Author: The Nation

By John Ofikhenua, Abuja

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced there was a total system collapse of the grid on Wednesday.

Consequently, according to its General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, there was voltage collapse some parts of the grid.

The statement said the TCN “hereby states that at about 11.01 am today, 12th of May, 2021, there was a total system collapse of the grid, as a result of voltage collapse at some parts of the grid.

“TCN commenced grid recovery immediately after the collapse, from Shiroro Generating Station to Katampe TS, Abuja through the Shiroro – Katampe line at 11:29 am, and also through Delta Generating Station to Benin Transmission Substation and has reached Osogbo and parts of Lagos.

“While the grid restoration and power restoration gradually progress to other parts of the country, the cause of voltage collapse that precipitated this failure is equally being investigated.

“TCN appeals for patience as it works assiduously to ensure full restoration of the grid and consequently power supply to the remaining parts of the country”.

By Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

Police authorities have directed its operatives not to accompany their principals to Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers States until the security situation in the region improves.

The order was sequel to the unceasing attacks on security operatives and formations in the South-East and part of South-South zones by suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB).

The directive was contained in a wireless message with reference CB: 0900/DTS/DOPS/VOL.47/812X, titled ‘Attack on policemen, snatching of rifles by IPOB,’ by the Commissioner of Police, Asaba, Delta State.

Findings revealed the police copied the Chief Security Officer, Government House, Chief Superintendent of Police, Department of Operations, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, Delta State House of Assembly, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation annex, among others.

The wireless message reads: “Sequel to the incessant attacks on policemen and snatching of arms and ammunition by the proscribed IPOB/ESN (Eastern Security Network) elements in the Eastern states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo States and Rivers State, COMPOL DOPS directs you warn personnel that escort of their principals to the six eastern states is suspended forthwith until security situation improves. Ensure strict compliance, please.”

Since last year, many operatives have been killed during attacks on security formations in the South-East and South-South regions.

The situation has sparked panic among security personnel.

Confirming the development, the Force Public Relation Officer, CP Frank Mba told The Nation in Abuja the step was taken to save the officers and their principals from gunmen.

Mba said the signal originated from Delta State Command and it was issued on the authorities of the Commissioner of Police, in Delta State.

He said the signal is clear, adding that: “That signal did not come from Force headquarters, so is not a nationwide directive.

“And any reasonable person will understand that this is a very good directive. The Commissioner of Police acted within his powers and he gave the directives to cure certain mischief”.

By Okodili Ndidi, Abuja

Non Commissioned Officers (NCO) and Senior Non Commissioned Officers (SNCO) have written President Muhammadu Buhari to reject the proposed Nigerian Army Welfare Housing Scheme (NAWHS), dismissing it as mere fraud.

The open letter co-signed by 05NA/57/2084 SGT Yusuf Shetima,04NA/55/0925 CPL James Ibok, 09NA/62/5578 LCPL Danladi Ibrahim,11NA/66/10622 LCPL Afolabi Showumi and 13NA/70/11034 PTE Lucky Dolph, accused the Commissioned Officers of “eating fat” while they starved.

But when contacted, the Director Army Public Relations Officer Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, said there is no such thing as Nigerian Army Welfare Housing Scheme.

According to him: “We don’t have anything like that but I’ll read it.”

The letter reads in part: “On behalf of the entire Non Commissioned Officers (NCO), and the Senior Non commissioned Officers (SNCO), we write to reject the proposed plan of the Nigerian Army to further increase their tempo in a way of continuous swindling and to put us and our family into persistent suffering of hunger and starvation.”

They said following the high rate of inflation, it has become difficult for the NCO and the SNCO to feed their families or pay school fees from their meager salary.

“Yet, the Nigerian Army have devised a means of taking or collecting it back from us the Scarce Skill Allowance (SSA) under the guise of a useless, fraudulent and so called Nigerian Army Welfare Housing Scheme (NAWHS).

“It is pertinent to note that the Army cannot exist or stand in the absence of the NCO and the SNCO, but the Army can stand or exist and function effectively without the commissioned Officers.

“This is to say that, the SNCO and the NCO are the pillars or the Nigerian Army and without them the NA cannot exist and yet, there suffer the most.”

It added: “The NCO and the SNCO are not well paid and yet the Army wants to deduct a whopping sum of #15,410.30k, #16,703.92k, #17,103.92k, #18,868.97k, #21,516.27k, #26,732.74k, #30,000.00k and 49,086.49k on monthly basis and according to the rank respectively.

“After this deduction, they still want us to feed and also buy our military uniforms from the remaining change.

“The said the officers do not have regard for the welfare of soldiers

“The officers of the NA are happy seeing us the NCO and the SNCO suffering all the days of our life, there can never and will never come up with a good plan that will ever benefit the other ranks instead, they prefer to cheat without regards to our suffering.

“We are using this medium to call on the Federal Government, the House of Representatives, the Senate and all other stakeholders to come to our aid and stop the Army under the leadership of Lt Gen. IBRAHIM Attahiru from the proposed fraudulent plan. And if there must continue, it must not be compulsory”.

By Oyebola Owolabi

Lagos State has placed 14 countries on watch list as part of measures to prevent a possible spread of the new COVID-19 variant.

Commissioner for Health Prof. Akin Abayomi said the measure became necessary following the discovery of variants from banned countries within another country.

He said: “The affected countries are Canada, USA, France, Germany, Netherlands, Togo, Ghana, Cameroon, Angola, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.

“Nigerians returning from lesser hajj would have to undergo a compulsory seven-day self-isolation.

“The state will not hesitate to prosecute anyone, irrespective of status, who fails to comply with the directive.”

Abayomi stressed some of the possible events that could trigger a third wave include general laxity, false sense of security and non-adherence to guidelines, religious holidays, COVID fatigue, entry of mutations and variants.

He added: “The state has however developed a five-pillar strategy for curbing a potential third wave in Lagos.

“These include ensuring that all travelers carry out COVID-19 tests while we also introduce PCR test to determine variants and mandatory seven-day quarantine.

We will also utilise EKOTELEMED to monitor confirmed cases and provide telemedicine services.

“We will be sensitising Lagosians on the importance of non-pharmaceutical interventions such as handwashing, social distancing, thresholds for public gathering, as well as discourage super spreader events.

“Our oxygen supply approach will be two-phased – outsource oxygen plants to private partners and PPP for 700 cylinder/ day oxygen plant, while we also increase the number of vaccine doses administered by leveraging the private sector.”

The commissioner, who spoke on the successes recorded so far, said some isolation centres are currently empty.

“Landmark, Agidingbi, Gbagada, FCC, Lagoon and Onikan isolation centres have been shut while Amour II and Gbagada Isolation Centres are being re-activated.

“Of the 554 bed capacity, 550 beds are currently available. There is also a decrease in the number of patients who require oxygen therapy at IDH, Yaba. Following the reduction in number of positive cases, the use of oxygen has reduced from an average of 300 bottles per day in January 2021 to 60 bottles per day in April 2021,” he added.

Prof. Abayomi said of the 58,611 cases confirmed, 54,049 recovered, 4,346 were admitted; 3,906 were discharged and 354 deaths were recorded. One confirmed case is current in isolation with three suspected cases.

By Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

Worried by the incessant killings and kidnapping across the nation, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has declared a three-day of national prayers for churches and Christians.

CAN, in the letter titled: ‘National days of soberness and fervent prayers for God’s mercy by Christians in Nigeria,’ by its General Secretary, Daramola Joseph, said all churches are expected to comply with the nationwide directive.

Joseph said: “This is to inform you that the CAN President, in view of the continuous killings, banditry and host of other problems in Nigeria has considered it imperative and absolutely necessary that our country needs prayers for God’s mercy and intervention in our land.

“Consequently, all local churches are expected to gather in the evening of each day (May 28 – 30th) set aside for the prayers to pray to God in the attitude of mourning or soberness for the bloodshed of many innocent Nigerians most especially Christians.

“In the light of these, the following are the suggested prayer points to be followed during the said prayer meetings:

“That we are sad and pained for the blood of many innocent Nigerians that evil people in our midst had shed or for those kidnapped and abused in various ways.

“That our leaders would do justice in leadership and show fairness to all ethnic and religious groups in all their actions so as to douse ethnic and religious tensions we have presently.

“That the law enforcement agents would rise to their responsibilities and provide the necessary security we need in Nigeria.

“That every step the terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, gunmen and other wicked people in our midst take henceforth would be failed. That unseen hands and army of the Lord would fight them and Nigeria would be at peace.

“That the plans of the evil people in our midst to paralyze human, social and economic activities in this nation and throw the nation into chaos would be foiled by the Lord Jesus Christ. “That God should forgive our sins wherever we as a church or Nigerians, especially our leaders had sinned against God.

“That any religious madness or war that would not allow us to worship God in the way we are convinced to worship Him would be nullified by the Lord.

“Pray that the church would prevail over all threats to her existence in Nigeria. That the gate of hell will never prevail against the church in the name of Jesus. Pray and plant righteousness, Godliness, prosperity, peace and love in our nation.

“Pray for the speedy recovery of our nation from all our losses so that this nation might become very soon a nation that everyone in the world would love to be.

“Pray to break the yoke of generational curse that might have been placed on Nigeria and her leadership during the slave trade by the victims.”

By Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

Three persons, including an infant, died in a gas explosion in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Wednesday.

It was learnt the victims were burnt to death at Oke-Egunya along NTA road, Abeokuta when a technician was trying to service a faulty refrigerator.

They were said to have been trapped and unable to escape after the gas cylinder caught nearby cooking fire and exploded on them.

“In the process of topping up gas into the refrigerator, there was an attraction of fire from someone cooking and there came an explosion,” a source said.

Ogun Director of Fire Service, Engr Fatai Adefala, who confirmed the incident to newsmen, said his men responded to emergency and put out the fire at the scene.

“We received a distress call at 3:15pm at Oke-Igbore. We learnt it was a spark of fire. On getting there, we discovered it was a gas explosion.

“What really happened was that they were cooking outside with fire and unfortunately the gas exploded. They were trying to top the gas in the fridge, in the process, it exploded.

“Three lives were lost, one infant was among them. For now, the bodies are still lying there. You know it was those who are living in that house that were affected. It was an ancient building.

“Our men are still at the incident including other agencies, the Police, DSS and others,” Adefala explained.