bola Tinubu had in July 2024 signed the minimum wage bill into law. That moved the pay from N30,000 to N70,000.

The NNPC Limited – Chevron Nigeria Limited Joint Venture (NNPC-CNL JV) has made a significant near-field oil discovery with the successful drilling of the Meji NW-1 well, located in Petroleum Mining Lease (PML) 49 within the shallow offshore area of the Western Niger Delta. The area, recently converted to the PIA 2021 terms, is a critical part of Nigeria’s energy production landscape. Chevron’s General Manager, Policy Government and Public Affairs, Olusoga Oduselu, disclosed this in a Friday statement titled, “NNPC-CNL Joint Venture successfully drills the Meji NW-1 Well.” According to the statement, the well was spud on September 2, 2024, reaching a total depth of 8,983 feet by September 13. It encountered approximately 690 feet of hydrocarbons within Miocene sands, appraising an extension of the already productive Meji field. The well operations were concluded on October 2, and the drilling rig has since left the location, according to the official statement. “This accomplishment is consistent with CNL’s intention to continue developing and growing its Nigerian resources,” the company stated, adding that the success aligns with Chevron’s broader global exploration goals. These include “finding new resources that extend the life of producing assets in existing operating areas and deliver production with shorter development cycle times.” The discovery adds momentum to Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, signalling the continued strength of its offshore potential. The NNPC-CNL JV expressed its commitment to working with the Nigerian government and other stakeholders to ensure the continued development of the country’s oil and gas resources. “We will continue to collaborate with the Nigerian government and other stakeholders to support the development of the Nigerian oil and gas industry and the Nigerian economy in general,” the statement emphasised. With the energy sector playing a pivotal role in Nigeria’s economy, this discovery is expected to bolster both production levels and investor confidence in the region’s untapped potential.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed concern over judgements on political cases by some courts in the country, saying the situation does not give a good sign for democracy. Jonathan, who stated this at the 67th birthday celebration of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof. Mike Ozekhome, in Abuja, described some judgements on election matters as a “cone being turned upside down”. Lamenting the lapses of the Nigeria’s judiciary system, the former president said, “The way things are going in this country, especially listening to the judgments being given regarding political cases, we are beginning to see that democracy in Nigeria is like a cone that is being turned upside down. “And if a cone is turned upside down it cannot be stable and at the slightest perturbation, it will fall. When I listened to some senior lawyers like Olisa Agbakoba making comments on some Supreme Court’s judgments, I felt very sad that the country has got to that level.” He noted that for democracy to endure in the country, people both at the Bar and the Bench should not be carried away by political influence. “If our democracy will endure, people, both at the Bar and the Bench, should not be carried away by political influence. That is the only way we can stabilise the political process. “I know the lawyers enjoy it because after elections there is always an avalanche of litigation, because it is like Christmas for lawyers. ad“But in most other countries, people don’t go to court, but in Nigeria, pre-election matters and post-election matters fill all the courts and it does not give a good sign for democracy.” “Comparing Nigeria to other African countries and those outside Africa, because I have been able to get involved in their electoral processes, it worries me.” Further speaking, Jonathan recounted a particular judgement which, he said, had been haunting him, “There is a particular judgment that has been haunting me and I need to mention that, luckily, I am not a lawyer, I am saying that from a layman view, it (the judgment) simply turned the cone upside down and if the courts don’t look back into this case, it will create so much instability in the political system that it would affect all of us. “Those who would have succeeded, their victory song will not last long, because we will all be victims. Where the court says a Ward Chairman can expel a National Chairman of a political party. This is not in line with natural justice. The law is to control human behaviour and human behaviour must follow how God created systems. “And, you cannot tell me that the Head of Department in a university, for example, can expel the Vice Chancellor. So, how can the Nigerian law tell me that a Ward Chairman can expel a national officer of a political party? “And, since that judgment has been given, as at today, it has created all kinds of instability in the party. PDP is in crisis because of that judgment. APC, at a time, was also into crisis because of that judgment. “I am not looking at it from a legal perspective, because I don’t know anything about the law. But when I look at how nature works, I have never seen a system where its sub-unit can discipline the top.” “For the PDP exactly, in the constitution of the PDP, if you are a national officer, even your state cannot discipline you, not to talk about a Ward officer, who is not a member of the NEC, the National Executive Council. “And we are saying that a Ward Chairman of a party can suspend and expel the National Chairman of a political party. I am appealing with the Supreme Court to revisit their judgment, because that judgment has turned the cone upside down and the political process, the democracy, is wobbling.”

A Kenyan high court has issued a temporary suspension of the Senate’s decision to impeach Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, following a petition citing “monumental constitutional issues.” Earlier today, Gachagua approached the court to halt the implementation of his impeachment. Presiding Judge Chacha Mwita ruled to temporarily pause the impeachment process pending a hearing. The court also suspended the appointment of a new deputy president, which had already seen Kenya’s President William Ruto nominate Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki. The National Assembly had approved Kindiki’s appointment earlier on Friday. Judge Mwita highlighted the constitutional significance of the case, stating, “I am satisfied that the petition raises fundamental constitutional issues concerning the rule of law and human rights.” The case is set to be reviewed on October 24, when a bench appointed by the Chief Justice will address the matter. Parliament rulesKenya’s parliament on Friday unanimously voted to back the nomination of President William Ruto’s pick to replace his deputy Rigathi Gachagua who was sacked in a historic impeachment. Ruto’s nominee, Kithure Kindiki, a 52-year-old academic turned political heavyweight, had been among the front-runners floated by political analysts after the Senate voted to remove Gachagua late Thursday. The impeachment of Ruto’s 2022 election running mate has transfixed the East African country, generally regarded as a stable democracy in a turbulent region. The high-stakes political drama continued apace on Friday as National Assembly speaker Moses Wetangula announced Ruto’s choice of Kindiki in the morning. A few hours later, parliamentarians voted 236 in favour, with no abstention or votes opposed. “The vote is overwhelmingly ‘yes’ and so the nomination is hereby declared passed by the house,” Wetangula said.

A total of 167 persons have so far lost their lives following Tuesday’s fuel tanker explosion in Majiya town in the Taura Local Government Area of Jigawa State. The Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, made the disclosure when the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, paid him a condolence visit at the Government House Dutse on Thursday evening. “As of Thursday evening, 167 lives had been lost in the fire disaster,” Namadi said. He disclosed that no fewer than 67 people are currently receiving medical treatment at various medical facilities within and outside the state. The governor expressed deep gratitude on behalf of the people of Jigawa State and thanked Kano State for its generous support during this difficult time. He assured that the N100 million donated by the Kano State Government would be judiciously used to aid the victims of the unfortunate incident and their families. Many people, globally, have commiserated with the state government and families of the affected victims. Also, a mass burial was held for the initial 147 victims who were said to have died while scooping fuel from the tanker wreckage. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau, on Thursday, said it had commenced an investigation into the petrol tanker explosion. A statement from the agency read, “The team will assess the circumstances surrounding the crash and the explosion to identify causal factors and provide safety recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families affected by this devastating accident. The NSIB is committed to uncovering the cause of the explosion and ensuring that safety lessons are learnt.” PUNCH Online reported that the death toll as of Wednesday was 147. The Chairman of Taura LGA, Shu’aibu Hambali, confirmed the latest causality figure on Wednesday evening while speaking live on a local radio station, Arewa Radio.