On July 11, 2024, the supreme court of Nigeria delivered a judgement, ruling that all the 774 local government areas across the federation shall henceforth be financially autonomous.

The apex court, in a landmark judgement, ruled that it is unconstitutional for governors to hold onto funds meant for local governments.

The Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision by a seven-member panel of justices, barred governors of the 36 states of the federation from receiving, withholding, tampering or utilizing funds that stand to the credit of the local government areas.

The ruling, however, generated mixed reactions.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that while President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, Labour Party, LP, and Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP hailed the Supreme Court judgement, former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, said the verdict has dealt a severe setback to the principle of federalism in the country.

Recall that the Federal Government had in a suit marked SC/CV/343/2024, filed on May 24, 2024, prayed to the Supreme Court to give full autonomy to local governments.

It also urged the court to issue an order prohibiting state governors from embarking on unilateral, arbitrary and unlawful dissolution of democratically elected local government leaders.

Besides, the Federal Government prayed to the Supreme Court for an order, stopping governors from further constituting caretaker committees to run the affairs of local governments, against the constitutionally recognised and guaranteed democratic system.

It equally applied for an order of injunction, restraining the governors, their agents and privies, from receiving, spending or tampering with funds released from the Federation Account for the benefit of local governments when no democratically elected local government system is put in place in the states.

It argued that Nigeria, as a federation, is a creation of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, with the President, as Head of the Federal Executive Arm, swearing on oath to uphold and give effects to provisions of the Constitution.

The details of the Supreme Court ruling giving 774 local councils financial autonomy includes;

“The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that all federal funds for local government councils should be paid directly into their accounts.

“Justice Emmanuel Agim, who led a seven-member panel of justices, delivered the judgment in a suit filed by the federal government against the 36 state governors.

“According to the judgment, henceforth, no more payments of local government area allocations will be made to state government accounts. The court also prohibited the governors from receiving, tampering with, or withholding funds meant for local governments.

“Furthermore, the court barred the governors from dissolving democratically elected officials for local governments and deemed such actions a breach of the 1999 Constitution.

“The federal government had approached the Supreme Court with a suit seeking to compel the governors of the 36 federating states to grant full autonomy to local governments in their domains. The suit, marked SC/CV/343/2024, was filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on behalf of the Federal Government.

“The Federal Government accused the state governors of gross misconduct and abuse of power in its suit, which was based on 27 grounds. In the originating summons, the FG prayed the Supreme Court to make an order stating that funds standing to the credit of local governments from the Federation Account should be paid directly to the local governments rather than through the state governments.

“The justice minister also requested an order restraining governors, their agents, and privies from receiving, spending, or tampering with funds released from the Federation Account for the benefit of local governments when no democratically elected local government system is in place in the states.

“Finally, the Federal Government sought an order stopping governors from constituting caretaker committees to run the affairs of local governments, contrary to the constitutionally recognized and guaranteed democratic system.”

However, nearly six months after the Supreme Court ruled that local governments’ monthly allocations be paid into the individual accounts of the 774 local government councils; the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) is still paying the funds to joint states/LG accounts.

WITHIN NIGERIA local government councils’ allocations for November 2024 were paid into the states/Local Governments Joint accounts by the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) contrary to what Nigerians were made to believe that the funds would go directly into the local governments’ individual accounts as ordered more than five months ago by the Supreme Court.

Findings showed that the sum of N1.727 trillion was shared by the federal, states and local government councils as revenue for the month of November 2024 by the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) – the highest in the history of the country.

By and large, an analysis of communiqués released after the monthly meeting of Federation Accounts Allocation Committee by our reporter showed that from July to December 2024, the total distributable revenue amounted to N8.351 trillion, which was shared among the federal government, states, and local government councils.

Further analysis showed that the total amount allocated to the local government councils was N2.075tn.

The said amount, despite being allocated to the 774 local government areas in the country, are still being held and managed by their respective states.

How governors plan to thwart the judgment

Since the judgement was passed by the apex court some state governors have resorted to both covert and overt action to thwart the full implementation of the judgment.

In Anambra state for instance, the governor, Prof. Charles Soludo on October 15, 2024 passed into law, Local Government Law after the bill was read three times in the state House of Assembly Chambers.

The Anambra state local government law

The bill, submitted to the Anambra State House of Assembly on aThursday, was signed into law despite stiff opposition by some state lawmakers.

The law compels local governments in the state to remit a portion of their federal allocations into a consolidated account controlled by the state government.

Observers said the law was at variance with the Supreme Court ruling which affirmed the financial autonomy of the country’s local governments.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that Mr Soludo, after signing the bill into law, stressed that local governments are not usually considered as federal units.

The governor said that although the Supreme Court ruling affirming local government autonomy was intended for transparency, granting absolute autonomy to the local governments would breed chaos.

According to Prof. Soludo, “absolute autonomy would mean that each LG would have its own primary education policy, employ its own teachers, and pay them whatever it can afford and whenever it can do so, etc.

“This would be a recipe for humongous chaos, not only for the administration of local government and pensions but more so in the primary education and primary health sectors,” he said.

He argued that the new local government law in Anambra was not at variance with the Supreme Court ruling.

Soludo explained that Section 7 of the Nigerian Constitution empowers the State legislatures to make laws for the management of local government finances.

“The new law by Anambra House of Assembly is therefore consequential to give operational life to the Supreme Court judgment and not to undermine it,” he argued.

The governor suggested that the new law was intended to prevent local government chairpersons from mismanaging their finances.

“The law seeks to create a framework to ensure that the basic functions mandated by the (Nigerian) Constitution for the local governments are discharged as a matter of first-line charge or the irreducible minimum.

“With these laws, workers and retirees from the local government system in Anambra, such as primary school teachers, primary health workers, workers in the local government system under the local government service commission, can sleep with their two eyes closed,” he said.

Continuing in his justification for the new bill, the governor posited that  “No tier of government can function without the collaboration of others. The three tiers have the objective of the people.

“The federal government is not completely autonomous of the state. It is a collaborative arrangement to achieve the same objective,” he said.

ALGON kicks

The Secretary-General of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Mohammed Abubakar, while speaking on the delay in the direct payment of federal allocation to local governments, lamented the non-implementation of the Supreme Court ruling.

He said, “Sincerely, we are all in the dark as we stand now. People who don’t want this local government autonomy to work are having a field day.

“Ordinarily, the Supreme Court judgment should not be left unattended. We are in the dark, to the extent that we cannot pinpoint what the government is trying to achieve by not enforcing the Supreme Court judgment allowing allocation to be paid directly to local government accounts.

“We had made our submissions that the local government accounts should be opened across board and submitted to the Office of The Accountant-General for the allocation to be disbursed directly, but the governors are claiming that they already utilised funds for the interest of the local governments. They also argued that the local governments’ money is not enough to take care of all the health and the primary school teachers. But we are saying they should allow the implementation first, and then we can make a case for whatever deficiencies we have.”

He said further that, “But in a situation where you don’t act but worry about some issues raised by the governors which include that they have incurred a lot of loans on behalf of the local government, then we may not have a way forward.

“So, these are the bottlenecks that we understand are causing these delays, but again, there can be a way out of these issues and we have proffered some solutions to the committee. It is best known to the committee why it has not carried out the advice we gave to them.”

Similarly, a former local government chairman of Igbo-Eze North in Enugu state, Tony Ugwu, said “if Nigeria is talking about local government autonomy without the councils getting allocations directly from the federal government,” the essence of the much-talked about autonomy would have been defeated.

He said, “Many local government chairmen in Nigeria are new in the seat, and have not received any allocation from the federal government. Until that is done, one will be able to know if they are going to match their words with action.

“As far as I am concerned, talking about LG autonomy without the councils receiving allocations directly from the federal government will negate that good intention.

“If the new found autonomy for local governments is religiously implemented, the positive multiplier effect will be much. The important impact it will have is to ensure development of the rural communities which hitherto had suffered serious neglect.”

NULGE reacts to the delay, calls on President Tinubu

Reacting to the delay, the National President of the National Union of Local Government Employee, NULGE Mr. Hakeem Ambali said the delay is not necessary.

In an interview with newsmen recently, on Thursday, NULGE  Ambali, decried the delay and called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently enforce the directive.

“We are surprised that up till now, this has not been implemented. However, we received encouraging news during the Yuletide that it would take effect in January. It is disheartening that after six months, we are still discussing this issue.

The court judgment left no room for delays in implementation, and we believe this should have started since October. That is why we are urging Mr. President to act now,” Ambali said.

He highlighted assurances from the President and recent developments indicating that direct allocations to LGAs would commence by the end of January.

“I also recall that the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum paid a visit to Mr. President during the Yuletide, and the President reiterated his commitment to implementing this directive. Our expectation is that by the end of January, local governments will have their funds credited directly. We do not want the practice of routing local government funds through intermediaries anymore—enough is enough. The court’s judgment is final and must be respected.”

Ambali also criticised the actions of certain governors, including Prof. Charles Soludo of Anambra State and Dr Alex Otti of Abia State, who allegedly passed laws that conflicted with the Supreme Court’s ruling.

“Governors like Soludo and Otti rushed to pass laws that conflicted with the Supreme Court’s judgment. Such laws are null and void because they cannot override the court’s decision. The Attorney General has already clarified that their actions are illegal and cannot stand in the face of the law,” he stated.

To safeguard the integrity of the allocation process, Ambali explained that a technical committee had submitted key recommendations, including increased transparency and oversight mechanisms.

“The technical committee has submitted recommendations to the presidency to safeguard the process. For example, we have proposed that the Federation Account Allocation Committee publish local government allocations in national newspapers monthly.

“We also recommended the establishment of a monitoring committee to track disbursements. Furthermore, the Minister of Special Duties should organise capacity-building conferences for councilors tasked with oversight functions. Let us not forget that the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit is now operational at the local government level.

“Once local governments receive direct allocations, we will see a significant difference. It’s one thing for someone to take your money and give you a fraction; it’s another for you to control your own funds. With direct allocations, local governments will finally be in charge of their finances.”

Ambali warned governors against attempts to derail local government autonomy, emphasising that LGA officials would also be held accountable for any lapses.

“The apprehensive actions by Governors Soludo and Otti will not succeed. Unlike governors, local government chairmen and officials do not enjoy immunity. Anyone who violates the law will face the full wrath of the law,” he added.

Confusion in the local government system

Also, some top officials in some local government councils in Enugu state, who spoke under anonymity told WITHIN NIGERIA that while they were looking forward to the new dispensation, there were still no sufficient and clear indications that their financial autonomy would be without encumbrances from the governors.

One of them said, “It remains to be seen if the newly found financial autonomy by local governments in the country would be allowed by the state governments to thrive.

“The body language of the governors in response to the new arrangement is eloquent and audible enough. It is not only in this state, but all over the country. But as things stand now, no one can categorically state how the whole arrangement will pan out. We are only waiting to see how things will unfold.”

Another anonymous official told our reporter that “Elected Council chairmen are under severe pressure to perform. They are yet to begin work because no kobo has been released directly to the council’s treasury.

“They were hoping that the November allocations from the federation account would be given directly to the local governments, but their hope was dashed.”

He also disclosed that all eyes were “now on the elected chairmen and members of the legislative councils to deliver,” adding that if they got the money he was certain that they would do well.

“Honestly, we are under enormous pressure from the people to deliver and the people also know how much that comes to the councils from the federation account every month because it is usually published on the national dailies. Now, the people from my local government already know that the council receives approximately N300 million every month and sometimes slightly higher.

“From September to this November the council would have received close to a billion naira and the people know that. But as it is now we have not resumed work because there is no fund yet. Initially, we had hoped that the governor would have given us the November allocations, but it was not so. As I speak nothing is happening right now because the funds are not available. Hopefully, if we get this December allocations directly then work will start, “he said further.

Citizens, civil servants react to the delay

A cross-section of citizens, who spoke with this reporter, said it would be nice for local government chairmen to receive their allocations directly.

A primary school who gave her name as Georgina said  that “this is the time for the newly elected Council chairmen to account for why they were elected.

“Let them prove to us why they were elected; they have a lot on their shoulders, let them provide good governance in the rural areas. They should strictly detach themselves from the state government and usher in true local autonomy,” he said.

According to Mrs. Georgina “ if the state governors should allow these elected local government chairmen to operate, perhaps all these unpaid local government gratuities and pensions would be liquidated in no distant time.

Mrs. Stella Afolabi, an Ibadan-based fashion designer, urged governors to allow local government chairmen to be truly independent. She wants the Council chairmen to look at the rural roads in her community and address the menace of herdsmen infiltrating into their farms.

“It’s a welcome development, but we don’t want a situation where the chairmen are controlled by the governor, they should truly be independent and provide good roads in the rural areas, our farmers need protection too, they should address the problem of herdsmen destroying our crops in our villages,” she said.

A civil servant, Nanjul Marcus, from Edo state, said, “It is sad that the federal government itself has not started implementation of the direct remittance of allocations to local government councils.

“I heard local council chairmen in other states complaining of financial strangulation by their governors. The story is not different in Edo state.

It would be a welcome development for local councils to receive FAAC allocations directly.”

The post LG Autonomy: Six Months After, FG Yet To Allocate Funds Directly To LG Accounts appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

Anguish, pain, frustration and anxiety can only describe the mood of one Chiamaka Silas from Owerri, Imo state as she described how she lost her  25 year old younger brother to electrocution few hours to new year day, 2025.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that expectedly, the ugly incident has thrown the once happy family to grief, mourning and heartbreak even as battled tirelessly to resuscitate the brother to life, all to no avail.

The emotion-laden Chiamaka in a video posted on her Facebook account said she couldn’t believe that her brother who neither suffering from headache or stomach ache died minutes away from new year day.

Recounting how it all started, Miss Chiamaka explained that “My blood brother sent my mum to get banger of 27k and drinks in cartons against new year today in the morning.

“My mum left early and he called her on phone while she is at market to buy him extension cable, that his has spoilt.”

Explaining further, Miss Chiamaka stated that “Mum came back and told him she forgot to buy it, and he left to go get new one himself.”

It was gathered the brother who was simply called Aboy came back few minutes later and decided to fix the extension cable on his own, not knowing that either the wiring system of the house was faulty or that the extension itself was not in good condition which resulted in the ugly event that followed.

“We were inside and heard loud noise from his apartment. We live in the same compound but different building ( my dad’s house and I came for holidays).

“We ran out only to find an open extension on his chest. He has been electrocuted. I ran like a thief just to change over and switch off the extensions.

“But he became weak and wasn’t breathing fine. We tried the normal home remedies to him and rushed him to hospital. You know about Nigerians hospital right?

“They said no oxygen, others said no doctors, some said he is dead even without touching him.

“I cried and cried, I prayed and started recording this at a point to show him proof that God showed him mercy if he wake up.  Brethren we later got oxygen but my brother was declared dead.

“No headache, no sickness, he bought the extension to enable him chill his fridge well.”

Expressing her grief and frustration, Miss Chiamaka groan that “Death came and took my blood brother of 25 years out from us this 31st night. Na me senior am direct ooo. Do God really answer prayer? Water don finish for my eyes.”

The post Imo: How I Lost My 25-Year-Old Younger Brother To Electrocution On New Year Eve, Recounts Lady appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

For Mrs. Nmesoma Omeke of Aguibeje community, Igbo-Eze North local government area of Enugu state, 2024 Christmas would indeed be one of the most memorable one. On December 16, 2024, he and her husband Stanley Omeke have gone out to Ogrute, the headquarters of the council area to make some shopping preparatory for the Christmas festivities.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that they have gone out to give themselves a treat for the forthcoming festivities oblivious of the fact that evil happening was lurching on their doorstep.

Narrating the ugly incident to our reporter, Mrs. Omeke explained that she and her husband had gone shopping for Christmas on that fateful day. Returning home around 5 p.m., they stopped at Aji Junction to take a commercial bike. Suddenly, Vigilante members arrived, demanding that Stanley follow them.

“They shouted at my husband to get on their bike. When we asked what he had done, they refused to answer. They even tried to beat him. I told him to follow them to avoid further trouble, and I went to seek help from one of his friend,” She recounted.

Narrating further, Mrs. Omeke stressed that “when they have taken him away, I had to call one of his best friends by name Kingsley Igbonasi Odo-Okoro from Aji community. Kingsley was touched by the ugly incident and he had to meet them at the Vigilante Group’s office at Ogrute, the headquarters of the council area.”

Mrs. Omeke told our reporter that “the following day, news spread like wild fire that these two persons have been unlawfully gunned down by these security agents. They were shot dead after being leveled with all sorts of murderous and heinous allegations.”

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that since the incident happened on December 16, 2024, it has led to serious outcry by the families of the victims who are alleging that the vigilantes acted unlawfully and concocted a false narrative to justify the killings.

Kingsley’s wife, devastated by the events, said that her husband left their home shortly after Nmesoma informed him of Stanley’s arrest. He headed to the vigilante office to investigate but never returned.

Explaining further she said that “the next day, rumors spread that the vigilantes had taken both men to Okpo Union Primary School in Aji and shot them dead.  What we heard was that the vigilante group claimed the men had been caught robbing vehicles on the highway.

However, Kingsley’s stepbrother, Arinze Odo-Okoro strongly disputed the allegations. “We live in this community. If there had been any robbery, we would know. This is just a false story to justify their actions,” he said.

Arinze insists that justice must be served. “Even the government takes criminals to court. How can a vigilante group execute people without trial? We are appealing to the Inspector General of Police, the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, and President Ahmed Tinubu to intervene.”

Jude Omeke, Stanley’s brother, revealed that he was informed about the killings by a phone call. When he contacted the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Igboeze North, he was told that the vigilantes handed over two corpses, claiming the men were highway robbers killed by soldiers. However, the vigilantes later admitted to shooting the men during an alleged gunfight.

Jude vehemently questioned the narrative. “Where is the gun my brother supposedly used in the robbery? If there was a gunfight, where are the weapons? My brother is not a criminal. This was a premeditated killing.”

The families expressed frustration over the vigilantes’ unchecked power, stressing that it was very unfortunate that innocent citizens will continue to lose their lives in the hands of power-drunken security personnel.

Asked if there was any dispute between his deceased brother and the Vigilante group to warrant this alleged hasty extrajudicial killing, he narrated that “Stanley had a pending court case against the vigilantes over some maltreatment. I suggest this might have been the motive behind the killings.”

Decrying the spate of extrajudicial murder in the area, he said that “This is not the first time innocent people are being killed under false pretenses in Enugu Ezike,” Jude said. The security group has become a law unto themselves.”

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that both families are demanding accountability and transparency. “I don’t know if my husband is dead or alive,” Nmesoma said, her voice breaking. “I just want to know what happened to him. My children and I need answers.”

Arinze added, “Justice is all we ask for. If they believe these men committed crimes, let them provide evidence and follow due process. What happened here is nothing short of murder.”

When contacted, the Spokesman of Enugu State Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, said he was not aware of the incident as he does not have such report.

The post Agony Of Wives: Enugu Women Narrate How Hubbies Were Murdered By Community Vigilante appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

The year, 2024 is indeed one of the most challenging years in the history of Nigeria. The said year is full of both economic, social and political challenges, some of which have shaped the year, 2024 and determined how the entire populace view the situation in the country.

However, despite these daunting socioeconomic challenges, there are some events, people that equally helped in shaping the 2024 and of course history around us.

Aliko Dangote

The outgoing year 2024 saw the coming on stream of the Dangote Refinery, which effectively ended the country’s decade of the importation of refined petrol products. The new 650,000 barrel-a-day oil refinery in Nigeria owned by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man has been widely described as a game changer as it is expected to in the medium term boost the country’s forex earning, boost employment and help the country save the huge billions of dollars.

Despite all the ding dong affairs that followed the opening of the Refinery and eventual lifting of the petroleum products from the company, Dangote was able to weather the storm and navigate through the bottlenecks.

Bishop Matthew Kukah

In the face of the threats, political perfidy and other daunting challenges in the country, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Matthew Hassan Kukah remained resolute, tireless and determined, advocating for justice and democracy and human development. Nigeria. He has remained vocal in his call for good governance and a free and fair electoral process in the country.

Peter Obi

Despite his seemingly disappointed declaration as the third best in the 2023 presidential election, Mr. Peter Gregory Obi, a member of the Labour Party and the presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 Nigerian presidential election continues to keep his hope of getting to the presidency alive with characteristic political moves befitting of his leadership style and persona.

Though, it may seem his ‘Obidients’ waves have gone to rest, the former two- term governor of Anambra State remains active in the political space this year, making speeches that speak to the heart of the people.

In the coming 2027 general election, this seem to be paying off as a coalition of Northern groups, under the umbrella of Northern Obidients Youth Assembly (NOYA), warned against alleged plots to sabotage Peter Obi’s legacy following the internal wrangling within the Labour Party. Already, there has been talks of alliance between his party and other parties for the 2027 presidential election.

Siminalayi Fubara

The Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara’s attempt to maintain the political control of Rivers State in 2024 pitched him against his godfather, Mr. Nyesom Wike, who is the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

The relatively not so known Fubura, who is determined to assert control over his government and the party structure that brought him into office, is proving he was well-schooled in the shenanigans of Nigerian political office holders. Rivers state, the oil-rich base of the country has been staggering and swaggering from one political crisis to another precipitated by the feud between Gov. Fubara and Ex Gov. Wike.

The local government election held this year is one major highlight, which did go down well with him and his predecessor, Mr. Wike.

Ademola Lookman

On Monday, December 16, 2024 Super Eagles and Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman was named the 2024 CAF African Footballer of the Year.

The 27-year-old clinched the prestigious prize at a glittering ceremony held at the Palais des Congrès in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday.

The Nigerian star edged out tough competition from Achraf Hakimi (Morocco/PSG), Simon Adingra (Ivory Coast/Brighton), Serhou Guirassy (Guinea/Borussia Dortmund), and Ronwen Williams (South Africa/Mamelodi Sundowns) to claim the prestigious title.0

Lookman’s victory adds his name to the illustrious list of Nigerian footballers who have won the award, joining legends such as Rashidi Yekini (1993), Emmanuel Amuneke (1994), Nwankwo Kanu (1996 and 1999), Victor Ikpeba (1997), and Victor Osimhen (2023).

His win marks Nigeria’s sixth triumph in the award’s history, as he takes over the mantle from Osimhen, the 2023 winner and his national team mate.

Dele Farotimi

Dele is an activist, a political commentator and author of the book “Do Not Die In Their War”, a treatise on Nigeria’s contemporary political trajectories, and the book “Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System”.

On 3 December 2024, he was arrested following his allegation of perversion of justice leveled against Afe Babalola. His arrest and eventual detention by the Department of State Security, DSS sparked off widespread condemnation by notable Nigerians, leading to the immediate past presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi soliciting for his pardon and release.

His latest book was ranked as the amazon best seller.

Davido

In the entertainment industry, the music superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido was also very much visible in the year under review. He married the love of his life Chioma Rowland in a grand affair. The multi-billion naira glamorous wedding ceremony dominated social media space days after the wedding.

The occasion marked the culmination of years of friendship and love, characterised by setbacks, series of scandals, drama and trolls.  Davido also bagged a Grammy nomination for the second time, ahead of the 67th Grammys taking place early next year. He also continued his tradition of giving back with plans to donate N300 million to orphanages as part of his 32nd birthday celebration. 2024 also renewed the feud between Davido and Wizkid.

Burnaboy

Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu MFR, professionally known as Burna Boy, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer.

In 2024, Burna Boy became embroiled in a public dispute with fellow Nigerian musician Speed Darlington. The feud began when Darlington questioned the legitimacy of Burna Boy’s 2021 Grammy Award for Twice as Tall, which was co-produced by American rapper and producer Sean “Diddy” Combs. Darlington alleged that Burna Boy’s association with Diddy might have influenced the award outcome, suggesting that external factors played a role in his Grammy win. In response to these allegations, Burna Boy filed a defamation complaint, leading to Darlington’s arrest by the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja. Following his arrest, Darlington’s mother publicly pleaded with Burna Boy to forgive her son and facilitate his release. Darlington was later granted bail after meeting stipulated conditions.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was during a special General Council meeting on 29 November, 2024, reappointed Director General of the World Trade Organisation by the General Council for a second four-year term, which will commence on 1 September 2025.

In recent years, the WTO has played a vital role in helping Members navigate pressing global challenges, including the pandemic, conflict, and heightened geopolitical tensions.

The DG is deeply committed to working alongside the talented and dedicated staff of the WTO to build a more inclusive, equitable, and rules-based multilateral trading system that benefits all.

The dead

The year 2024 saw the demise of many prominent Nigerians, some of their deaths seemed to be questionable and unbelieving.

Junior Pope

John Paul Obumneme Odonwodo (May 7, 1981 – April 10, 2024), popularly known as Junior Pope, was a Nigerian actor and film producer who appeared in various Nollywood films, including Secret Adventures (2007), Bitter Generation (2010), and Nkoli Nwa Nsukka.

Odonwodo was a Christian and married Jennifer Awele Okpuno on 26 July 2014. They had three children together.  Pope died in a boat accident on the River Niger in Anambra State while traveling to Asaba, Nigeria, to shoot a movie. Three crew members also lost their lives in the incident.

Initially, the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) declared him alive after videos circulated online showing him on the boat and villagers attempting to revive him. However, he was later officially announced dead.

Junior Pope was buried on 17 May 17 2024, in his hometown of Ukehe in the Igbo Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria

Amechi Muonagor

Amaechi Muonagor  (20 August 1962 – 24 March 2024) was a veteran Nigerian actor, comedian, and movie producer. He was nominated for the 2017 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards for Best actor. He joined the Nigerian movie industry Nollywood in 1998 and had starred in many movies including Taboo 1 (1989), Aki and Pawpaw, Karishika (1998), and Aki na Ukwa (2002), Igodo (1999).

In 2016, it was reported that Amaechi was suffering from diabetes and had left the film industry. In 2023, he suffered from a stroke that resulted in partial paralysis of his left leg.  On 24 March 2024, Amaechi died of kidney failure, at the age of 62. His death threw the entire Nollywood industry and even beyond into inexplicable mood of loss and tragedy.

Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah

Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah  (3 September 1971 – 27 July 2024) was a Nigerian politician and businessman who served as the senator representing Anambra South senatorial district from 2019 until his death on 27 July 2024. He was the CEO of Capital Oil (CCO), which he founded in 2001.

On 27 July 2024, Ubah reportedly died of a cardiac arrest in London, at the age of 52. He was said to have departed Nigeria for the United Kingdom two days earlier on 25 July.

A close family source said he died in a hospital where he went for surgery. Before his death, he had declared his interest to contest for Anambra state gubernatorial election in 2025 under the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC.

Onyeka Onwenu

Onyeka Onwenu MFR  (31 January 1952 – 30 July 2024) She was born January 31 1952 in Imo state.  She was a Nigerian singer and songwriter, actress, human rights and social activist, journalist, politician, and X Factor series judge. Dubbed the “Elegant Stallion” due to her significant impact on African culture and entertainment, Onwenu was a chairperson of the Imo State Council for Arts and Culture. In 2013, she was appointed the Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Centre for Women Development.

On 30 July 2024, Onwenu passed out after performing at the 80th birthday party of The CEO Emzor Pharmaceuticas Stella Okoli in Lagos State.  She was immediately taken to Reddington Hospital where she was confirmed dead. Onwenu was 72.

However,  Prior to her death, Onwenu wrote in an opinion piece on Premium Times in 2021 on how she’d like to be buried; “Do it quickly, quietly and privately,” she said, emphasising that her burial should be devoid of unnecessary fanfare. “Celebrate me with prayers, lunch or dinner afterwards. Share some jokes about me and laugh. “Make merriment and then go about your business. If my friends want to celebrate me, they should do so while I am alive, so that I can enjoy it with them, not when I am gone and have no idea about this. That is me Onyeka Onwenu,” she said.

John Okafor

John Ikechukwu Okafor (17 October 1961 – 2 March 2024), popularly known as Mr. Ibu, was a Nigerian legendary Veteran actor and comedian. He appeared in over 200 Nollywood films including those from the Mr. Ibu series.

In October 2023, Okafor revealed that he was suffering from an ailment that threatened to make it necessary to amputate one of his legs. He said he was struck by the problem while on a movie set with other Nollywood actors.

He appealed to his fans and the public for prayers and financial assistance to cover his medical bills. He also shared a video of himself lying in a hospital bed, expressing his fear of losing his leg.

The Abubakar Bukola Saraki Foundation, which was established by the former Senate President of Nigeria, paid off Okafor’s entire medical expenses as of 18 October 2023. The foundation also stated that Okafor still required a lot of financial assistance to sustain him in the hospital and for his travel abroad for further treatment.

In November 2023, Okafor underwent a leg amputation after suffering from an illness that required seven surgeries. His family said the amputation was done to keep him alive and increase his chances of recovery.

Okafor died at Evercare Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria on 2 March 2024 at the age of 62 as a result of cardiac arrest. The burial took place in his home town on the on Friday 28th of June 2024.

Following his death, his adopted daughter Jasmine renamed his million-follower TikTok account to her own name and deleted all of the videos that did not feature her.

Sisi Quadri

Tolani Quadri Oyebamiji, popularly known as Sisi Quadri is reportedly died on March 1, 2024.

Oyebamiji celebrated his 44th birthday on December 25, 2023.

His death was announced by some of his colleagues in the Yoruba movie industry.

The Nigerian film industry entered a mourning period with the demise of the famous comic actor Tolani Oyebamiji, better known as Sisi Quadri. He was 44.

Sisi Quadri, who gained fame for his role in ‘Seranko Seniyan’ (2004), starred in various films, including “Aje Ni Eegun,” “Iya Oko Mi,” “Omo Iya Oko,” “Oluwa-Burna.”

He also appeared in a skit with Mr Macaroni, Isbae U, and others.

Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu

Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu (4 September 1942 – 25 July 2024) was a Nigerian politician and businessman. He was considered one of the richest Igbo men in Nigeria. Iwuanyanwu was until his death the 11th president-general of Ohaneze Ndigbo; preceded by George Obiozor.

On 25 July 2024, Chief Iwuanyanwu died following a brief illness. He was 81.

Herbert Wigwe

Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe CFR (15 August 1966 – 9 February 2024) was a Nigerian banker and businessman. He was the group managing director and CEO of Access Bank Plc, one of Nigeria’s top five banking institutions, after succeeding his business partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.

Wigwe was married from 1994 to Doreen Chizoba Wigwe (née Nwuba), born 12 July 1967, and had five children.

Wigwe was among six people who died on 9 February 2024 after the Eurocopter EC130 in which they were travelling crashed near Nipton, California.

Also involved in the crash were his wife Doreen Chizoba Wigwe, his 29-year old son Chizi Wigwe, former Nigerian Exchange Group Plc Chairman Abimbola Ogunbanjo, and two crew members.

The passengers were on their way from Palm Springs International Airport to Boulder City, Nevada on a charter flight operated by Orbic Air to attend the Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.

The remains of Wigwe and his family were repatriated to Nigeria, where they were buried in his hometown in Isiokpo, Rivers State, on 9 March, following a week-long wake in Lagos that was attended by several prominent personalities, including billionaire and Africa’s richest person Aliko Dangote, who pledged to rename the road leading to his oil refinery in his honor, amidst other tributes.

 Events/ activities/groups

National Anthem

On May 29, 2024 President Bola Tinubu signed the National Anthem Bill 2024, officially reinstating the old national anthem “Nigeria, We Hail Thee”. This announcement was made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday during a joint session of the National Assembly, marking the Silver Jubilee of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.

The event, which also commemorated the first anniversary of President Tinubu’s administration, saw the President confirming ‘Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ as the new official national anthem.

The Senate and the House of Representatives had earlier passed the legislation to revert the national anthem from “Arise, O Compatriots” to “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” in separate sittings. This legislative move was aimed at reconnecting with the country’s historical roots and restoring a sense of national pride tied to Nigeria’s early post-independence era.

Approval of new minimum wage

After months of writhing  and wrangling, President Bola Tinubu on July 28, 2024 signed the new minimum wage into law.

President Bola Tinubu signed the executive order establishing a minimum wage of N70,000 ($45) for workers across Nigeria at the State House in Abuja, thereby ending months of industrial dispute between various levels of government with their workers.

The move comes after months of intense deliberations between the Federal Government, labour unions, and the private sector to agree on the welfare of workers in the country.

According to experts, the increase form N30,000 to N70,000 is expected to provide much-needed relief to workers struggling to cope with inflation amid the rising cost of living in the country.

Hunger protests

On August 1, 2024, protests erupted in multiple cities across Nigeria as frustrated citizens took to the streets, voicing their anger over increasing hunger and “bad governance.”

The demonstrations are part of a larger wave of unrest spreading across Africa in places such as Kenya, Uganda, Ghana and now Nigeria.

The demonstrations spiraled out of control in parts of the country, including the northern Yobe and Kano states where authorities declared a 24-hour curfew as private and public properties were looted in chaotic scenes that also saw many vehicles burned.

In Kano, protesters stormed and looted a digital innovation park scheduled to open the week after.

Gunshots rang out in the capital Abuja and also in the neighboring Niger state as police lobbed tear gas to disperse defiant protesters. In Niger, at least six people are now feared dead, local media reported.

Another three people were reportedly killed in the northwestern Kaduna state, according to Reuters, citing eyewitnesses. The Kaduna Police Command did not return many request for comment.

In Abuja, protesters gathered outside the national stadium, where they faced off with pro-government supporters.

Activist and lawyer Deji Adeyanju told newsmen that there were counter-demonstrations by pro-government protesters who arrived in buses accompanied by a security vehicle. Josephine Adeh, a police spokesperson in the city, denied this.

“The protesters became violent and began throwing stones at the police, reasons why the police had to disperse them,” she said.

Demonstrators gathered under the ‘End Bad Governance in Nigeria’ coalition, using the slogan “10 Days of Rage,” and are demanding the reinstatement of a fuel subsidy whose abrupt removal last May caused a dramatic spike in the cost of food, transportation, and other commodities.

These increases have hit a populace already struggling with widespread unemployment and soaring inflation rate of 34%, the highest level in nearly 30 years.

Emergence of Lukawaras terror group

On November 7, 2024 the Defence Headquarters confirmed the emergence of a new terror group known as ‘Lukarawas’ in the Northwestern states of Sokoto and Kebbi.

Addressing a news conference in Abuja,  the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, said the new terror group is exacerbating insecurity in the North-West region but the Armed Forces of Nigeria are already containing them.

In his words, “Troops are confronted with a new terrorist sect in the North-West. This sect is known as Lukawaras, the Lukawaras are affiliated to terrorists in the Sahel particularly from Mali and Niger Republic.

“They began incursion into Northern part of Nigeria, mainly Sokoto and Kebbi states, and like I mentioned, they came in from Niger and Mali axis,” General Buba said.

He added that the new terror group emerged from Mali and the Republic of Niger after the coup that led to the breakdown of military cooperation between Nigeria and Niger.

The military also declared nine terrorists wanted for their roles in the security challenges bedevilling the nation.

Borno flood disaster

Borno State faced flooding after the collapse of the Alau Dam on 10 September 2024. The Maiduguri and Jere local government areas were particularly affected: according to the National Emergency Management Agency, over 70% of the residents in Maiduguri were displaced. At least 150 people died.

The United Nations refugee agency in Nigeria described it as the worst to hit the city in thirty years, affecting over one million people.

The flooding was a part of the 2024 Nigeria floods.

The flooding displaced over 70% of the residents in Borno state and over 70% of Maiduguri town was affected, according to National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). It said at least 30 people died and over 400,000 were displaced.

The state General Hospital and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital were also affected as a result of the flood. The IDP camps were also affected as people were relocated from the El Miskin Camp to the Bakasi Camp for safety according to the director-general of NEMA.

After the flooding caused the wall to collapse, 270 prisoners escaped from the medium security Nigerian Correctional Service prison in Maiduguri. So far seven prisoners have been recaptured with Governor Zulum alleging that some members of the Islamist militant group Boko Haram were among those who had got out.

The post #Endbadgovernance Protest, Farotimi, Minimum wage: People, events that shaped year 2024 in Nigeria appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

Those who said that every day is for the thief but one day is for the owner of the house were indeed right on Monday night at Obukpa community, Nsukka local government area of Enugu state as a middle-aged man was electrocuted while allegedly stealing armoured cables in one of the transformers in the community.

WITHIN NIGERIA source told our reporter that the deceased criminal came with about four other persons, mostly community dwellers in a mini bus with registration number BLF 203 XA.

According to our source, they pretended to be Enugu State Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC officials on a special mission but when one of them, a member of Anambra state vigilante was electrocuted, the rest took to their heels, abandoning the deceased on the spot.

Narrating further, an eye witness told our reporter that “ it took the curious eyes of some community  dwellers and passersby to discover that a man was lying lifeless on the foot of the transformer.

“We discovered that they came with this minibus to steal armoured cables in a transformer at Ihe Primary school Obukpa last night.

“Immediately the guy was electrocuted they ran away and left this minibus behind. The victim was burnt beyond recognition.”

It was gathered that some irate youths who saw what was happening ransacked the vehicle and recovered some items which included a National ID and Anambra state Vigilante ID cards bearing Igweze Chugo Fabian.

“Another item recovered included an aging dual SIM handset. When they called his wife who stays at Nnewi, she expressed her surprise over the incident, saying she was with him throughout Monday evening, wondering when he left Nnewi to perpetrate such crime.”

WITHIN NIGERIA investigation showed that for some months now, many communities in Nsukka metropolis have continued to experience unprecedented vandalization of their transformers. Some of such communities after repairing those vandalized have gone as far as casting a spell through a deity on a person who would attempt to steal anything from the transformer again.

However, all efforts to get the reaction of Police Public Relations Officer PPRO, Enugu state police command, Daniel Ndukwe, proved abortive as he was not picking his calls.

The post From Vigilante To Vandalism: How Anambra Security Personnel Died Attempting To Steal Electricity Cables In Enugu Community appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

For the people of Enugu state, nay south east zone of the country, travelling from Nsukka to Enugu metropolis is like making a journey from Jericho to Damascus. Whether one is making the journey in the morning, afternoon or night, the story still remains the same; the road is hot bed of kidnappers, hoodlums and other criminal elements in the area.

WITHIN NIGERIA findings revealed that for over two decades now, many lives have been lost to these criminal activities in the area, with each successive government promising to improve the security of motorists and passengers plying the road.

Stretched with about 55km from Opi junction, Nsukka to Abakpa Nike in Enugu metropolis, Ugwuogo Nike/Opi Nsukka road, a single carriage way is arguably one of the most notorious roads in the south East zone.

On October 27, 2022 a former Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Dr. Dan Shere was abducted on the road.

WITHIN NIGERIA  gathered that he is among several other commuters kidnapped along the Enugu-Ugwuogo Nike-Nsukka Road that fateful Thursday.

Shere, a medical doctor, served under the administration of former Governor, Chimaroke Nnamani.

A source told our reporter that the Enugu politician was travelling to Nsukka for a meeting when the gunmen attacked him alongside other travelers.

One of the survivors, who shared a video of the attack, said the gunmen were about eight in number.

According to the source, “they shot severally at our vehicle; one of us was hit by the bullets. But our driver managed to move on. We succeeded in taking the victim to the hospital,” he narrated while thanking God for saving him and four others from the same community.

Another source WITHIN NIGERIA that few hours after finding out the status of who they kidnapped, the abductors increased their ransom to N30m.

“They earlier demanded the sum of N2m on one of the victims but they have now increased it to N30m. They search the phones of the victims to know their status,” the source said.

The kidnap of the former state scribe and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka students carried a lot of outcry, leading to the beefing up of the security out posts in the area.

In any case, when our reporter travelled to Enugu metropolis through Ugwuogo Nike/Opi Nsukka road, it was gathered that for a journey of just about 55kms, there were more than thirty security check points on the road.

Even with the said huge number of security outposts, it does not deter kidnappers, hoodlums and other criminal elements from operating freely and undisturbed on the road. What are the secrets behind their evil operations?

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that what has kept motorists, passengers and other road users terrified is that more often than not, such criminal activities happen a few metres away from the security posts like police check points or Army security post. More confusing is the fact that at each moment of the attack, police usually feel unconcerned and continue with their stop and search work while a life threatening operation is going right under their nose.

As the security of the road worsened, on September 2, 2023, Dr. Godwin Abonyi, the former chairman of Udenu local government area of the state was attacked by these men of underworld on his way to Enugu metropolis.

An Eye witness told our reporter that his car was riddled with bullets, though he sustained minor injuries during the said attack.

Motorists, passengers lament the situation

Speaking with one of the motorists who ply the road frequently, Mr. Gerald Ugwu, a bus driver told our reporter that the road is increasingly becoming dangerous to ply every day.

“I started plying the road in 2017 when I came back from Jos, Plateau state after series of killings by bandits and hoodlums in the area.

“That time, there was no security threat on the road that time. But since, as the year goes by, the road becomes so dangerous to ply. Last year was better than this year and last two years was better than last year.

“As a matter of fact, right now, the most terrifying thing is that these kidnappers, hoodlums and bandits wear police uniforms to confuse the road users that they are security agents.

“Few weeks ago, I was going from Nsukka to Enugu at about 2pm. Unfortunately, my front tyre burst immediately after Maduka University, Ekwegbe. I had to fix it so as to be able to continue the journey with my passengers. Few metres away, we saw some security agents on police uniforms erecting check point. We were relieved because that spot is usually lonely.

“However, we were surprised when these people we assumed to be security agents stopped a sienna car, filled with passengers and started shooting sporadically in the air. They abducted all the passengers and took them inside the bush. Few hours later, they started demanding for ransom.

“So, my brother, that is the dimension of criminalities along Ugwuogo Nike/ Opi/Nsukka road.”

Another driver told our reporter that “on December 1, 2024, I was coming with some passengers from Enugu metropolis to Nsukka. Immediately after Maduka University, a black Tacoma jeep overtook us. Few minutes later, we heard gunshots at the direction of the Tacoma. We were surprised because we know so well that particular spot is police check point. I had to match the break and alight from the bus with my passengers. Within a twinkle of eyes, we saw these hoodlums in school uniforms drag the occupants of the jeep out and into the bus.”

Narrating further, the driver said that “we were very much terrified and thankful to God because we could have been the victims of the attack if not that the jeep overtook us. We thought they were policemen, not knowing that these are kidnappers.”

Gov. Mbah awards the road for dualization

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that on October 28, 2024, Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, flagged-off the construction and dualisation of the 43.7km Penoks-Abakpa Nike-Ugwogo-Nike-Opi Nsukka Road with streetlights and 18-month completion timeframe.

Speaking during the flag-off ceremony at Opi attended by political heavy weights and leaders of Nsukka Zone, Gov. Mbah stressed that the the project, which includes straightening the of many bends, would drastically reduce accidents and criminality on the road.

“In the build-up to the election and in my acceptance speech after my election, we made a pledge that we are going to dualise the Penoks-Abakpa-Ugwogo-Opi-Nsukka Road because . we realised from the outset that if we had to grow this economy to an exponential height, no section of this state should be left behind, more so an economic hub like Nsukka Zone. So, all we are doing here today is connecting those dots,” he said.

Mbah regretted that a trip from Enugu to Nsukka presently takes over an hour, hence the decision to do the 3.6km from the Penoks Junction all the way to the T-Junction flyover in addition to the 41km Abakpa Nike-Opi Nsukka Road to reduce travel time to about 30 minutes and make it possible for the people to comfortably live and work in Enugu and vice versa.

He also noted that his administration’s grassroot-based development and economic model placed the Enugu North Zone at an advantage.

“We are doing projects based on electoral wards. Guess who are the greatest beneficiaries of this model? It is the Nsukka zone. You have 102 electoral wards. That means you will end up with 102 smart schools, 102 Type 2 Primary Healthcare Centres, over 1,000km of roads based since we are additionally going to do at least 10km of roads per ward,” he remarked.

However, all the efforts by our reporter to get the reaction of Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO Enugu state police command, Daniel Ndukwe on the ugly development proved abortive as he could not pick his calls.

The post Ugwuogo Nike/Opi Nsukka road: Untold story of Enugu highway where kidnappers, wear police uniforms appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

On December 15, 2024, the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS approved the proposed exit Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the regional bloc.

The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS has approved the withdrawal of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso as member states from January 29, 2025.

It also declared a six-month transition period lasting until July 2025.

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, announced this at the close of the 66th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

According to Touray, “The Authority takes note of the request by Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to withdraw from ECOWAS.

“In accordance with article 91 of the ECOWAS treaty, the three countries will cease to be members of ECOWAS from January 29, 2025.”

However, the bloc says its doors remain open during the seven-month transitional  period from January 29 to July 29.

WITHIN NIGERIA findings showed that in January 2024, the three sahel countries announced their decision to withdraw from ECOWAS.

The three Sahel countries accused the regional bloc of deviating from its foundational ideals and succumbing to external influences, particularly criticising the imposition of sanctions aimed at reversing their respective coups.

This decision followed a series of military takeovers: Mali in 2020 and 2021, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Niger in 2023, each leading to suspensions from ECOWAS and strained relations with the organisation.

Widely seen as West Africa’s top political and regional authority, the 15-nation bloc of ECOWAS – formed in 1975 to “promote economic integration” in member states – has struggled in recent years to reverse rampant coups in the region where citizens have complained of not benefitting from rich natural resources.

Military leaderships in the three nations have vowed to tackle the rise of violent armed groups in their countries and have joined forces in the so-called “Alliance of Sahel States”.

The three countries have cut military ties with France, the former colonial power. France once had a strong presence across the Sahel, but announced the withdrawal of its troops from the three countries after the coups.

The French military withdrawal and economic sanctions on already fragile economies have heightened concern that armed groups could spread southwards towards the relatively stable coastal countries of Ghana, Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast.

In 2023, West Africa recorded more than 1,800 attacks in the first six months , resulting in nearly 4,600 deaths and creating dire humanitarian consequences. According to an ECOWAS top regional official, this was just “a snippet of the horrendous impact of insecurity”.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that this is the first time any country has left ECOWAS since it was established in 1975 to improve economic and political integration in West Africa.

The three departing countries were founding members so this is a huge blow to what was Africa’s most developed trade grouping.

Citizens of all ECOWAS countries currently have the right to live and work in all member states, while goods can circulate freely.

ECOWAS has not yet said whether it will impose restrictions on people and goods coming from the three departing states, who have formed a new grouping, the Alliance of Sahel States (AES, from its French acronym).

The ECOWAS Commission in Abuja has been mandated to work out such issues, and how the two blocs should work together in future.

Over the weekend, the AES announced visa-free travel and residency rights for ECOWAS citizens.

Their leaders said this decision had been taken in the spirit of friendship, and to strengthen centuries-old ties among African people.

Analysis of the exit

WITHIN NIGERIA findings showed that over the years, progress towards regional integration has been slow on the continent. Political elites bear a great part of the blame for this. In a patrimonial system like that of African, nay West Africa that relies on interpersonal relations, regional integration goes against the informal arrangements that politicians have established with wealthy traders.

As a result, there is a mismatch between regionalism as it should be on paper and regionalization as it is experienced on a daily basis on the West Africa sub-region.

Political elites have also encouraged the multiplication and overlap between regional organizations, because this is a source of continental and international legitimacy, well-paid jobs, and diplomatic relations. The result is that most African economies are highly integrated functionally, through informal trade, but poorly integrated institutionally.

The fact that regional bodies have been instrumentalized by political elites doesn’t mean that Africa needs less integration. It needs better integration.

To this end, since 1975, ECOWAS and its sister organizations like Southern African Development Community, SADEC, have implemented numerous policies that aim at improving how African countries trade with each other, and how they are connected to the world.

For example, findings by our reporter showed that since the establishment of  ECOWAS in 1975, it has become the most important organization supporting women entrepreneurs in West Africa, thanks to regional initiatives such as Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend, SWEDD that facilitate women’s access to education and health services

For this and other reasons, it remains a puzzle why three landlocked countries, among the poorest in the world, would leave an organization established to foster free movements of people, goods and capital across the region.

Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS may not be practically effective both in decision making and implementation of some policies especially as far as poor countries is concerned but one fact remains undisputable in the region.  West Africa is one of the most expensive regions to do business in the world, due to poor road conditions, roadblocks and border delays.  Burkina, Mali and Niger’s withdrawal from ECOWAS can only make things worse for the majority of the Sahelian population who rely heavily on other countries like Nigeria, for trans-border trade.

Security implications of the exit

Of grave concern is the escalation of regional violence in the Sahel. Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso are pivotal in combating Islamist extremism, with coordinated efforts at risk due to the withdrawal of French and UN troops. The departure from ECOWAS exacerbates security risks, threatening stability not only in the Sahel but also across neighboring nations. Notably, data has shown an increase in violence and attacks in the three countries since the Military Junta took power, which raises questions about their ability to deal with the existing challenges.

Despite forming the AES, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger face daunting challenges. The AES’s departure from ECOWAS may further isolate the alliance, impeding access to vital markets and exacerbating economic woes. Moreover, the AES’s credibility remains uncertain, with the international community closely monitoring its ability to foster regional cooperation and address pressing security concerns.

While the departure of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger poses challenges, ECOWAS remains resilient. With the departure of three of its poorest members, ECOWAS is poised to maintain economic cohesion and explore avenues for deeper integration among remaining states. The impact of the AES’s departure on ECOWAS’s overall gross domestic product is minimal, underscoring the bloc’s stability and adaptability in the face of regional dynamics. Notwithstanding, the move may bring an end to decades of brotherhood that has existed in the regional bloc.

The withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from ECOWAS underscores the complex interplay of economic, security, and political factors shaping West Africa’s landscape. As the Sahel states navigate uncertain terrain, collaboration and strategic planning are essential in mitigating challenges and fostering sustainable development. The broader West African region must remain vigilant, recognizing the interconnectedness of nations and the imperative of collective action in overcoming shared obstacles.

Over the last decade, the region has been shaken by extremist uprisings and military coups. Three Sahelian nations, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, are now ruled by military leaders who have taken power by force, on the pledge of providing more security to citizens.

But the security situation in Sahel has worsened since the juntas took power, analysts say, with a record number of attacks and a record number of civilians killed both by Islamic fighters and government forces. Over the first six months of this year,2024, over 4,000 civilians were killed by the violence, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project, a 25% increase compared to the previous 6 months.

Extremist groups operating in Sahel, and what they want

WITHIN NIGERIA findings showed that the main two groups operating in the region are the al-Qaida-linked militant group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), and the Islamic State in the Sahel. Over the last year, the JNIM has strengthened its presence in Mali and Burkina Faso, by becoming a more coherent political grouping.

“The local populations support (JNIM) more than IS-affiliated groups,” said analyst Shaantanu Shankar of the Economist Intelligence Unit. “They have integrated local rebel groups, which have close community ties.”

Unlike JNIM, Islamic State in the Sahel is a loose coalition of anti-government forces that is much less entrenched politically, he said. They are much more dominant in the Lake Chad region.

These groups attack, terrorize and kill local populations and their actions likely amount to war crimes, according to rights organizations.

In addition, there is also a number of local militia on the ground, which are not affiliated with IS or al-Qaida, as violence has exploded between rival ethnicities and local self-defense groups resulting in a self-perpetuating spiral of violence.

Why the extremists in Sahel are getting stronger

The military juntas in three countries have capitalized on popular discontent with the former democratically elected governments, which they saw as corrupt and propped up by France.

After coming into power, all three juntas left the Economic Community of West African States, the nearly 50-year-old regional bloc known as ECOWAS, and created their own security partnership, the Alliance of Sahel States, in September 2023. They have cut ties with the traditional Western allies, ousting French and American military forces, and instead sought new security ties with Russia.

“There is a huge security vacuum after the withdrawal of the French and American military” from the region, said Shankar, which cannot be filled by Russia. Troops from the Wagner Group, the Russian private military company, present in the region are being financed by the junta governments, Shankar added, with fewer financial resources.

But experts say the other factor fueling instability is the worsening economic situation, as well as the lack of job opportunities, which contribute to the rising popularity of extremist groups. In all three countries, Islamic extremists have been recruiting among groups marginalized and neglected by the central governments.

“There are very few opportunities for people in rural Sahel, especially the youth,” said Heni Nsabia, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project analysis coordinator for West Africa. “But the other aspect is that people whose families and communities were targeted by state forces seek security, status and vengeance.”

How the groups finance themselves

Despite being affiliated with al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, extremist groups in the Sahel mostly get financial resources within their own strongholds, analysts said. They impose taxes on the local population, take control of the management of natural resources, especially of gold, and steal cattle.

They also impose sieges on towns and use kidnappings, improvised explosive devices and landmines as they seek to control supply routs and resources.

The extremists are also involved in trafficking, especially of drugs, said Aaryaman Shah, a security analyst who specializes in the financing of extremist groups. And they profit from people smuggling — which might bring them even more money in the future.

“We are concerned about the recent turmoil in Libya, and how that could actually affect the migrant flow,” said Shah. “We are also looking at Niger, where the junta disbanded the law stopping people from crossing into Libya.”

The business model that these groups developed is very diversified, analysts said. “This is why it is difficult to destroy them economically,” said Nsabia from ACLED. “If you target one aspect, they have other sources of revenues.”

With this gloomy situation, analysts predict that the situation in the Sahel is going to worsen in the coming months, with the military governments becoming increasingly desperate as they focus on preserving their political existence, and no way of holding them accountable.

“It’s a very volatile phase, security is projected to get worse in the next 2 years,” said Shankar of the Economist Intelligence Unit.

And the violence has been spilling outside the Sahel borders: Extremists believed to be linked to al-Qaida have crossed into Benin and the north of Nigeria, the latest trend in the militants’movements to weather West African coastal nations. The coming into being of Lukarawas terrorist group in Nigeria is also remotely connected to the extremism in the Sahel.

“It’s undeniable that things are getting worse, and the scope of the threat has been expanding,” said Nsabia. “Today, we should not be talking only about Sahel, but also about Benin and Togo, where the JNIM have done excursions as far as 200 kilometers inland.”

Europe and United States are seeking to support the governments of these coastal nations in their counter-terrorism efforts. Michael Langley, the top U.S. commander for Africa, told reporters last week the U.S. was in talks with Ivory Coast, Ghana and Benin as the country starts “to reset and recalibrate some of our assets.”

A major challenge has been, and will continue to be, access to information, experts said. All juntas significantly restricted journalism, so now they are in complete control of the narrative, including of who is defined as a jihadi. In Mali, the government branded all Touaregs an ethnic group which staged a rebellion against the government, as jihadis, although only some of them allied with JNIM.

Economic consequences

From an economic perspective, there is little doubt that Sahelian countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger depend more on regional trade than coastal countries, such as Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana or Nigeria.

This is because Sahelian countries are far less urbanized and industrialized than their neighbors. They tend to produce the same agricultural commodities, which they typically trade with other countries located on the Gulf of Guinea rather than with themselves.

For instance, livestock trade between the Sahel and the Gulf of Guinea is also highly dependent on free movement between West African countries. Close to two thirds of the livestock movements recorded in West Africa through 2022 cross an international border, usually from the Sahel to big southern markets such as Abidjan.

A purely Sahelian bloc, like the recently created Alliance des États du Sahel, would never be able to replace ECOWAS, simply because of the regional nature of human and economic flows in West Africa.

Because Sahelian countries have hardly any industries, they import much of what they consume from the West African and global market, particularly from China. Much of the cement, petroleum products, cars, textiles, wheat, rice and plastics sold on the markets of Niamey, Ouagadougou and Bamako were produced elsewhere, sometimes thousands of miles from the Sahel. For that, they depend on the ports of the Gulf of Guinea.

Coastal countries are far from being self-sufficient too. They import large quantities of onion from the Sahel for example, and benefit enormously from import-export trade with the landlocked countries of the Sahel. Some of them, like Benin and Togo, have transformed into ‘entrepot economies’ which implies importing goods and re-exporting those goods.

It therefore, goes without saying that goods imported through the ports of Cotonou or Lomé are often re-exported illegally to neighboring countries, where they are banned or subject to heavy taxes.

In the past, border closures between Sahelian and coastal countries have had devastating consequences on the regional economy and the livelihoods of millions of farmers, herders and city dwellers, who depend heavily on regional trade perhaps more than anywhere in the world.

It is precisely to foster these complementary relationships between the Sahel and the Gulf that ECOWAS was established in Abuja nearly 50 years ago.

Withdrawing from ECOWAS is likely to have major consequences on the regional economy as a whole. Because of their landlocked situation, however, Sahelian countries will be more affected than the rest of the region by the reintroduction of tariff barriers. Without free access to the ports of Cotonou, Lomé, Abidjan or Tema, Sahelian imports will be far more expensive than ever.

Leaving ECOWAS will also affect Sahelian exports, like onions, fish which should become less competitive on the regional and global market like gold, uranium. Informal trade, which is already the dominant form of economic exchange on the region, will most probably experience an unprecedented boom, particularly along the borders between Niger and Nigeria.

In addition, leaving ECOWAS and its free movement protocol could have catastrophic consequences for millions of Sahelians who live in or wish to migrate to coastal cities. Migration is mostly intraregional in West Africa, which means that most Sahelians tend to migrate to the Gulf of Guinea, while most migrants from coastal countries go to Europe through the Sahara and, increasingly, to the United States.

Sahelian traders have also developed extensive trade networks across West Africa to take advantage of the liberalization of trade that has characterized the region since the 1980s. From Abidjan to Lagos, these trade networks that rely on well-established diasporas would be particularly affected by trade restrictions and immigration policies.

Political motivations

The decision to leave ECOWAS has little to do with these economic considerations, though. It is primarily motivated by the fact that ECOWAS’s approach to region-building is not confined to economic integration.

In 1999, ECOWAS adopted a Protocol relating to the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peace-Keeping and Security in Lomé.

In 2001, ECOWAS adopted another Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which clearly adopted a zero tolerance policy “for power obtained or maintained by unconstitutional means”.

The main goal of these agreements was to promote democracy as the dominant form of governance in the region and prevent the recurrence of violence, notably through military coups.

These agreements were signed at a very important moment in the history of the region. The 1990s was the worst decade ever for the countries of the Gulf of Guinea, which were affected by a series of major military conflicts. ECOWAS and its multilateral armed force ECOMOG were mobilized in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea-Bissau, under the leadership of Nigeria.

Article 25 of the 1999 protocol authorize external interventions without state consent under certain conditions, including “in the event of the overthrow or attempted overthrow of a democratically elected government.” This, rather than trade liberalization, is the main reason why the juntas of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have decided to leave ECOWAS. They see as meddling on the affairs of a sovereign state. For them, it is purely an external aggression.

However, many analysts have continued to argue why the ECOWAS has decided to fold its hands and allow member states to be railroaded into political quagmire by power-hungry presidents and head of states only to roll out sanctions when such presidents or head of government are ejected out by the military.

Nigerian security analyst Jaye Gaskia said there will be implications. “The withdrawal of members of ECOWAS would have implications on ECOWAS itself in terms of its mandate and purpose for integration to ensure joint security and economic integration,” said Gaskia. “I think this is a lesson — that ECOWAS needs to have protocols and mechanisms in place to begin to respond to that situation of insecurity and instability before it leads to a point where governments are actually overthrown.

“ I ask this question — at what point is the constitution of a country actually subverted? Is it at the point where leaders become irresponsible or is it when [the] military responds to that?”

The 15-nation bloc was created in 1975 to promote economic integration among member states.

ECOWAS, however, has struggled in recent years to reverse a wave of military takeovers in the region, including Mali in 2020 and 2021, Burkina Faso in 2022 and in Niger last year.

ECOWAS rules state that withdrawal from the bloc takes up to one year to be finalized.

“What ECOWAS should really learn is that the juntas are very strategic and at no point should we take these kinds of leaders for granted especially since they started this whole idea of the Alliance of Sahel States,” said Hassan. “What happens to the currency? There are a lot of buts and ifs. But it’s not also something that is as easy as the junta is making it to be.

“This withdrawal is not in the best interest of the three countries or ECOWAS because if ECOWAS is not providing the enabling environment for your security, what’s the alternative they’re looking at? And that’s where I think ECOWAS needs to become very worried,” said Gaskia. “So, who do their countries turn to for security? Russia? China?”

Since the political impasse, the three countries have drawn closer to Russia, distancing themselves from formal colonial power France.

The post Sahel Exodus From ECOWAS: Security, Economic Implications On The Region appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

Anguish, disappointment and anxiety could best describe the mood of Enugu residents as water crisis has continued to persist even in the face of  huge investment by the state government to avert the ugly situation.

WITHIN NIGERIA findings showed that this crisis is gradually taking a devastating toll on the residents even as Christmas festivities.

Investigations by our reporter revealed that the state government’s efforts to provide potable drinking water are yet to yield the desired results, leading to many water sellers cashing in on the scarcity to exploit the teeming residents of the metropolis.

In any case, it was also gathered that many of the water galleries built in parts of the city by the government have remained dry as a result of faulty equipment or lack of energy to power them.

WITHIN NIGERIA further checks showed that the worst hit areas are Abakpa Nike, Awkunanaw and New Haven.

It was also gathered that by 16^th December, 2024, a truck of a 500-gallon tank of water which used to be sold for between N10,000 and N12,000 now goes for as high as between N15,000 to N17,000 depending on the distance, even as the situation has continued to worsen.

It further revealed that a water of 750- gallon tank of water sells for between N16,000 and N18,000.

As the scarcity persists in some parts of the city, a 25-litre gallon of drinking water sells for N300 while well water used for cooking is sold for between N50 and N70.

A water tanker driver, Mr. Joseph Oduma said the ugly development could be as a result of combination of factors including the high cost of transport and increased revenues by the state government which they don’t alternative to.

According to Mr. Oduma, the state government has increased the levy and tax payable by the water tanker drivers and this is having a negative effect on the water consumers in the state.

By and large, a resident of Abakpa Nike, Miss Georgina Aleke who our reporter gathered parked in last two weeks in the metropolis, said she was surprised that water scarcity persisted in Enugu city, despite all the efforts by the state government.

In her words, “I schooled in Enugu, IMT to be precise. I know for sure that some time last year when this administration came on board, they promised that water scarcity in Enugu city would be a thing of the past, but look at the current situation now.

“Gov. Mbah promised to provide water to Enugu residents within 180 days of commencement of its administration yet we are faced with scarcity,” he said.

Another resident from Akwuke area of Awkunanaw, Linus Nnaji, said that the water situation in the area was the same as it had always been.

“We have been buying water as usual, for example, a 25 litre of drinking water is N300 while well water is either N50 or N60, while some sell N70.

“As the dry season is setting in, many wells are already drying up and as usual we are resorting to buying from water tankers,” Nnaji said.

Nnaji  appealed to the state government to do something to end the perennial water scarcity facing the people.

It is also a similar situation in Independence Layout, Transekulu, Emene and Achara Layout as many residents have resorted to commercial water tankers to get water.

Josephine Eze, who lives in Independence Layout, said she spent N42,000 on a full tanker of 2,000 gallons every two weeks saying that it had not been easy for her and her household.

“I spend N84,000 every month on water alone as against N60,000 I spend during the dry season because I use my well during the rainy season.

“It is difficult to dig a borehole in Enugu because of the topography as the soil is covered with coal which is not healthy. So, I am appealing to the state government to intensify efforts in providing water for the people of the state,” he said.

Nevertheless, Governor Peter Mbah has assured the people that his administration was doing all it could to bring water to the doorsteps of the residents.
Mbah reiterated this assurance on the provision of water during his quarterly town hall meeting with Enugu State residents held over the weekend.

Enugu government reacts to the crisis

However, reacting to the water scarcity in the metropolis, Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has assured the residents that the state government is already making plans to provide clean and adequate water to the residents.

According to Gov. Mbah, the recent signing of a $100 million investment agreement between the state government and a consortium of Austrian investors is to cover the last mile and ensure that water gets to every remaining home in the state capital and environs.

Governor Mbah gave the assurances at the weekend during a town hall meeting with the people of the state in Enugu, noting also that his administration had raised water production from occasional 2 million litres to 120 million litres a day in 180 days.

The governor said that the $100 million Foreign Direct Investment in the downstream water sector would boost and hasten the government’s effort at tackling the challenges of reticulation as well as relentlessly replacing old and asbestos pipes with ductile pipes.

“The only time you would have to appreciate the magnitude of challenges associated with those tertiary pipes is after you have allowed water to flow through them, and some of them after decades. That was when we started noticing burst pipes. We also started noticing that some of the pipes were still asbestos pipes and we needed to replace them.

“So, in terms of production, we have been able to achieve 150 per cent of our daily production needs. What we are now dealing with is the last mile; making sure that we get water to the last mile.

“Doing that, especially given the magnitude of what we have observed, is also cost intensive. But we are now fortunate that we have investors – and this is not loans or grants – but investors, who have undertaken to play in the downstream of our water management system.

“So, these investors are going to invest a hundred million dollars to ensure that they replace all the pipes leading to the last mile. So, 1.5 million households have been targeted for a start. That work will start in January in earnest. And they would also ensure it is sustained because they will ensure that it is metered. They will metre these homes as they do the tertiary pipelines,” he stated.

The post Enugu: Residents lament as water crisis bites harder appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

On December 11, 2024, the national electricity once again collapsed, throwing over 200 million Nigerians stark darkness.

Many parts of Nigeria have been plunged into darkness again as the country’s national grid collapsed for the 11th time this year.

A message from Jos Disco to its customers confirmed that the grid collapsed on Wednesday afternoon.

The message which was signed by the company’s Head of Corporate Communication, Friday Elijah, reads:

“Dear esteemed Customer(s),

The current outage being experienced within our franchise States is a result of loss of power supply from the national grid. The loss of power supply from the national grid occurred this afternoon at about 1333 hours of today, Wednesday, 11th December 2024, hence the loss of power supply on all our feeders.

“We hope to restore normal power supply to our esteemed customers as soon as the grid supply is restored back to normalcy.

“Thank you for your patience and understanding as we strive to serve you better.”

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is yet to confirm the reported collapse of the national, while Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company only reported a power outage. Eko Electricity Distribution Company reported “a loss of power supply in our network”.

Statement from EKEDC:

“Dear Valued Customer,

Kindly be informed there was a reported case of system disturbance on 11th December, 2024 at 13:32hrs which has resulted to a loss of power supply across our network.

“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.

Kindly bear with us.”

According to @NationalGridNg, a reliable source on power issues, restoration efforts have commenced.

It should be noted that earlier this week, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) reportedly directed gas producers to stop supplying gas to indebted generation companies (GenCos).

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the latest occurrence was the twelfth time such incident was happening in the country’s power sector, and fourth time within one month.

According to our findings, within 2024, the national grid has collapsed on Sunday, February 4, Thursday, March 28, Monday April 15, Saturday, July 16, Monday, August 5, Monday, October 14, Tuesday, October 15, Saturday, October 19, Tuesday, November 5 , Thursday, November 7, Monday, November 11 and Wednesday, December 1, 2024.

Latest grid collapse

According to data from the National System Operator showed that the grid, which had been recovering from the collapse that occurred in November 7, had peaked at 4,360.8MW on Wednesday with lowest generation at 1,454.64MW. The NSO data indicated that the grid supplied 2,709.45MW as of 11am wednesday but dropped dramatically to 4.5MW at 12pm with only Afam VI (3.7MW) and Omoku (0.8MW) power plants on the grid.

It, however, began a gradual recovery at 1pm reaching 104.8MW with Azura IPP (91MW) back on the grid.

In an update on the latest power supply setback, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, attributed it to “a sudden rise in frequency from 50.33Hz to 51.44Hz”.

TCN General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndidi Mbah said efforts were on top gear for the recovery of the grid.

In his words, “TCN wishes to inform the public that the national grid experienced a disturbance at approximately 11:29 AM this morning, caused by a sudden rise in frequency from 50.33Hz to 51.44Hz. Recovery efforts began immediately, and the Abuja Axis was restored within 28 minutes. Recovery is still ongoing.

“The frequency spike was caused by issues encountered at one of TCN’s substations, which had to be shut down to prevent further complications. In addition to this, we are actively engaged in significant repair work on several critical transmission lines and substations. This includes the 330kV transmission lines along the Shiroro–Mando axis, major upgrades at the Jebba Transmission Substation, and the restoration of the second Ugwuaji–Apir 330kV transmission line.

“Furthermore, following the submission of the investigative report on the causes of previous grid collapses, we have begun addressing the identified weaknesses in the transmission system. Efforts are being made to close the gaps highlighted in the report, and to enhance the overall stability and resilience of the grid. These efforts include both technical upgrades and strategic interventions based on the committee’s recommendations.

“However, it is important to note that while these repairs and improvements are underway, some degree of instability in the system is likely to persist until all major works are completed. We acknowledge the impact of these disruptions and ask for the understanding and patience of the public during this challenging period.

“TCN remains committed to improving the reliability of electricity supply, recognizing the vital role that stable power plays in Nigeria’s socio-economic development. We assure the public that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure the grid’s long-term stability, in line with the recommendations of the investigative committee, while also addressing infrastructure damage such as vandalized transmission lines”, she stated.

Reasons for the frequent collapse

There is no gainsaying the fact that with the recent epileptic power in the country, Nigeria’s national power grid is prone to frequent collapses, with the resulting power shortages proving an obstacle to economic growth and investment in Africa’s most populous nation.

The World Bank estimates that the Nigerian economy loses $29 billion a year due to its unstable power supply, which causes electricity blackouts across the country.

Nigeria’s aging power infrastructure is at the heart of the crisis. Transmission lines and substations, some of which are more than 40 years old, are prone to frequent failures.

The government-owned Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) reports average transmission losses of 7.79 megawatts for every 100 megawatts injected into the grid.

Years of under-investment have left the grid susceptible to tripping when demand fluctuates unexpectedly, said Lagos-based energy lawyer Ayodele Oni.

Compounding this is vandalism and attacks on transmission infrastructure, especially in Nigeria’s north. In the last two years, TCN recorded 108 attacks on its towers and lines.

Another major factor is that Nigeria, with a population of more than 200 million people, only generates and distributes a third of its installed generation capacity of 13,500 megawatts.

And despite having the world’s seventh-largest gas reserves, Nigeria produces less than 10% of the electricity generated by South Africa, a country with a population a third the size.

More than 75% of Nigeria’s electricity comes from gas-fired power plants, primarily located in its southern region. The remainder is generated by hydroelectric stations in the north.

Power generation firms feed electricity into the national grid, controlled by the federal government, which distributes it through 11 regional distribution companies to consumers.

Added to the above reasons, Nigeria’s aging infrastructure is a primary contributor to grid failures. Decades-old transmission lines and substations require urgent upgrade or replacement. Outdated equipment struggles to meet growing demand, leading to system overload and collapse.

Poor maintenance exacerbates the grid’s vulnerability. Regular checks and repairs are often neglected, allowing minor issues to escalate into major problems. Inadequate funding, lack of expertise, and bureaucratic inefficiencies hinder maintenance efforts.

Insufficient power generation and vandalism also plague Nigeria’s grid. Generation capacity falls short of demand, causing strain on existing infrastructure. Vandalism and theft of transmission equipment further compromise grid integrity.

Economic consequences of perennial grid collapse

It is now very obvious that the repercussions of these grid failures are severe and multifaceted. For the average Nigerian, prolonged power outages translate into a grim dependence on generators, which come with their own set of hazards.

It goes without saying that the pervasive use of generators results in chronic noise pollution, increasing the risk of respiratory diseases due to toxic fumes, and amplifies the potential for deadly fire hazards.

However, beyond the personal toll, businesses suffer immense financial losses due to interrupted operations, particularly in industries where continuous power is essential. Manufacturing plants, tech companies, and small businesses alike are forced to either scale back production or shut down entirely, exacerbating Nigeria’s unemployment crisis and stunting economic growth.

By and large, households, on the other hand, face a different set of challenges. In homes across the country, refrigerators and freezers stand idle during extended blackouts, leading to food spoilage, while families struggle with the inconvenience of living in darkness, deprived of basic comforts. Over time, these chronic outages contribute to elevated levels of stress, frustration, and a reduced quality of life for millions of citizens.

The economic consequences of Nigeria’s failing grid are profound.  It is a known fact that stable electricity supply is a fundamental requirement for industrial development, yet the frequent grid collapses serve as a major deterrent to foreign investment.

Prospective investors, wary of unreliable energy infrastructure, are more likely to bypass Nigeria for other countries with more dependable power systems. The resulting stagnation in industrial growth further hinders the country’s ability to diversify its economy, perpetuating its over-reliance on oil and limiting the potential for sustainable development.

Nevertheless, many a time, industries that had to run on diesel-powered generators as a result of frequent outage hike their products which translate high cost of living foe Nigerians.

Reactions on the collapse

Speaking on the issue of incessant grid collapses, the President, Chartered Institute of Power Engineers of Nigeria, CIPEN, Engr. Israel Abraham, blamed politics involved in taking decisions on where to site grid infrastructure as well as poor maintenance culture for the current grid challenges.

Engr. Abraham noted that significant investment was needed to replace the old lines and networks before the grid would stabilize.

“The grid is a connection from generation to transmission to distribution and up to the consumer where you are. It involves all the wires and networks. It is the connection of interconnections of all these equipment and accessories. Most of these equipment are aged and they need to be replaced. You need to reconduct the lines because they have been there for decades.

“To reconduct the lines means you have to remove the old ones and put in new ones or you upgrade it from maybe a lower capacity to a higher one. These things are necessary because as the population grows, you have more people taking power in certain areas and you need to reconduct or you need to upgrade such facilities”.

He pointed out that the location of most substations across the country were not driven by expert decisions but politically made with equipment sited at locations where they are not needed causing imbalance in the system

“If you now have a situation whereby you are not in control to do what you need to do, I go back to that same word again of patronage, you find that you just do what you are asked to do. And if you do what you are asked to do, then you will have what you should have.

“But if we can actually take charge completely and you have professionals deciding what to do, then some of these things will gradually fade out because we will be able to make professional decisions. For instance, in this very environment where we are right now, maybe they need a transformer that is just maybe 500 kVA.

“But if the owner of this place is politically savvy, he can force the government or pass through some politicians and they will bring it in as a constituency project and put maybe a one-megawatt transformer. Now, what happens is the rest is wasted and it also hurts the grid system”.

He urged the Federal Government to summon the political will and ensure that the right things are done in the sector, and also permanently end the culture of political patronage in the execution of projects in the power sector.

However, reacting to the frequent collapse of the grid, Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, voiced sharp criticism of the government’s failure to address the country’s persistent power crisis.

According to a statement revealed on his official X page, Obi described the grid collapse as a “national shame,” condemning the repeated disruption of electricity supply and the failure of leadership to provide sustainable solutions.

“This recurring disaster is a glaring testament to the failure of leadership and policy implementation at the highest levels,” Obi said, reflecting the frustrations of millions of Nigerians who are accustomed to living without reliable electricity.

He highlighted Nigeria’s struggle to maintain a steady power supply, contrasting it with the successes of other African nations. “South Africa, with just 30% of our population, generates over 40,000 megawatts of electricity, while Egypt with half our population generates the same amount,” Obi noted. “In stark contrast, Nigeria, with a much larger population, generates less than 10,000 megawatts—often disrupted by grid failures.”

Obi attributed Nigeria’s diminished economic position in Africa to such infrastructure setbacks. Once the continent’s largest economy, Nigeria now ranks fourth, trailing behind South Africa, Egypt, and Algeria.

“Our fall from the number one spot is a consequence of years of leadership failure, particularly in critical sectors like power,” Obi lamented. “How long must Nigerians endure a system that fails to provide one of the most critical necessities for a productive society?”

Drawing attention to governance challenges, Obi urged leaders to enact “urgent, comprehensive reforms” in the power sector, emphasizing that a reliable power supply is essential for the country’s development and economic growth.

“Nigerians deserve a government that prioritizes measurable indices of development,” he added, calling for a shift in leadership focus towards policies that enhance the welfare and economic well-being of the people.

How it can be fixed

More than a decade after Nigeria privatised its electricity sector, Nigeria’s grid has barely improved.

But last year the government allowed its 36 states to generate and transmit their own power. States like Lagos, the nation’s commercial hub, and five others have already begun developing independent power markets.

The government is also working with the World Bank to build 1,000 mini solar grids to expand power access in rural areas

“A more resilient approach is needed in Nigeria to incorporate decentralised energy sources, such as solar power paired with storage, to complement the national grid,” said Sherisse Alexander, chief business officer at independent power producer WATT Renewable Corporation.

Investment in modernising the grid is crucial to prevent failures. A well-funded and efficient maintenance regime is essential to ensure grid stability. Addressing these issues requires a multi-faceted approach, including increased generation capacity, community engagement, and robust security measures.

The post Incessant Collapse Of Nigeria Power Grid And Its Economic Consequences appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

This is not the best of times for the residents of University town in Nsukka and even its environs in Enugu state as hoodlums have literally invaded the town, killing abducting and maiming innocent citizens.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that for the past one month, residents have been living like rats in the midst of cats due to incessant and seemingly uncontrollable incidents of abduction in the town.

On Sunday, two persons whose names are yet to be ascertained by our reporter at the press time were killed by alleged kidnappers at Ozzi Edem, a neigbouring community in the town.

An eye witness told WITHIN NIGERIA that “these two guys were brutally killed at about 9pm on Sunday by suspected kidnappers.”

Another resident who spoke to our reporter under anonymity said that “

All the people living around that area are currently sleeping in the bush since Sunday night.”

Explaining further, the source said that “they came to kidnap one rich man in that village on Sunday night. The village youth alerted vigilante around 8pm in the night.

“The vigilantes came and stayed for few hours after they left without knowing the kidnappers were hiding in the bush.

“Immediately the vigilantes left the compound of the man they came to kidnap because the man was not around only the man’s neighbor was around.

“Because they have missed their target, they opened fire and shot two to death instantly and started shooting sporadically and many others sustained injuries and currently hospitalized.

“As I speak with you, Nsukka town has been captured by real kidnappers and they are operating freely every night especially from early 7pm in the night.”

Lamenting the ugly situation, our source alleged that “nobody is doing anything or saying anything about it. The Politicians from Enugu North zone don’t feel for anybody. The state government feels like anything happening in Nsukka zone doesn’t concern them.

“The local government chairman is busy dissolving market leaders, revoking people’s properties, going to kick out football tournament at Ugwuoye on that particular Sunday oblivious of the fact that kidnappers have taken over his local government. His brother is busy arresting innocent people that look like a kidnapper and the real kidnapers are operating freely.”

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that incidents of kidnapping and maiming of residents have been on the increase in the university town lately.

Few weeks ago, a popular entrepreneur simply known as Okwuego was allegedly kidnapped by the hoodlums. He was allegedly abducted few metres away from his house.

After about two hours of his abduction, they demanded an undisclosed ransom amount which he paid and was freed.

It was gathered that alleged abductors are using or have been using the same pattern ambushing and abducting their victims in the university town, an incident that has happened to at least four others persons in the last three weeks.

Findings by our reporter showed that the flash points of the ugly happenings are Onuiyi Junction, behind Ziks flat, Tectonics road  Umeano Junction axis, all in Nsukka local government area.

However, all efforts to get the reaction of the Enugu state police command on the incident proved abortive as the Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe could not pick his calls.

The post Enugu: Fear, tension as hoodlums overrun Nsukka, kill, maim residents appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

For the people of Ebe, Nsude, Nachi and Umulumgbe, all in Udi Local Government Council of Enugu State they are currently living with a ticking time bomb.

For close to a decade now, they have been living in palpable fear due to frequent collapse of abandoned coal mines in their communities, thereby leading to loss of expanse of land and huge economic trees.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the worst hit community is Nsude, where residents have been living in trepidation, even as many youths have continued to express fear of further collapse of their farmlands.

How it all started

Investigation by WITHIN NIGERIA revealed that coal mining started in Enugu State, particularly in the Nsude area, as early as in the 1920s following the coal discovery in 1909.

However, the Nsude drift opened six years later. The Enugu mine’s operations and others in the country were merged into a new corporation in 1950: the Nigerian Coal Corporation. The NCC was tasked with exploiting coal resources, and held a monopoly on coal mining, production, and sales until 1999.

Further checks showed that Nigeria’s coal industry suffered a blow in the 1950s when oil was discovered. Up until this point, the Nigerian Railway Corporation was the largest consumer of coal in the country.

However, after the discovery of oil, the railway corporation began to replace its coal burning trains with diesel-powered engines. An additional negative impact came when the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria began converting its power generation equipment from coal to diesel and gas as well.

The Nigeria Civil War also negatively impacted coal production; many mines were abandoned during the war. Following the war, production never completely recovered and coal production levels were erratic.

It was discovered that attempts at mechanising production ended badly, as both the implementation and maintenance of imported mining equipment proved troublesome, and hurt production. After the civil war, the Nigerian coal industry has not been able to return to its peak production in the 1950s and even as the demand for the coal has continued to take a nose dive.

Further investigation showed that in 1999, the NCC lost its monopoly over the Nigerian coal industry as the Obasanjo government allowed private companies to begin operating coal fields in joint ventures with the NCC, with an eventual goal of completely selling off the NCC’s assets to private investors. The Nigerian government planned to sell 40 per cent to private investors and 20 per cent to the Nigerian public, while retaining 40 per cent.

Consequent upon this, in 2002, work stopped at the NCC-operated mines. In 2003, the Nigerian government announced plans to create a technical advisory committee that would be tasked with reviving Nigeria’s coal industry.

By 2004, the technical committee had still not issued their report, and the NCC found itself almost bankrupt. To raise funds, it began to sell off some of its assets in an attempt to pay off its mounting debts, including salaries owed to its employees, which WITHIN NIGERIA findings showed ran into billions of naira.

As the situation continued to become worse, the Enugu State Government protested the planned NCC privatisation and demanded the ability to consult with the Federal Government on any planned sale.

Following the above development, the coal mine sites were abandoned and subsequently deteriorated to the point of sliding, with mounting debt and environmental degradation.

Nsude community in palpable fear

In any case, following the reported case of collapse of the farmlands in the area, people of the area have become despondent. And according to one of the citizens of the community, they cannot help themselves.

In a chat with WITHIN NIGERIA, Chairman, Umuaka Community, Nsude in Udi, Chief Anthony Ude told our reporter that it has been a trying and difficult moment for his community as the ugly situation had drastically affected the agricultural output of the community, thereby forcing many families into abject poverty.

According to Chief Ude, though his community is the worst hit, the people are yet to get any solution and help from the state and federal governments.

Speaking further he said, “each time we go to the farm, you will discover that a large chunk has been swallowed up. The last one happened last year. Though there was no casualty, it is usually a challenge for our people during the rainy season. This is because the soil has become so weak.

“We have lost our cashew plantations, palm tree plantations and other economic trees to this ugly situation. The most disturbing part of it is that it is becoming worse every year.”

Estimating the financial damage caused by the destruction, Chief Ude put the loss experienced by the community at over a billion naira.

Expressing his worry, he said: “Because the distance between where we live and the areas that have been taken over are not far, we are so much worried that one day we may wake up to see that our land has caved into the abandoned underground.

“Again, the collapsed areas have turned into very big erosion sites threatening the existence of our community.”

One of the farmers in the community, Mr. Kenneth Eze told our reporter that he has lost over N5m worth of corn to the ecological disaster.

In his words, “Last year, I cultivated corn worth about N5m using tractors. The corn was on the verge of harvest when the farmland caved in and destroyed my farm. I nearly committed suicide. In fact, I didn’t know I would recover from the shock of the loss. Unfortunately for me, I never got any relief from anybody since the incident.”

Eze called on the federal and state governments to expedite action to see that the coal mine channels are properly closed to avoid subsequent collapse of the land in the area.

Another young man living in the area, Mr. Philip Akogwu told our reporter that life has been uncertain for the people since the frequent collapse of the land.

According to Akogwu, “we are currently living in fear in this community. As I am talking to you, some of our brothers have lost considerable number of hectares of land to this landslide. These things are happening in the place where our own generation is supposed to move in, settle down and build houses. But they have become a no-go area. Few years ago when one of my brother wanted to build a house, after erecting and roofing the house, the land collapsed and the entire building caved into the earth. That’s how he lost his new building and resources there.

“You can see here in our community that there are not many new buildings. This is not because we don’t have resources to build houses but because you don’t know where the mine has eaten up the earth.”

He appealed to both the state and federal governments to come to the aid of the people to forestall further occurrence. He urged the governments to help ameliorate the lives of the people.

“Nsude is our community. We don’t have any other place to go. We are appealing to the authorities to come to our aid. If things should continue like this, then this community will go into ecological disaster. We call on them to come and properly close the mines in all the areas concerned.”

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the area so affected covered many hectares of land, covering both farm and residential land.

Few months ago while speaking to newsmen on the situation while inspecting the affected areas, a former Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, who incidentally is  also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Agbaja Leaders of Thought (a socio-cultural group, made up of prominent and intellectual people from Udi, Ezeagu and Enugu North Local Government Areas), noted that from the geological survey, the underground mines were more than 500 metres on normal routes and sometimes 1000 metres at intersections.

Prof. Nebo who was accompanied to the community by Prof. Agu Gab Agu, Secretary of the BOT of Agbaja Leaders of Thought, expressed concern that the affected communities could be buried alive suddenly, due to the poor closure of the mines.

“Agbaja people are building on the surface of the earth and carrying on other developmental activities while their underbelly is open. There is no proper marking or caution signs to show that a certain area was mined underground.”

Nebo, who was also the former Vice Chancellor of University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) said that his group would make a formal case to the Federal Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals and the Ministry of Environment, as well as Enugu State Government. He said the attention of the relevant authorities would be sought on the predicament of the community, damages on their economic trees and farmlands and the degradation of their environment.

Enugu government moves to revitalize the coal industry

By and large, in a move to revive the coal industry, in October 2023, Milhouse Energy Services Ltd, a coal mining firm at Awhum, Enugu State reached an agreement with the state government to pay the sum of N1billion into the Enugu State Environmental Remediation Trust Fund, while also paying a N100,000 tax on every truckload of coal evacuated from a mining site at Awhum in Udi Local Government Area of the state.

According to our source, the Fund will be transparently managed by an independent committee of professionals specifically for the remediation and healing of the affected environment.0 / 0:00

Recall that the mining site was one of the many sealed by the Enugu State Committee on Review of Mining Activities headed by the Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Prof. Sam Ugwu, following a crackdown by the Governor Peter Mbah administration on illegal mining sites in the state, including those without environmental impact certification and remediation plans.

In addition, an Enugu State High Court also granted an interim injunction restraining Milhouse Energy Services and African Pits & Quarries Ltd, their agents, servants, privies, workers, among others, from “carrying on further activities, environmental degradation, damaging and interfering in whatsoever manner with the large expanse of land situate at Ibite Awhum”

However, following discussions with the state government, Milhouse Energy Services Ltd may return to site in earnest following an agreement with the Enugu State Government, which will see the company pay the sum of N1 billion for environmental remediation while also paying the sum of N100,000 as tax per truckload of coal evacuated from the site.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the company had mined and evacuated coal from the site since February 2022 without any payments or recourse whatsoever to the Government of Enugu State.

Sealing the site in September, Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Ugwu said: “while the state is not contesting the fact that solid minerals are on the Exclusive Legislative List, we will not accept indiscriminate mining activities and degradation of our environment. We will not accept that people will enter our state and start carting away our resources without recourse to the Enugu State Government.

“So, we want to see the veracity of the license, which they claim they have from the Federal Government, and we have given them a letter inviting them to a meeting.

“We also want to find out how they have been remitting environmental fees to the Enugu State Ministry of Environment because we will not fold our hands and watch our environment destroyed and lives endangered”.

Nevertheless, with the current arrangement, there is no much work on the abandoned sites even as the affected communities have continued to grapple with landslide and other environmental impacts associated with the coal mining.

Stakeholders seek discontinuation of coal mining

Nevertheless, in August 2024, stakeholders in the mining industry in the state demanded the decommissioning of all the moribund coal mining sites in Enugu State.

These stakeholders, made up of environmental rights activists, retired miners, their family members and the media, took the stand during a media interactive and town hall on coal mining held in Enugu over the week.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the town hall meeting was organized by the Renevlyn Development Initiative, RDI, in collaboration with other partners – New Life Community Care Initiative, NELCCI; Neighborhood Environmental Watch, NEW, Foundation; the Community Development Advocacy Foundation, CODAF, and Environmental Defenders Network, EDEN.

Various speakers at the forum harped that the 70 years of coal mining in the State had not been of any tangible benefit to the miners, their family members or the state in general.

They said it has, however, been years of pains, tales of woes and environmental degradation.

The stakeholders resolved to write the Enugu State drawing its attention on the need to be in the vanguard for calls for a just energy transition that respects the people and the environment.

Mr Philip Jakpor, the Executive Director of RDI, while delivering his opening remarks, maintained that coal mining was not of any economic benefit to the state, adding that it was a disinvestment to the communities.

Jakpor, who observed that the Enugu State government banned illegali mining activities in 2023, was of the opinion that, “While this action was good, we had anticipated that the state government would work with the Federal government to carry out an environmental audit to ascertain the true health of the bed rocks to continue to sustain life in Enugu.

“There are fears that Enugu may be sitting on a time bomb due to the underground mining that happened during the mining periods.

“But instead, it would seem the state government embarked on a re-certification exercise of miners.

“The announcement last month by the Enugu State Government of December as the deadline for mineral title holders to commence coal mining operations in the state lends credence to our argument.

“There are many cases of the earth collapsing when locals are farming. There are open pits, ground water polluted and the communities overrun by herdsmen who have practically scared and chased away the original land owners.

“Locals allege that trucks laden with coal are leaving Enugu every day and no proper documentation to know if it is illegally done or with the full support of the state government.

“If it is with the support of the state we should know how much revenue is now coming in. We do not want to believe that a few individuals are now reaping what is the commonwealth of Enugu citizens.”

The stakeholders, therefore, demanded that “The Federal government should commence full and detailed audit of the post coal mining in Enugu.

“Decommissioning of the moribund mines to avoid further environment degradation and loss of human life.

“Profiling of former miners and adequate compensation paid to them. If they are now dead, their families should be identified and compensated.

“Inform and regularly update citizens of Enugu on what’s going on in regards to coal mining.

“Make public the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) conducted by the selected firms.

“Make public any agreements the companies have with the coal mining communities.

“Properly explain the role of the Enugu state government in the extraction of coal. Is it a spectator, a collaborator or only some officials of government are running the show?

“Explore potentials in renewable energy sources.

“Support mining communities to form a network to share ideas, monitor their environment and report unsustainable practices by firms engaging in coal extraction in their communities.

In their separate remarks, Afulike Okezie, Project Officer of NEW Foundation, Barrister Chima Williams, ED of EDEN, Ubrei Joe-Mariere, Director, Campaigns and Administration, CODAF, as well as Mrs Florence Aneke, the Executive Director of NELCCI, all threw their weight behind the decommissioning of coal mining in the state.

Meanwhile, retired miners and family members of some late miners bemoaned years of neglect by the government.

However, all efforts by our reporter to get the reaction of Enugu state Commissioner for Environment and climate, Mr. Sam Ugwu proved abortive as he could not pick his calls when our reporter called.

The post Living with time bomb: Untold story of abandoned Enugu coal mines appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

For close to six decades the people of south east  Nigeria which now comprises Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states, now referred to as Biafrans have been struggling for the actualization of the sovereign state of Biafra.

Before the creation of states by the successive military regimes in Nigeria, the seemingly elusive Biafran state was made of up of other states like Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Kogi, Benue and others.

However, following the creation of states in 1976 by the military regime of Gen. Yakubu Gowon, followed by other regimes, these areas were split into states which now came to what we know them to be today.

In any case, since the aforementioned struggle started in 1967, there were individuals that have made put their life on the line for the actualization of the dream.

Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu

Chukwuemeka “Emeka” Odumegwu Ojukwu (4 November 1933 – 26 November 2011 was a Nigerian military officer and politician who served as President of the Republic of Biafra from 1967 to 1970 during the Nigerian Civil War. He previously served as military governor of the Eastern Region of Nigeria, which he declared as the independent state of Biafra.

Ojukwu was born in Zungeru, Nigeria during British colonial rule. He was the son of Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, a wealthy and successful Igbo businessman. Ojukwu was educated at King’s College, Lagos in Nigeria and Epsom College in Surrey, England. He graduated from Oxford University in 1955 with a master’s degree in history and returned to Nigeria to serve as an administrative officer.

In response to Igbo demands for secession, Ojukwu reorganised the Eastern Region as the Republic of Biafra, and he declared independence from Nigeria. Nigeria invaded Biafra, sparking the Nigerian Civil War. The Nigerian military, with support from the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, blockaded Biafra and cut food supplies, which created a mass famine. Ojukwu made use of foreign media to highlight the plight of Biafran civilians and depict the war as genocide against Igbos. The shocking images of starving Biafran civilians turned the war into an international media sensation, as this was one of the first globally televised wars alongside the Vietnam War. Biafra received international humanitarian relief during the Biafran airlift.

However, he later joined the Nigerian army and was rapidly promoted. Following Nigerian independence in 1960, a group of mostly Igbo junior army officers overthrew Nigeria’s civilian government in the 1966 Nigerian coup d’état. Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, another Igbo, became the new Nigerian head of state, and he appointed Ojukwu as military governor of the predominately Igbo Eastern Region. However, Hausa and Yoruba army officers feared an Igbo-dominated government, resulting in the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup and the subsequent 1966 anti-Igbo pogrom.

Following the tidal wave of military hardware mainly supplied by the UK and Russia, Biafra eventually capitulated to Nigerian forces in 1970 after millions of Biafran civilians died. Ojukwu subsequently fled to Ivory Coast in exile, where President Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who recognised Biafra as a sovereign and independent state, granted him political asylum.

In 1981, newly democratically elected Nigerian president Shehu Shagari granted amnesty to Ojukwu, allowing him to return to Nigeria without facing political or legal consequences from the war. Ojukwu spent the remainder of his life unsuccessfully attempting to return to Nigerian politics as a democratically elected politician rather than a military ruler.

He died in 2011 at the age of 78 in London, England. His body was returned to Nigeria, where Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan arranged a state funeral. He was buried with full military honours, including a 21-gun salute from the Nigerian Army, and thousands of people attended his funeral. Ojukwu remains a contentious figure in the history of Nigeria. Many Igbo people regard him as a hero and a messianic figure who did what was necessary to ensure the survival of Nigeria’s Eastern population while facing the possibility of a genocide after the 1966 coup. Other Nigerians have deemed Biafra’s secession unnecessary, blaming Ojukwu for the events of the war and accusing him of oppressing Biafra’s non-Igbo ethnic minorities.

Ralph Uwazuruike 

Another leader of the agitators is Ralph Uwazuruike . He is the leader of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB); a group canvassing for the secession and sovereignty of Eastern Nigeria.

Uwazuruike  holds degrees in Political Science from Punjab University, India, and Law from Bombay University, India. Uwazuruike adopts the principle of nonviolence as propagated by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., as the philosophy of the struggle.  He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1991.

He has been detained several times and charged with treason in Nigerian courts. On 28 April 2010, he was visited in prison by Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu and his wife, Bianca.

Following Ojukwu’s death in 2011, Uwazuruike was named his successor and crowned ‘Ezeigbo’. He has since embarked on several regional projects including the erection of a library in honour of Ojukwu and building residential houses for displaced Biafran War veterans.

Uwazuruike condemns the killing of Igbos in northern states of the country by the Boko Haram group and continually calls on Igbos to return home in order to avoid the massacre.

Ralph Uwazuruike was born in Okwe, Imo State. Having experienced the horror of the Biafran war as a kid, Uwazuruike nursed hopes of resuscitating the defunct republic albeit through peaceful means.

Uwazuruike’s longest spell in detention was to come in 2005 when he was arrested in his Okwe hometown by men of the Nigerian Police. He alleges to have been flown to Abuja aboard a private jet and remanded in an underground SSS facility. He remained in prison detention for two years after a protracted bail hearing at the Federal High Court, Abuja. Justice Binta Nyako eventually granted him three-month bail to enable him bury his mother who had died during his incarceration.

In 2011, Uwazuruike and 280 MASSOB members were arrested in Enugu at an event in honour of Ojukwu. He was released on orders of Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan.

Benjamin Onwuka

Benjamin Onwuka is the leader of the Biafra Zionist Front (BZF), formerly known as the Biafra Zionist Movement and also known as the Biafra Zionists Federation. It is a group agitating for the restoration of Biafra and its independence from Nigeria. The movement’s purpose is the actualization of the sovereign state of Biafra along precolonial lines.

The group claims to be supported by Israel and the United States and explicitly relates its cause to the Zionist movement.

The group was formerly part of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB but was split off in 2010 by British-Nigerian lawyer Benjamin Onwuka.

The group “re-declared the independence of Biafra” on 5 November 2012, for which Onwuka and 100 others were arrested and charged with treason but granted bail; the charges against Onwuka were later dismissed for lack of evidence. The group was responsible for the 2014 Enugu Government House attack on March 7, 2014, and was behind an attack on a State Broadcasting Service office a few months later.

Onwuka was arrested in 2014 but was released three years later. He immediately returned to leading the BZF.

In June 2017 the group proclaimed the independence of Biafra with Onwuka as president.

On 20 March 2018, Benjamin Onwuka was again arrested along with 20 other BZF members after they publicly announced their intention to occupy the Enugu Government House, raise the Biafran flag, and declare the independence of Biafra.

Fifty-two members of the Biafra Zionist Front, including Onwuka, were arrested on 30 May 2023 in Enugu, allegedly while marching to raise the flag of Biafra inside the Enugu Government House. One member was shot and killed by police during the demonstration.

Nnamdi Okwu Kanu

Nnamdi Okwu Kanu  (born 25 September 1967) is a British political activist known for advocating for the secession and independence of Biafra from Nigeria. He is the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which he founded in 2012. The main aim of IPOB is to restore the defunct Republic of Biafra which existed in Nigeria’s Eastern Region during the Nigerian Civil War of 1967–1970.

As the director of a United Kingdom-registered radio station named Radio Biafra, Kanu propagated Biafran separatism. He was arrested on treason charges in Lagos, Nigeria on 14 October 2015 and was detained for more than a year, despite various court orders that ruled for his release. When in court, Kanu appeared regularly wearing a Jewish prayer shawl and head covering. He said in court, that he “believes in Judaism” and considers himself a Jew. He has led his Biafran people to various Jewish prayers and religious observations on different occasions. On 28 April 2017, Kanu was released from prison on bail.

Nigerian security forces attempted to quash IPOB’s armed wing, the Eastern Security Network, which culminated in a low-level conflict in early 2021. Despite the fighting, Kanu maintained that IPOB was interested in a peaceful solution and achieving Biafran independence without violence or harm. In June 2021, he was widely reported to have been allegedly re-arrested by Interpol in Kenya and handed over to Nigeria but in April 2024, Interpol denied any involvement in the arrest and consequent rendition to Nigeria.

Kanu was born 25 September 1967 in Isiama Afara Ukwu, Umuahia — within the claimed territory of the Republic of Biafra a few months after it had declared independence from Nigeria. His father, Eze Israel Okwu Kanu (JP), and his mother, Ugoeze Nnenne Kanu, were Nigerian traditional monarchs. He attended Library Avenue Primary School and went to Government College Umuahia for his secondary education. He studied at University of Nigeria, Nsukka and moved to the UK before graduating.

Kanu began his activism for the freedom of Biafra as a Radio Biafra director and anchor of Biafra awareness under Ralph Uwazuruike, leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), who said while in a meeting in Kaduna, Nigeria on 12 June 2014, that he handed over Radio Biafra to Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB but Kanu disappointed him. Radio Biafra however, was established by the defunct Biafran government in 1967 with the aim of championing the Biafran cause.

Kanu was a relatively obscure figure until 2009 when he started Radio Biafra, a station that called for an independent state for the Igbo people and broadcast to Nigeria from London. In 2014, he founded IPOB. On 5 September 2015, Nnamdi Kanu was a guest speaker at the World Igbo Congress which was held in Los Angeles, where he told his audience “we need guns and we need bullets”.

On 18 October 2015, it was reported that Kanu had been arrested in Lagos State by Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Services (DSS). Kanu had told his solicitors that on 14 October 2015, he was arrested by the agents of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the State Security Service (SSS), in his hotel room at the Golden Tulip Essential Hotel Ikeja, Lagos State. The solicitors in a press briefing said, between 14 and 17 October 2015 their client’s whereabouts were unknown until 18 October 2015, when the press media broke the news of his arrest and detention by the SSS in Abuja. The news of the arrest of Kanu generated protests across Delta State, Enugu State, Rivers State, Cross River State, Abia State, Imo State, Akwa Ibom State, Bayelsa State and Anambra State.

On 19 October 2015, it was reported that Nnamdi Kanu had been granted bail after a secret arraignment at Magistrate Court, Wuse 11. However, the bail seemed “controversial” and there were claims the DSS announced the bail only “to calm the angry people of Biafra”.

Since his arrest and subsequent incarceration in 2021, the South East zone has not known any peace.

Though the Supreme has passed judgment in his favour, the federal government is yet to effect his unconditional release as demanded by the law thereby fueling high level of insecurity in the zone.

Simon Ekpa

Ekpa Simon Njoku (born 21 March 1985), generally known as Simon Ekpa, is a Finnish politician and Biafran political activist. In 2022, while in Finland, he declared the activation of the Biafra Government In Exile (BGIE), and in 2023 declared himself the leader (titled “Prime Minister”) of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE).

Ekpa was born on 21 March 1985, in Ohaukwu, Ebonyi State, in  Nigeria. Ebonyi State had previously been part of Biafra, a partially recognized state that declared independence from Nigeria and existed from 1967 until 1970.

He won the 100 meters silver medal for Nigeria at the 2003 African Junior Athletics Championships in Cameroon. He left athletics because of a knee problem. In September 2021, Ekpa denounced Nigeria and vowed to return the medal he won for the country at the 2003 African Junior Athletics Championships, and renounced his Nigerian citizenship the following year. In July 2024, he said he had returned the medals to the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ekpa was the Chairman of the Igbo Union Finland from 2015 until 2019. He has also served as the Chairman of the Playground Board, in the City Lahti, a position he held between 2017 until 2021.

Since 2007, he has lived with his family in Lahti, Finland. He learned Finnish, became a citizen and did military service in the Finnish military at the Häme Regiment in Hennala in 2013 as well as a reservist in the Finnish Army. Ekpa joined the Finnish politics in 2012 and has been active since then. He ran as a candidate in the 2017 Finnish municipal elections and was also a candidate in the 2022 Finnish county elections under the National Coalition Party of Finland. As of 2023, he serves as a public transport officer for the Lahti region. Yle has referred to him as a businessman.

According to Ekpa, IPOB was dissolved in a vote, renamed “Autopilot”, and he became its spokesman. In August 2022, Ekpa declared “full activation” of the Biafran Government in Exile. He said: “we also wish to officially announce an alliance and activation of Biafra Government In Exile (BGIE) with the IPOB-Autopilot.”

In April 2023, he announced that he had been appointed as the prime minister of the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE). Nigerian news media have variously referred to him as “prime minister” or “self-acclaimed prime minister” of the government-in-exile. Ekpa stated in 2023 that “Biafra Republic Government In-Exile is registered, approved and legal. Agent of Nigeria, take note!” As of 2024, it has a main office in Maryland, US.

IPOB called the BRGIE “double agents sponsored by the Nigerian government to ridicule the IPOB movement”. Suomen Kuvalehti said in 2024 that “Be it as it may, Ekpa is now at least the prime minister by some.”

In December 2022, Ekpa declared a five-day sit at home civil disobedience campaign in the southeast and parts of southern Nigeria from 9 to 14 December 2022. On 14 June 2023, Ekpa announced a week-long sit at home campaign from 3 to 10 July 2023, which according to The Whistler recorded 70% compliance. The sit-at-homes have been enforced by gunmen. Ekpa has continued Kanu’s sit-at-home orders, to protest the imprisonment of Kanu. In July 2023, he threatened that oil exploitations in the Biafra region would be stopped if Kanu wasn’t to be released. However, Ekpa exonerated Kanu from the activities of the Biafra agitations. He said Kanu wasn’t responsible for the actions taken to free him. The head of ACLED’s Nigerian branch criticizes ‘Ekpa’s faction’ for attacking those not following this curfew. Ekpa denies violence against civilians, by stating “After the creation of the defensive forces, government forces no longer encroach on our area, because we have manpower all over, that protect”.

Ekpa became active in the “Biafra independence movement” in 2019. He was noticed by the Nigerian media after he posted a video claiming that Nigerian soldiers had been killed by Boko Haram. According to a Nigerian rights attorney, the purpose was to “disillusion Nigerians especially soldiers to resign from the Army”.

In July 2021, Ekpa was announced the lead broadcaster for Radio Biafra, associated with the separatist organisation Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) after the arrest of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu. However, Ekpa was not allowed to broadcast for violation of the rules of the organisation. In 2022, IPOB accused Ekpa of illegal activities and stated that IPOB was a peaceful organization. In July 2023, the Daily Post said that Ekpa led a faction of IPOB, as did Premium Times in May 2024.

Zubairu Dada, Nigerian minister, said the same year that “When [Ekpa] gives instructions, destruction follows. They cause killing, maiming, fires, whatever.”  Nigerian general Christopher Gwabin Musa said “In the South-east, Simon Ekpa has become a menace to this country. The country must act on it diplomatically. [Ekpa] is having a freeway because [Finland] are encouraging him to do what he is doing. His utterances and actions are affecting what is happening in Nigeria.” Ekpa said in 2024 that he is in daily contact with Kanu.

In March 2024, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters (DHQ) declared Ekpa and more than 90 others “wanted” for “terrorism, kidnapping and other crimes.” Ekpa responded that he had nothing to do with Nigeria, and declared other people “wanted” in his turn.

In May 2024, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Banjul, the judicial arm of the African Union (AU), acknowledged a petition by the BRGIE regarding Kanu and a declaration of the restoration of independent state of Biafra.

In May 2024, Ekpa urged the Nigerian government to engage the Finnish government to mediate in the conflict between BLA and the Nigerian army. In June 2024, a former director of the Nigerian State Security Service called for the extradition of Ekpa to Nigeria. He urged the Nigerian government to initiate negotiations with Finnish authorities to repatriate Ekpa. Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff Musa also reiterated call for the arrest and prosecution of Ekpa. He accused the Finnish government and the European union of shielding Ekpa, thereby preventing his arrest.

On 30 July 2024, the Biafra Defence Forces killed four Nigerian police operatives. Ekpa classified them as “terrorists” and declared that they should be withdrawn from the Biafran region.

In August 2024, Simon Ekpa and the Biafra Republic Government in Exile ordered 30 days lockdown of the Nigerian government institutions in the South East region, from 28 August to 26 September, excluding private businesses. This action responds to the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu and alleged killings of Christians and Biafrans. Ekpa demands Kanu’s release and the withdrawal of Nigerian security forces from the region.

On 20 August 2024, Ekpa unveiled the map of a proposed 40 “United States of Biafra” and announced 2 December 2024 as the date for its official presentation and issuance of a declaration of independence. Declaration happened on 29th November. The Nigerian government, while reacting to the development through the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), stated that it is engaging with the European Union to extradite Ekpa from Finland. In response, the Biafra Republic Government in Exile says it is inviting the Nigerian government to the Biafra restoration declaration convention in Finland for possible dialogue.

On 25 May 2023, the Universal Peace Federation awarded Ekpa Ambassador for Peace at the African Day Celebration in Helsinki, Finland.

On 21 November 2024, Ekpa was detained by the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation, (NBI) on accusations of alleged terrorist activities in Nigeria. Finnish police said the accusations are under investigation and it involves international cooperation. It said, the Nigerian government was reached out to for their comments. The NBI also arrested four others over alleged terrorist offenses.

Ekpa was remanded into custody by the District Court of Päijät-Häme on suspicion of public incitement to commit a crime with terrorist intent. This marks his second arrest in Finland; he was previously detained in 2023 on suspicion of illegal fundraising but was released shortly after.

The post From Ojukwu to Ekpa: Biafra activists, leaders that have suffered humiliation, incarceration appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

In recent times, the activities of the iron scavengers in the south East Nigeria have become worrisome.

Some decades ago, these scavengers were seen as the economically disadvantaged in the society who wanted to eke out a living through picking of scrap metals.

However, with the advancement of the business, many business-minded persons in the zone saw the hidden treasury in the trade, leading to all sorts of criminal tendencies in the business.

Nevertheless, in the last decade, there has been sordid stories of how these scavengers have turned nightmare by breaking into building at broad day light, carting belongings in the name of “iron condemn.”

Many of such alleged criminal elements are mainly hired and equipped with carts by the scrap yard owners to scavenge for metals but they end up stealing by breaking into new buildings, removing burglar proofs, carting away with motorbikes and depositing same to their paymasters.

Residents recount their ugly experiences

In any case, narrating his ugly experience, Mr. Marcel Okafor told WITHIN NIGERIA that iron scavengers have literally dealt with him financially.

“Two years ago, I packed my spoilt motorbike in my compound in Eha-Alumona, Nsukka local government area of Enugu state. After about three weeks, I noticed that one of the wheels has been removed. The next week, the motorbike together with some scrap iron drums have been carted away by these scavengers.”

Speaking further, Okafor told our reporter that, “I was pained by this loss, so I had to go to some scrap yards around our area, yet I could see my motorbike. That’s when I began to see these scavengers as criminals.”

Joseph Mgbada, a native of Ikwo, Ebonyi state also narrated that “about three years ago, these iron scavengers entered my building site and stole some rods worth over N100,000 in the name of scrap metal. It was with the help of the community vigilante that they were able to catch them and recover the rods from these criminals. Few months later, another group of scavengers came to the same site and removed my burglar proofs in the name of scraps.”

Anambra state bans scrap scavengers

By and large, as the activities of these scavengers become more predatory, many states in the zone became fed up with them and so banned them from scavenging for irons openly.

On September 13, 2024, the Anambra government issued a statement, prohibiting the operations of condemned iron scavengers otherwise known as “ndi akpakara” or “iron kwandem” in the state.s

The government said the activities of the scavengers are now tantamount to robbery.

Paul Nwosu, commissioner for information, said traders doing legitimate scrap metal business should go to the ministry of environment for recertification.

In his words, “the nuisance value of the ubiquitous ‘Iron Kwandem’ scavengers can no longer be tolerated for they now constitute a pain in the neck of society as their activities are adversely affecting the economy of the state and the country at large,” the statement reads.

“They steal the metal coverings of gutters, the iron medians on the highways and the steel railings on the sides of the motorways.

“They have become so brazen in dismantling and wrecking public utilities that you begin to wonder if they have special licenses to do what they are doing because they dare where nobody with conscience will risk.

“They removed and carted away most of the iron components of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, fence facing the ever busy Enugu-Awka expressway.

“Shortly after the celebrated second Niger Bridge was commissioned, the side-bars, beams and the heavy steel sheets interlocking segments of the bridge were yanked off by these devil-may-care ‘Iron Kwandem’ scavengers.

“No responsible government will stand by and watch this sheer act of lawlessness persist. They cannot be allowed to continue in the evil act of stealing private and public metal objects across the board.

“Anybody doing business with them will be equally arrested and prosecuted because it amounts to receiving stolen property.

“Ndi-Anambra should see it as a patriotic duty to report the activities of the Condemned Iron scavengers to SASA or OCHA Brigade for immediate arrest and prosecution.”

The statement added that the Anambra government has delineated the difference between “the illegal condemned iron scavengers and the traders doing legitimate scrap metal business”.

Enugu government bans scavengers

Earlier in January, having been concerned about the growing security threats posed by the activities of these scavengers and cart pushers, the Enugu State government placed ban on their operations, warning that scavengers and cart pushers caught would be prosecuted.

The affirmation of the proscription of the scavengers and their activities popularly called, “Iron Condemn” in local parlance, was disclosed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia,  after an elaborate meeting with the leadership and representatives of the Hausa/Fulani Community and their Igbo and Yoruba counterparts at the Government House, Enugu.

Lamenting that hundreds of petitions had been received from members of the public protesting against the activities of the illegal waste pickers, the SSG said enforcement of the ban, arrest and prosecution of violators would commence on Monday, 29 January, 2024.

Prof. Onyia observed that scavengers with evil motives were infiltrating the state, breaking into people’s homes and stealing their valuables,  while adding that the state is determined to protect life of the citizens and safeguard their properties against intruders.

Citing section 20 of Enugu State Environmental Law, Prof. Onyia said anyone caught scavenging within the state risks 2 years imprisonment, calling on residents to be on the lookout for would-be-violators and report the to the nearest police station or the taskforce set up for that purpose.

“Enugu State Government is determined to protect every life and property of our citizens. That is our primary responsibility. We will ensure that every threat to the security and peace of the state is eliminated.

“The government will no longer condone the activities of scavengers in the state. We have to rid of the state of every vestige of crimes by restoring sanity. We want to assure all residents in the state who are into genuine business that we will continue to work towards making the environment safer for them.

“You will recall that sometime in November 2023, after reports from residents complaining about harassment and theft from scavengers and illegal waste pickers, the government set up a committee to assess the extent of the threats scavengers posed to the wellbeing of our law-abiding citizens.

“It was established that criminals are now roaming the streets posing as scavengers. Following this establishment, the government activated the law that provides against scavenging activities by outlawing these illegal operators.

“However, as government with empathy and humane face, we allowed for time to communicate the order. During the period, it was observed that more of the scavengers had infiltrated the state.

“So, we are now determined to enforce the law. This should serve as a warning to scavengers in the state. By Monday, the state taskforce will be out to give full effect to the proscription,” he added.

The state government further called on the law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute unrepentant scavengers and make examples of them.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that residents in the state have been appealing to the government to tackle the menace of the scavengers and rid them out of the streets.

Findings showed that a few weeks before the ban, security operatives recovered a set of dangerous arms, including guns and machetes from scavengers arrested at Agbani Road, Gariki and Ogbete Market areas of the state.

Imo state abrogates activities of iron scavengers

On September 18, 2024 the Imo state government state government followed suit and banned activities of the iron scavengers in the state.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that in a bid to foster a more secure environment and curb insecurity in the state, the Imo State House Of Assembly has moved to restrict and regulate the activities of scavengers who indulge in scrap metal scavenging, otherwise known as “Iron Condemn”.

This was as a result of the Motion Chiefly sponsored by the Member Representing Ngor/Okpala State Constituency, Hon Obinna Egu, during plenary on Wednesday, 18/09/2024, and titled : MOTION TO URGE THE IMO STATE GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND VIGILANTE AFFAIRS AND OTHER SECURITY RELATED AGENCIES TO CHECKMATE THE UGLY ACTIVITIES OF SCRAP METAL SCAVENGERS.

Moving the Motion, the Ngor/Okpala Representative observed that many metal scrappers (scavengers) indulge in illegal activities such as theft, vandalism of major components of electricity transformers, spying and releasing of vital security information to kidnappers and hoodlums, which according to him has caused serious security threat within and around communities and neighbourhoods, both in the rural areas and in the urban areas of the state. Hon Obinna Egu further argued that the Motion was not aimed at discouraging scavengers from earning decent living, but insisted that what ordinarily should have been a legitimate business in recycling materials from waste to wealth has, regrettably, become a huge source of security threat in Imo State.

In his words, the only voice from Ngor/Okpala said, “I have heard stories, and it has become regular, of how these scavengers jump into people’s compounds, making away with their properties, such as generators, car batteries, washed clothes, television sets, just anything on sight. They have become criminal elements but chose to hide under the cover of “Iron Condemn” to carry out their criminal acts. They are everywhere in the state. Now that Nigeria is seriously facing security threats, there is therefore the urgent need to know who these people are. We need to curtail their activities”.

The vibrant and ebullient lawmaker thereafter called on his Honourable Colleagues to lend their voices in support of the Motion, so as to ensure that the source of security threat in the state is minimized.

The Motion which received popular support from Honourable Members present at plenary, was seconded by Hon Engr Innocent Ikechukwu Ikpamezie, Member Representing Mbaitoli State Constituency and was co-sponsored by the following 10 Honourable Members :

Showing support to the Chief Sponsor, Hon Obinna Egu, six Honourable Members made commendable contributions to the Motion.

In their respective submissions, they commended Hon Obinna Egu for coming up with the Motion, which was rightly described as a Save-Our-Soul Motion. According to them, the Motion came at the right time, insisting that most of the scrap metal scavengers are security threats in the state, going by the litany of woes and criminal acts associated with them, such as even cutting iron railings of walkways provided by the State Government, stealing goats and putting them in sack bags, abduction of little children etc. The Honourable Members therefore called for urgent measures to be put in place to check the worrisome activities of “Iron Condemn” Scavengers before it snowballs into what may no longer be controlled by government.

In his remark, the Speaker of the Imo State House Of Assembly, Rt Honourable Chike Olemgbe, noted that the activities of these scrap metal scavengers have not only become worrisome but have called for urgent attention.

Satisfied with contributions from Honourable Members, Rt Honourable Olemgbe put it to vote and it was unanimously adopted. Thereafter, he Ruled as follows :

Be It Resolved By This Honourable House To Urge The Imo State Government Through The Ministry Of Homeland Security And Vigilante Affairs And Other Security Related Agencies To Checkmate The Ugly Activities Of Scrap Metal Scavengers In Imo State, To Guarantee A More Peaceful Environment Within The State.

The Clerk was directed to communicate the Resolution of the House to His Excellency the Governor.

Abia community bans scrap scavengers

On October 29, 2024 Deputy Governor of Abia State, Ikechukwu Emetu, has commended his Ohafia kinsmen for banning metal scrap scavengers from operating in the community following their alleged link with incidents of theft and other criminal activities in the area.

The Deputy Governor spoke at Amaekpu Ohafia  during Ohafia Dialogue organised by Mben Political Assembly to advance the development of Ohafia nation.

He lamented the vandalism of Ohafia electricity installation along Itu-Ututu-Ihie-Ohafia 33KVA line by hoodlums, which many alleged to be the handiwork of scrap metal scavengers, saying it had stalled socio-economic development in the area.

He decried the activities of vandals  popularly known as Ndi Akpakara in the area.

The Deputy Governor recalled his personal efforts to actualise the Ohafia electricity project only for it to be vandalised by hoodlums.

Emetu saluted the courage of Ohafia Council of Monarchs, saying the ban will help restore sanity in the area.

The Deputy Governor, however, commended the member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal constituency, Hon. Ibe Okwara Osonwa, for drawing the attention of the National Assembly to the electricity challenges of his constituents.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that in Ebonyi state, there has not been pronounced ban on the scrap metal scavengers by the state government but residents are said to not be happy with their criminal activities.

Our source revealed that many communities have written to the state government, requesting for their outright; a request which seemed to have being falling on the deaf ears of the state government.

The post From Scavenging To Stealing: Sordid Tales Of Metal Scrap Scavengers In S/E appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

On October 25, 2021, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN introduced eNaira. The eNaira is a Central bank digital currency issued and regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Findings showed that it was the first of its type in Africa.

In any case, according to the Nigerian government under former president, Muhammadu Buhari, in 2021, during the launching eNaira was going to be pivotal and key to enabling more remittances and growing Nigeria’s economy.

The eNaira is a Central bank digital currency issued and regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Hence it was the first of its type in Africa.

Denominated in naira, the eNaira serves as both a medium of exchange and a store of value and claims to offer better payment prospects in retail transactions when compared to cash.

Nevertheless, describing the eNaira launch, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), had noted that eNaira uses the same technology as Bitcoin and Ethereum and is stored in digital wallets which can be used for payment transactions.

The move to launch eNaira 2021 came few months after the country banned cryptocurrency trading by commercial banks in the country.

Nigeria had banned cryptocurrency trading in February 2021, which made the eNaira to ensure that digital currencies are still used for trading in the country.

There have, however, been concerns on the digital currency since its launch.

According to the United Nations outline, digital payments can help countries: to access essential services, grow their economies, be more competitive in the global economy, reduce inequalities and deliver essential services as well as foster social inclusion.

Enabling a digital payment currency or payment systems also helps to deepen the digital public infrastructure (DPI) in any country.

What is eNaira all about?

The eNaira is a digital currency similar to other digital currencies including, cryptocurrency, virtual currency, and central bank digital currency. A digital currency typically is any currency, money, or money-like asset that is primarily managed, stored, or exchanged on digital computer systems, especially over the internet.

One might wonder what are the benefits and basic features of the eNaira and if it is worth using in a country like Nigeria where government financial policies are oftentimes opaque and flippant.

The eNaira is meant to provide financial inclusion to the populace by making financial services available to people or communities who do not have enough banking opportunities. The eNaira basically eases transactions and offers digital stability, thus reducing the need for physical cash.

Again, the eNaira is meant to ease trade both locally and internationally by making financial transactions cheap, quick and better. Offline banking and payments with cash take time for processing but with the eNaira, the delay is eliminated. Nigerians in the diaspora can send money into Nigeria using the eNaira and earn some incentives for doing so.

More so, the eNaira has a unique identity and security feature which makes it secure and cannot be counterfeited, unlike the paper Naira.

Another thing you need to know about the eNaira is that it aids the revenue collection process since it reduces cash handling costs. Revenue collection agencies would find this very useful in their line of work.

Unlike cryptocurrencies that have no government institutional backing, the eNaira is backed by the government and is pegged against the traditional Naira. It will not fluctuate due to market influence at a different rate from the traditional Naira. Thus 1 eNaira is equivalent to N1.

The eNaira has transaction and balance limits for individual eNaira wallets imposed by the CBN:

For Tier 0, the daily transaction and balance speed wallet limits are N20,000.00 and N120,000.00, respectively.

For Tier 1, daily transaction and balance speed wallet limits are N50,000.00 and N300,000.00, respectively.

For Tier 2 customers, daily transaction and balance speed wallet limits are N200,000.00 and N500,000.00, respectively.

Finally, for Tier 3 customers, daily transaction and balance speed wallet limits are N1,000,000.00 and N5,000,000.00, respectively, while there isn’t any limit for Merchants.

The use of the eNaira comes with charges however, the CBN stipulates that while charges for transactions that originate from the eNaira platform shall be free for the first 90 days commencing from October 25, 2021, it would revert to applicable charges as outlined in the Guide to Charges by Banks Other Financial and Non-bank Financial Institutions.

Nigerians yet to embrace eNaira

Findings by WITHIN NIGERIA showed that as of March this year, the currency in circulation stood at N3.87 trillion, out of which CBN Digital currency (eNaira) stood at N13.8billion representing a merely 0.36% of the total currency in circulation.

According to findings by our reporter, one of the biggest challenges of eNaira is that cash is the prevailing method of transaction in Nigeria.
Hence there is fluctuation in the penetration of digital currencies meant to ease the use of cash as a mode of financial transaction.

In May 2023, the International Monetary Fund noted that 98.5% of the eNaira wallets were inactive.

Findings also showed that as of September 2024, the currency in circulation stood at N4.3 trillion out of which that which was outside the bank was estimated at N4 trillion representing 93% of the currency in circulation, which shows that Nigerians still prioritise cash as against Digital currencies.
Challenges of operation of eNaira

Technology infrastructure: further checks showed there is infrastructure deficit in the eNaira implementation. The Central Bank of Nigeria needs to ensure that a robust technology infrastructure is in place to manage the eNaira. This doesn’t appear to have been clearly thought out before the launch. In February 2023, it was announced that Nigeria was in talks with a new technology provider to develop a new system to run and manage the eNaira.

The original system was built by Bitt, a global financial technology company.

It is believed that the Central Bank of Nigeria wants to develop its own software for the digital currency. The new partner would help the central bank to control the underlying technology.

A change of the technology provider two years into the project suggests the country does not have the right programme for rolling out a robust system.

Training: The idea is that financial institutions would give users access to central bank digital currency wallets while the central bank oversees the ledger and manages the system. It is, however, reported that banks and financial institution staff do not appear well trained to get users on board. So the system is not fully ready for adoption.

 Data privacy: Under the current design, the central bank will be able to see all transactions of users of the eNaira. Potential users are apprehensive about this and a solution is needed.

 Prevention of financial crimes: A tiered mechanism is in place for the issuance of eNaira wallet, depending on the level of identification documentation users provide. Each tier has certain balance and transaction limits to prevent abuse of the system.

But this is likely to limit access for the people who need financial inclusion the most.

This is so as they are likely to find it difficult fulfilling the more stringent identification requirements needed for a larger transaction limit. Also, the eNaira design uses the existing Bank Verification Number and National Identity Number regime. Poorer people are likely to be challenged getting the documentation needed for this and it can be an expensive and cumbersome process.

As this system is currently only accessible to those with bank accounts, it does not facilitate financial inclusion.

Nigeria’s electricity and internet crisis: The electricity crisis and lack of widespread access to internet connectivity across the country, especially in rural communities, is a challenge. There would be a need for offline access to the eNaira platform.

Non-functional eNaira shortcode, Never-Arriving OTP

The activeness of the platforms created by the CBN for eNaira wallets use is also susceptible, for instance, a shortcode *997# was said to have been introduced for people without smartphones to create an eNaira wallet. However, checks by WITHIN NIGERIA as of Thursday is showed that the code was inactive.

If shortcodes do not work, it would mean those with access to smartphones may be the ones that may have the chance of using eNaira.

A GSMA report noted that 68% of Nigerians in rural areas lack access to smartphones as of 2022. Only 58% of persons in Urban areas own smartphones, technically only 45% of Nigerians have access to smartphones.

The post eNaira: 3 years after, Nigerians yet to embrace digital currency appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

The travails that have befallen the self-acclaimed Prime Minister of Biafra, Simon Ekpa following his arrest by the Finnish authorities may have been worsened by the denial of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

 The situation might have been aggravated by the dissociation of the troubled Biafra chieftain by the Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB.

WITHIN NIGERIA had a chat with  Fidelis Kenneth Okwudili Chief  Minister of Biafra Independence Movement/Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, BIM/MASSOB in Enugu North zone of Enugu state.

The secessionist group said Simon Ekpa was never a MASSOB/BIM, and so, they don’t have any business with him whatsoever.

The group also talked about 13th Ojukwu Memorial Day celebration scheduled to hold on November 26.

Excerpts

What is the memorial all about?

It is for the commemoration of Okemba Nnewi who fought for the liberation of Biafrans. BIM/ MASSOB gives Ojuwu that honor because Ojuwu is father of Igbo Nation. We celebrate him every 26th Nov to the tell the world  that Ojuwu still alive

What is the position of MASSOB/BIM on the arrest of Simon Ekpa in Finland?

BIM MASSOB welcome all the groups but never support group that preach violence

Is his arrest a challenge to MASSOB/BIM?

MASSOB stands for non-violence non exodus. We are not ready to speak for any body that thinks he or she can get Biafra independence through violence.

So, Simon Ekpa should be given Nnamdi Kanu’s treatment, right?

My leader Chief Ralph Uwazuluike is the father of peace in Igbo Nation and in Nigeria at Large. BIM/MASSOB can’t be happy when our properties are destroyed, our business collapses, killing going on in South East in the name of sit-at-home order. This is totally unacceptable in our land.

What crime did Simon Ekpa commit for championing the cause of Biafra in this regard?

He is the one to answer this

But, remember some MASSOB members are also accused of violence. What do you say about it?

MASSOB condemned  and continues to condemn any violence in South East in the name of Biafra.

Can you say that MASSOB/BIM is completely free from violence?

Anybody or security agent that  accusing MASSOB of violence that person is not well.

Let’s talk about Ojukwu memorial. You said MASSOB don’t support violence to actualize Biafra but Ojukwu whom you remember every Nov. 26 went to war for Biafra. What do say about this contradiction?

Point of correction Ojuwu never go to war to actualize Biafra.Is  Gowon that forth war against Biafra. Even do Ojuwu never one day prepared for war but he used his own money fight the war to defend Igbo Nation , that is why Ojuwu is a father for ndigb. That is why Biafra celebrate him every 26th Nov.

Mr. Okwudili, do you believe that Biafra can be actualized without violence?

100%  sure. Uwazuluike is the only person that started it in Africa and I believe he have already succeeded

Do you MASSOB support sit-at-home order?

MASSOB started sit-at-home in 2004 by Chief Ralph Uwazuluike. The order of sit-at home in 2004 is voluntary not by killing innocent people and destroying properties

MASSOB under the leadership of chief Ralph Uwazuluike can never support sit-at home that killing and destroying properties become the order of the day.

But remember initially that MASSOB was accused of starting violence when Uwazuluike engaged security agents in violence.

You can never have Biafra by adopting violence, the division of Nigeria must discus in round table, any body that is killing people to actualize Biafra independence is number one enemy of Ndigbo

Do you remember, MASSOB was accused of violence when the leader engaged security agents in violent confrontation?

Uwazuluike never engaged any security agent in violence, He adopted the principle of non violence non exodus from India. He was arrested more than 17 times Uwazuluike had never been accused of any violence

How far is Biafra from us, I mean the actualization of Biafra sovereignty?

Recently the enemy of Biafra hired a  bishop to destroy Uwazuluike house in Owerri just to know if Uwazuluike will revenge. Nonsense. To answer your question Biafra is with you.

When will the Biafra Actualization pull through?

To ask when Biafra will come, Biafra is with you. The only thing that is remaining is Biafra recognition. We are asking UN to recognize Biafra.

And what did UN tell you about the recognition?

They said that the recognition of Biafra will start from Nigeria.

Why has Biafra not being recognized by other foreign countries?

We have 25 stages to go

What are those steps?

It is best known to us.

So, how close is MASSOB with Simon Ekpa in this lofty dream?

 MASSOB never knew who is Simon Ekpa.

Even in the struggle for Biafra?

Every body can talk about Biafra just like Simon Ekpa.

Nnamdi Kanu has been in prison for years. Now Simon Ekpa has been arrested and may be extradited to face criminal charges in Nigeria. Don’t you think all these may hinder the actualization of Biafra sovereignty?

It is only Uwazuluike that can decide anything about Biafra, no body can stop Biafra actualization

What are the events line up for Ojukwu memorial day?

 Just to honor Eze Igbo gburugburu.

The post INTERVIEW: We Don’t Know Simon Ekpa— MASSOB appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

In recent times, South East zone comprising Enugu, Abia, Imo, Anambra and Ebonyi states have been living with no fear of any security threats on Mondays which is said to be sacred in the zone.

In fact, in the last quarter of last year, the Monday sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has gradually collapsed, leaving many businesses to throw their doors open on Mondays.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that aside banks, all other service providers like schools, private businesses and government offices have continued to open on Mondays, ignoring the Monday sit-at-home order.

However, few months ago, the security situation has continued to deteriorate, as the unknown gun men have resumed their atrocious operation, killing security operatives and innocent citizens especially on Mondays.

In any case, in August 2024, unknown gunmen killed a policeman and injured another following an attack on their convoy at Ubakala in Umuahia South council area, Abia State.

This is happening four days after some yet-to-be-identified gunmen also killed two soldiers at a checkpoint in Umuopara Umuahia, near the Abia-Imo border.er of two4 / 1:00

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the policemen, said to be attached to one of the federal lawmakers in the state, were travelling at about 9 p.m. that Sunday when the gunmen attacked their convoy at Ubakala.

However, the lawmaker was not in the convoy at the time of the attack.

Police sources told newsmen that the gunmen dressed in black and wearing police jackets had blocked the convoy, which had the two policemen and a driver in a Toyota Corolla.

The gunmen opened fire on the policemen after they identified themselves as police officers.

In the ensuing gunfire, a policeman was killed, while the other was injured and being feared dead.

The source added that the gunmen fled the scene as policemen from nearby Ubakala Division responded with gunfire.

On November 4, there was tension and pandemonium at Owerrinta, located along the Umuahia-Aba Federal Expressway in Abia state as Gunmen opened fire and attacked the Police Rapid Response Squad facility killing a female detainee.

The state Commissioner of Police, Danladi Isa, said the gunmen attacked the RRS facility at about midnight with three Hilux .

It was gathered that the murdered detainee was arrested in connection with a child trafficking case.

The gunmen arrived in about three Hilux vehicles and opened fire on the RRS facility at about midnight.

The state Commissioner of Police, Danladi Isa, said the gunmen arrived in about three Hilux vehicles and opened fire on the RRS facility at about midnight on Monday, November 4.

According to his report,  Isa said one suspect was arrested with the assailants while attempting to release detainees. “Our personnel repelled the attack. However, the assailants used dynamite to blow off our roof. In their attempt to release detainees, they opened fire, resulting in the tragic death of a female suspect.”

“Following the incident, we pursued the suspects using technical methods and successfully arrested one individual. The police are currently interrogating him to identify other accomplices. We are making progress.”

Recall also that few months before,  gunmen attacked a police checkpoint and killed two officers in June 2024. The daredevil gunmen also injured one other policeman during the attack at Opobo junction along Ikot Ekpene Road, Ogbor Hill.

The tragic incident happened barely a month after some soldiers attached to the 144 Battalion in Aba, were killed.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that Abia state has reportedly been on fire for some months as no fewer than three Nigerian soldiers were killed by masked gunmen in the commercial city of Aba in Abia state in May 2024.

The gunmen who attacked the soldiers unaware in SUVs burnt their patrol van and the outpost at Obikabia junction. It was gathered that military aircraft started hovering around Aba city centre after the attack on Thursday, May 30.

Again on July 21, unknown gun men spread another sorrow in the state as a police Inspector identified as Shehu Oyibo attached to the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, and three civilians  were killed as gunmen attacked a police patrol team along Mosque street by Ngwa road, Aba, Abia State.

This is three weeks after gunmen killed two policemen at Opobo junction, Ogbor Hill Aba.

The gunmen who operated in a Toyota Sienna bus at Mosque street by Ngwa road, were said to have opened fire on sighting the police team in the area.

However, the police team repelled the attack. In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, three civilians identified as Chika Godliveth, Onyeaturuchi Jonah and Eniobong God’s Gift Clement, were killed by stray bullets.

Police public Relations Officer, Abia State Command, ASP Maureen Chinaka, stated that two gunmen were also killed in the attack while others escaped with bullet wounds.

However, eyewitnesses told newsmen that more people were injured and may have died in the attack.

The PPRO disclosed that the corpses have been deposited at a morgue in the city.

She said;”Today, July 21, 2024, at about 11.28hrs,  police operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Aba, Abia State Command, while on patrol along Ngwa Road by Mosque junction, Aba, were attacked by armed men assailants in an ash-colored Sienna vehicle. The armed men opened fire on the police personnel, and the operatives repelled the attack, preventing what could have been a deadlier outcome.

“However, during the exchange of gunfire, two of the assailants were neutralized, while others escaped with various degrees of bullet injuries. Unfortunately, a police officer, Inspector Shehu Oyibo, three civilians who were later identified as Chika Godliveth ‘m’, Onyenaturuchi Jonah ‘m’ 32 years old, from Item, in Bende L.G.A of Abia State, and Eniobong Godsgift Clement ‘f’, 18 years old, from Akwa Ibom State were killed by bullets from the assailants.

“Bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the mortuary, while investigation is ongoing to arrest the fleeing hoodlums.”

The PPRO urged the public to go about their lawful activities without fear, as officers have been deployed to strategic locations in the state to ensure the protection of life and property.

She also urged residents to report any suspicious movements or individuals with bullet injuries to the police.

Enugu state was also not spared from this dastardly scene as unknown gun men continued to unleash mayhem, terror on the zone.

On August 20, 2024, at least four personnel of the Nigerian Police Force were killed by gunmen who attacked popular Four Corner Junction, Ozalla, in Nkanu West LGA in the state.

A community source who spoke to newsmen said the policemen were conducting a stop-and-search at a checkpoint when the gunmen opened fire on them.

A video  which later surface on the X on Tuesday showed the lifeless body of a police officer in uniform on the expressway, while a police patrol vehicle burnt nearby.

A user who posted the video wrote: “Policemen just lost their lives at four corner junction, Enugu state…the Expressway that leads to Imo, Abia state from Enugu.”

“Unknown gunmen attacked the police checkpoint at four corners Enugu today being Sunday and killed policemen at Tomorrow is sit at home in Biafra land if you know you know,” another one added.

A former Information Minister and 2023 All Progressives Grand Alliance governorship candidate, Dr Frank Nweke Jr., condemned the attack, describing it as an act of wickedness.
In a statement on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday, Dr Nweke said, “Earlier today, the Ozalla community in Nkanu West LGA, Enugu, experienced the terror of so-called unknown gunmen who attacked policemen on checkpoint duty at the Four Corner Junction along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway. Their patrol vehicle was also destroyed by fire.

“I extend my condolences to the families of the deceased and the men and officers of the Enugu Police Command. It is unacceptable for anyone to die in such a brutal manner while simply performing their duty to protect citizens and maintain public order.”

Ebonyi state also had its own share of the terror as on March 8, 2024 a gang of gunmen killed no fewer than four police officers in Ebonyi State in the wee hours of Friday.

The incident took place at the popular Ebyia Bridge Checkpoint along Hill-Top Road, Abakaliki, around 5 am on Friday.

Also killed were two ladies who were caught in the gunfight.

It was gathered that gunmen had reportedly attacked and killed many security operatives in the state recently.

A resident, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that the assailants were allegedly returning from an operation when they opened fire on the officers.

The source said, “My dear our area has become a hit zone for hoodlums. Just this morning, we heard another incident in which some policemen were killed by suspected armed robbers at Hill-Top Road near the gas station.

“And you know that a similar incident happened at the same spot last year where some police officers were also killed by an armed gang.

“Some of the slain officers in last year’s attack are yet to be buried; and now another six policemen have lost their lives in the same manner, including two girls just this morning.

“Those two ladies were said to be girlfriends of the slain officers; while some claimed that they were prostitutes who were returning home this morning.”

The Ebonyi State Police Command confirmed the incident, but however, acknowledged that four, instead of five of its operatives were killed.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ukandu Joshua, said this in a statement that Friday, which read thus; “Today 08/03/2024 at about 05:00 am, operatives of the Command who were posted to duty at Hill-Top stop and search/pin-down point along Nwofe Road, at the outskirts of Abakaliki, were attacked by armed hoodlums, who shot sporadically at the operatives.

“The operatives engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun duel, and in the ensuing gun battle, the hoodlums scampered and abandoned a pump action rifle which was recovered. However, four (4) of the operatives paid the supreme price, while two (2) civilians were caught in the crossfire and killed,” the statement read.

By and large, on July 30, 2024,Gunmen reportedly killed four police operatives in Imo State.

The incident, WITHIN NIGERIA gathered, occurred at about 6:30 p.m. on Monday along Owerri-Onitsha Road in Owerri, the state capital.

A source in the area explained on Monday night that the hoodlums attacked the operatives at their checkpoint in the area.

“Yes. The gunmen attacked the policemen at their checkpoint close to Blossom Hotel and killed four of them,” the source said.

“They also shot at passers-by, but only one lady who used to do POS at the junction died at the spot. She was shot at close range,” he stated.

Another witness, who asked not to be named, said the attackers must have been enforcers of the illegal sit-at-home order, given their style of operation.

“Aside from the police people they killed, they were just shooting at people indiscriminately as if they wanted people to go home,” he said.

He lamented that the area had become a hotbed of gunmen attacks lately.

The police spokesperson in Imo State, Henry Okoye, has confirmed the killing. He said in a statement on Monday that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was behind the attack.

The operatives were ambushed while on a routine patrol at Irete, at the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway, he said.

Mr Okoye said the Commissioner of Police in Imo, Aboki Danjuma, has condemned the killing of the operatives and the civilian, describing it as a “gruesome murder.”

The spokesperson said the police commissioner “has deployed the command’s Tactical Units with the available operational assets and intelligence to go all out in synergy with other security agencies and hunt down the hoodlums responsible for the attack”.

The latest attack occurred exactly one month after unknown gun men killed six persons in Okigwe Local Government Area of the state.

On September 5, 2024 unknown gun men attacked Imo state in two separate attacks. Our reporter gathered that on Tuesday night and in the wee hours of Wednesday, unknown gun men killed two vigilante members guarding Isiala Mbano Local Government Area headquarters, and a policeman after setting ablaze the Obowo Police Station in Imo State.

It was gathered on Wednesday that the gunmen also burnt some vehicles parked at the council premises.

Findings also showed that from an eyewitness who spoke on the condition of anonymity that the “gunmen stormed the secretariat around 8:30 pm on Tuesday and shot sporadically, killing two vigilante members on duty and setting part of the council building on fire.”

Confirming the incident, another eyewitness who spoke newsmen  said, “Two security men at the Isiala Mbano council headquarters have been shot dead. The gunmen also set ablaze a larger portion of the council building and several vehicles parked on the premises. Many others escaped with various degrees of injuries.”

“There was palpable fear in Umuelemai, the Isiala Mbano LGA headquarters, because people ran away to neighbouring villages for fear of being killed.”

In the early Wednesday attack, the gunmen razed the Obowo Police Station and killed an unnamed police officer by the NEPA Junction, Umulogho, Obowo Local Government Area.

WITHIN NIGERIA  gathered that the gunmen dragged the police officer out of his residence and killed him with a machete, subsequently cutting his throat and wrist.

An eyewitness, who pleaded with our correspondent to remain unnamed, said, “The gunmen were not in a haste to leave as they made sure that no police officer was found living in that compound. They left after about 45 minutes of their unhindered operation, shooting sporadically to scare away residents.”

However, the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, said the perpetrators of the heinous crimes would be apprehended and made to face the full weight of the law. He said the command’s tactical team had been deployed to the areas to assure residents of protection of lives and property.

He said, “We are in pursuit of the perpetrators of the heinous crimes. They would be apprehended and made to face the full weight of the law soon.”

Reacting to the multiple attacks, a human rights advocate, Nnaemeka Onyejiuwa of the Citizens Centre for Integrated Development and Social Rights, said, “These are attacks too many. The government at all levels and the Imo State Police Command should beef up security towards the protection of lives and property in the state.

“It’s a dangerous trend that non-state actors are causing panic in the state when we have joint security operatives in the state. For Imo residents to witness two attacks at the same time and they were not repelled sends dangerous signals.”

On November 16, 2024 unknown gunmen suspected to be sit-at-home enforcers killed four vigilante operatives in two communities in Anambra State.

According to sources, the incident occurred in the early hours of Monday, as the attackers launched deadly assaults on individuals they identified as violators of the sit-at-home order.

According to source,three of the vigilante operatives were attached to the security detail of the President-General of the Abatete Development Organization (ADO) in Idemili North Local Government Area, High Chief Ezebinobi Ezigbo.

The operatives were reportedly killed on the spot, while Chief Ezigbo allegedly sustained severe bullet wounds.

In another attack at Ukpo, in Dunukofia Local Government Area, the gunmen killed one vigilante operative and set their vehicle ablaze. Other members of the team narrowly escaped with their lives.

Confirming the incidents, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, told reporters by phone that while the command had received the reports, details remained sketchy. He added that a full-scale investigation has been launched to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.

Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Dr. Law Mefor, also confirmed the attack in Abatete, his hometown. Speaking from Abuja, where he is currently on official duty, he condemned the act as heinous and unwarranted.

This is coming barely two months when on September 16, 2024, some yet-to-be-identified assailants on Monday attacked the Umunze Police Station in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Some sources and residents in the area said the assailants stormed the police facility in the early hours of Monday, shooting severally into the air before forcefully gaining entrance into the premises.

According to the sources, during the attack, some police officers were shot dead as the assailants caught them unawares while some parts of the premises were set ablaze using improvised explosive devices.

One of the eyewitnesses said, “The masked hoodlums shot severally into the air as they marched towards the gate of the police premises. It happened early this morning and it was the gunshots that woke the neighbourhood and sent panic into the area.

“They shot and injured some police officers as they forcefully entered the premises. The incident happened within a short space of time, they burnt some parts of the building and were about to cause more mayhem before the attack was repelled in an exchange of gunfire by the officers on duty, after which the hoodlums escaped back into their hideouts.”

The latest attack is coming less than a month after some gunmen attacked the Oba Police Divisional Headquarters and Oba Civic Centre, in Idemili South LGA of the state, during which a police corporal was killed and several others injured. The facility was also set ablaze.

The Spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident in a statement, saying the police have launched a manhunt on the fleeing assailants.

Ikenga said, “The Joint Security Forces comprising of the Police, Army, Navy, Civil defence and other security agencies recovered five unexploded improvised explosives and are on the trail of the arsonists and armed secessionist group members, who in the early hours of today 16/9/2024 attacked the Umunze Police Station.

“The suspected armed proscribe group invaded the police facility with improvised explosives, shooting sporadically and fire caught part of the station.

“Unfortunately, two of the police operatives on duty during the gun battle in a bid to resist the assailants from causing more havoc paid the supreme price. Their bodies have been recovered and taken to the morgue.”

He added that the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Nnaghe Itam, had visited the scene, for an on-the-spot assessment to reinforce and reassess security deployment.

“The CP calls on anyone who has any information that will aid the investigation to come forward. He also assures utmost confidentiality to any such information in this regard, please,” Ikenga added.

The post Sit-At-Home: S/E In Fear As Unknown Gun Men Resume Attack,  Unleash Mayhem, Terror On Security Agents, Citizens appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

On November 1, 2024, the Chairman of Igbo Etiti Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State, Eric Odo, appointed a Senior Special Assistant on Garden Egg and Pepper.

Odo also appointed a Senior Special Assistant Yam and Pepper.

Mr. Odo was among the 17 new local government chairmen sworn-in on September 30, 2024.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that while Ezeugwu Frederick Ogbonna was appointed an assistant on Yam and Pepper, Nwodo Everestus Ugonna was appointed to advise the Chairman on Garden Egg and Pepper.

According to their letter of appointment dated November 1, and made available to WITHIN NIGERIA, both Nwodo and Ezeugwu have been directed to report to the office of the executive chairman Igbo Etiti LGA, Ogbede, for briefing and deployment.

“I am pleased to inform you that the executive chairman Igbo Etiti LGA has approved your appointment as senior special assistant to the local government chairman on agriculture (yam and pepper),” Ezeugwu’s letter reads.

“You should report to the executive chairman Igbo Etiti LGA, Ogbede, for briefing and deployment.

“It is pertinent to note that this is not a career civil service appointment but a temporary appointment which you hold at the pleasure of the executive chairman of Igbo Etiti LGA.”

While Ugonna’s appointment letter partly read: “I am pleased to inform you that the executive chairman Igbo Etiti LGA has approved your appointment as senior special assistant to the Local Government chairman on agriculture (garden egg & pepper).”

However, the appointment has continued to generate a lot of controversies. While many condemn the council chair for the appointment, others praise him.

However, Obinna Ugwuada while reacting to the appointment told WITHIN NIGERIA that it’s innovative and could end up being a good approach to governance at the local government level where farming needs to be accorded all the attention it deserves. So appointing SSAs to oversee efforts on specific crops will enable the Chairman to know who to hold to account at every moment. Governance should be structured according to the needs of the local environment and I think that is the approach intended with these appointments.

Josh Will frowned at the appointment, stressing that, “this is how they messed up former Governor of Enugu state Administration with SA and TA. This one is also not going to achieve anything if he continues this way”

The chairman defends the appointment

On Wednesday, the council chairman, Dr Eric Odo, faulted negative online media reports on the said appointment

Odo told newsmen in Enugu on that the appointment of SSAs on Agriculture, specifically on Garden Egg, Yam and Pepper was a strategic move.

According to him, the appointment was meant to boost production of these crops in large quantity to satisfy local demands and for export.

The chairman said that the LGA was good in growing these crops and had great comparative advantage, hence the need to engage individuals who had the competence to develop that aspect of agriculture.

In his words, “Their appointments are to ensure that local farmers receive adequate attention, needed resources, support and expertise to enhance production, improve market access and increase income for farmers.

“In essence, the appointment, which is wrongly misunderstood by disgruntled individuals, bad losers and opposition, reinforces my determination to creating a thriving local economy based on the strength and potentials of Igbo-Etiti’s agricultural landscape.”

The chairman also said that the decision was well thought out, aimed at enhancing productivity, job creation, and to uplift farmers and communities for both short-term and long-term development goals.

He urged the public to disregard any online or offline comment aimed at discrediting his laudable and visionary efforts to reposition and set Igbo-Etiti council area on the path of massive food production and sustainable development.

The post Enugu: Knocks, Praises As LGA Chair Appoints SAs On Yam, Garden Egg, Pepper appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

On Thursday, November 7, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters confirmed that a new terror group named Lakurawa also know as Mujahidin has emerged in Nigeria and is operating in the Northwest region of the country.

According to the Spokesman of  Defence Media Operation (DMO), Major General Edward Buba, who broke the news during a press briefing in Abuja, the terrorists are not of Nigerian origin but have majorly been operating in Northen Sokoto and Kebbi States.

General Buba also assured Nigerians that the military has intensified its operations and will flush out the terrorists to ensure the safety of the people.

Since the press briefing by the Defence Headquarters, there has palpable fear in the country over the current security challenges palpitated by the new terror group.

WITHIN NIGERIA findings showed that for close to five years now, Nigeria and indeed the West African Sub-region has grappling with security challenges in the form of kidnapping, banditry and killings across the region.

Nigeria rating in the Global Terrorism Index(GTI)

In March 2024, Nigeria finds itself once again in an uncomfortable position with the ongoing battle against terrorism with its recent ranking in the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) underscoring the persistent challenges the nation faces in combating extremism.

The GTI, published annually by the Institute for Economics and Peace, serves as a comprehensive analysis of the impact of terrorism worldwide, assessing factors such as terrorist incidents, fatalities, injuries, and property damage.

However, with a score of 7.575, Nigeria’s placement in the index signals a continuing struggle against terrorism within its borders raising concerns both domestically and internationally.

Nigeria’s ranking among countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, and Somalia – all known for their protracted conflicts – highlights the severity of the situation within the nation.

According to GTI, “Nigeria recorded its first increase in terrorism in three years in 2023, with total deaths rising by 34 percent to 524. This year marks Nigeria’s highest death toll since 2020, driven by a surge in conflict between ISWA and Boko Haram. If the conflict between these two groups was excluded, terrorism deaths would have declined by 18 percent”.

Findings showed that one of the most alarming aspects of Nigeria’s position in the GTI is the longevity of its struggle against terrorism. Despite concerted efforts by the government and security forces, the threat of extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) continues to loom large over the country.

The report highlighted “deaths from terrorism rose to 8,352 in 2023, a 22 percent increase from the prior year”.

Also, Nigeria is one of ten countries responsible for 87 percent of global terrorism-related deaths, with its share amounting to 6 percent.

While Burkina Faso, Israel, Mali, Pakistan, Syria, Niger, Somalia, Myanmar, and Cameroon account for 23 percent, 14 percent, 9 percent, 8 percent, 8 percent, 6 percent, 5 percent, 4 percent, and 3 percent of global terrorism-related deaths respectively, the rest of the world collectively represents 13 percent.

According to the Global Terrorism Index report, (GTI), the following eight countries rank high in terms of terrorism.

Burkina Faso’s score of 8.571 indicates escalating terrorism in the Sahel.
Israel’s high ranking of 8.143 showcases global terrorism’s complex dynamics.
Mali’s score of 7.998 reflects ongoing instability post-rebellion.
Pakistan’s score of 7.916 shows an entrenched fight against terrorism.
Syria’s ranking of 7.890 mirrors multifaceted conflict.
Afghanistan’s score of 7.825 signifies persistent post-conflict challenges.
Somalia’s ranking of 7.814 highlights security fragility amid civil war.
Nigeria’s placement at 7.575 reaffirms its status as a terrorism epicenter in sub-Saharan Africa.

Nevertheless, with the Boko Haram, ISWA and banditry activities still very much active in the country and spreading across the sub-region, the emergency of new terror group, lukawaras is a inexplicable security set back in the region.

Where did Lukarawas come from?

By and large, as noted by Buba, the terrorists are not from Nigeria. They are a cross-border terror group whose members come from Mali, Libya, and Niger. They gained entrance into Nigeria through the borders it shared with the two mentioned countries, and this was only possible due to weakened border security, caused by the coup in Niger Republic. With this explanation, it could be deduced that the new terror group was imported into the country through insecurity in other neighbouring countries.

How did Niger coup contribute to the emergency of Lakurawas?

The Niger coup might have come and gone but the security impacts have continued to rear their ugly heads in the sub-region.

Before now, Niger, along with other countries in the Lake Chad Basin (Cameroon, Chad, and Nigeria) were part of a Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) that worked closely to fight terrorism in the area, but a coup affected their operations.

In July 2023, factions in Niger’s military overthrew the government of the country and suspended its constitution. To pressure the military to back down and restore democratic government, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which Niger belongs, imposed some sanctions on the country and suspended it from the regional bloc. As a result of this, Niger pulled out of the MJTF, and this led to weakened border security which gave the Lakurawa terrorists a way in.

Motives of the Lukarawas terror group

Lakurawa is a faith-based terrorist group which shares similar beliefs with Boko Haram, and just like the dreadful group that has terrorised Nigeria’s Northeast for years, Lakurawa seeks to uphold the teachings of Islam wherever it is. Since they set up base, they have tried to impose Sharia law in the communities where they operate.

When did the terrorists enter Nigeria?

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the terror group has been in Nigeria before now; As far back as 2018, they were reportedly invited by some communities to help with their bandit problem. Lakurawas came in, fought off the bandits and restored some calm in the communities but settled down and attempted to impose Sharia law on the locals instead of returning to their countries– things remained that way until the Nigerian military and the Department of State Services (DSS) conducted a joint operation in 2019 that sent them packing.

There is no consensus as to when Lakurawa re-entered Nigeria again, but the earliest mention of the group by the media can be traced back to July 2023 thanks to a complaint by Sani Yakubu, a lawmaker representing Tangaza/Gudu Federal Constituency of Sokoto State in the House of Representatives.

During a plenary session, Yakubu complained that both local bandits and the Lakurawa terrorist group were terrorising his constituency and that swift intervention was needed. “The Lakurawa who claimed to be jihadists from Niger, Mali and Libya and the local Bandits terrorising the area. The two used to be sworn enemies, but have now joined forces, making it more difficult for the deployed security operatives to address the insecurity in the general area,” Yakubu said.

Their level of terrorism in communities in Sokoto and Kebbi

The terrorist group has caused harm in the communities they penetrated. According to reports,  the Lakurawa terrorist group has done the following since they began their operations:

They have beat up young people who shave their beards, have on a different hairstyle, or listen to music.

They fought, defeated and indoctrinated local bandits and have become one with them

They collect religious taxes from locals and punish those who refuse to pay by seizing their cows

They have robbed locals of their money and some other belongings

They have offered some young people the sum of 1 million to join their operation.

How dangerous are they?

According to eyewitness accounts of locals in Sokoto suggest that they have sophisticated weapons, use drones, and conduct coordinated attacks against government officials.

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters say they were only able to gain grounds in the communities because they started off by defending communities against bandits and were, as a result, accommodated by locals who assumed the group had good intentions for them. Locals initially accommodated them, thinking they had good intentions for them, only reporting their presence when the group started terrorising the

Where is the terror group?

The Lukarawas terrorist group is currently hiding out in Tsauni forest, a large area spanning across Kebbi and Sokoto; however, the Nigerian military is actively conducting operations to flush the terrorists out. It has also declared nine people believed to be members of the terror group wanted. Their names are Abu Khadijah, Abdurrahman, Dadi Gumba (also known as  Abu Muhammed), Usman Shehu, Abu Yusuf, Musa Wa’a, Idris Taklakse, Ibrahim Suyeka, and Ba Sulhu.

Recent activities of the group

On November 9, 2024, at least fifteen people were killed and several others wounded when new terror group Lukarawas attacked a rural community in northwest Kebbi state after stealing livestock, residents said.

Witnesses said the insurgents arrived on motorbikes in the village of Mera in Kebbi’s Augie local government area on Friday and attempted to seize cattle from the villagers.

When residents resisted, gunfire erupted, leaving fifteen dead and forcing others to flee. Two insurgents also died, the witnesses said.

A local traditional ruler Samaila Mera said this was the first attack by the group in the area.

State deputy governor Abubakar Tafida, who attended a funeral for the victims on Saturday, said the government was working closely with the security agencies to prevent further attacks.

Implications on the sub-region

Nigeria and indeed West Africa sub-region have been grappling with a long-running insurgency.  In the northeast Nigeria, these terrorists group are very much active and primarily driven by the Islamist armed group Boko Haram and its offshoot Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The emergence of the new terrorists group will no doubt worsen the security situation in the sub-region.

For almost two decades now, Boko Haram insurgents have held the region in the jugular and killed over thirty thousand persons.

Again, the economic impacts of the new terrorists group stems from the fact that it will further contrast the free movement of goods and services in the region.

Furthermore, as indicated before, the activities of the new terror group which involves keeping for ransom will incite more fear in the already beleaguered sub-region.

WITHIN NIGERIA findings showed that when Boko Haram insurgents emerged in 2007, nobody took them serious until they escalated their attacks so much so that thousands have gone to their early grave as a result of their suicide bombing and nefarious acts.

The post Emergence Of Lukarawas Terrorists Group And Security Implications On West Africa Sub-Region appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

On May 26, 2023 Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari Commissioned the Ebonyi State International Airport in Southeast Nigeria.

It was gathered that flight operation was carried out in April, few weeks to the commissioning with about two airlines landing in the facility.

The Airport which was named after Nigeria’s President but later renamed after former Senate President Chuba Okadigbo is situated in Onueke, Abakaliki, the State Capital.

According to the economic plans of the project, the Airport will boost the Economy of the State in particular and Nigeria at large.

During the commissioning, President Buhari Commended Governor Umahi’s prudence in the management of the State resources.

Speaking during the commissioning of the multimillion naira project President Buhari stated that “am delighted with the level of Development in Ebonyi State under the watch of Governor David Umahi. Umahi has done tremendously well in the development of the State.”

The Governor of the State, Engr David  Umahi also thanked President Mohammadu Buhari for all he has done in Nigeria and Ebonyi State in particular.

“Let me thank President Muhammadu Buhari for all the support he has given to the Ebonyi people. There has never been a time I run to him to help Ebonyi State that he  declined.”

However, more than eighteen months after the commissioning of the project, no single flight, both local and international has landed in the gigantic airport.

It was also gathered that the airport has been turned into a church of some sort as some churches use the facility for their Sunday worship.

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that though the newly commissioned airport, which was expected to boost the state’s economy and connectivity, has instead become a gathering ground for worship services as no airlines or passengers have yet utilized its facilities.

Further findings by our reporter showed that nearly two years after its grand opening, the airport remains devoid of commercial flights, leaving its expansive halls and open spaces largely empty.

With the anticipated influx of travelers still unfulfilled, some residents have repurposed sections of the airport as a venue for religious gatherings.

It was gathered that the ugly development has raised questions regarding the planning and operational readiness of the project, which was initially hailed as a transformative infrastructural advancement for the state.

In response to the lack of airline presence, community members and stakeholders have expressed mixed reactions. While some view the religious use of the facility as a practical way to utilize an otherwise empty space, others question the allocation of state resources to a project that has yet to deliver on its promise of economic growth and accessibility for Ebonyi State.

The government has yet to provide a statement regarding timelines for commercial flights to begin operations, leaving the future of Ebonyi State’s airport in uncertainty.

One of the community, Friday Ogodo told WITHIN NIGERIA that “it is very unfortunate that such gigantic project which gulped huge state resources is being used just as a worship centre. I am not happy with the situation but what can I do.”

In a telephone chat, Mr. Ogodo stated that “if the state government cannot use it now let the facility be a joint partnership other firm or firms who may be of help to give maximum use it deserves.”

Another indigene of the state Mr. James Nwagu told our reporter that “ the people of Ebonyi state are not quite happy with the state over the abandonment of this project. Though initially when the project was being conceived, majority of the indigenes of the state kicked against it on the ground that it seemed like white elephant project.”

Explaining, further, Mr. Nwagu said “how can you build such project when majority of our graduates in the state are jobless? How can you build such project when there is high level of poverty and illiteracy in the state?  Our hospitals are empty, our teachers and civil servants are being owed their salaries. Honestly speaking, that fund would have been channeled towards other developmental projects other than this white elephant project.”

Ebonyi state government reacts to the alleged abandonment

As the disaffection over the alleged abandonment of the facility continues to grow, Ebonyi State Government has said that flight operations at the Airport is expected to begin in November.

The State Commissioner for Aviation, Mrs Ngozi Obichukwu, made this known while briefing Governor Francis Nwifuru during his inspection of the facility.

The inspection was as part of activities to mark the state’s 28th anniversary.

Obichukwu said that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, had inspected the airport’s runway which, she said, was the only aspect delaying the commencement of flight operations.

According to the commissioner, “The 3.1kilometre runway which can accommodate five aircrafts at a time was asphalted by the present administration in the state.

“The airport had earlier commenced operations but most aircraft could not cope with the runway due to non-asphalting of the concrete basement used in constructing it.

“We, however, commenced the asphalting of the runway in October 2023 and completed it on July 8, 2024,” she said.

Explaining further, she said that NCAA had inspected the runway and was expected to give approval for flight operations by November.

The post 2 Years After, Ebonyi State Airport Turned To Worship Centre appeared first on WITHIN NIGERIA.

Recently, President Bola Tinubu transmitted four tax reform bills to the National Assembly to streamline tax collection, ensure compliance, and optimise revenue.

In a letter to the Senate and House of Representatives that Thursday, the president said the bills will provide a clear and concise framework for the efficient administration of all tax laws, ensuring compliance and reducing tax disputes.

The bill is entitled, “An Act to Repeal Certain Acts on Taxation and Consolidate the Legal Frameworks Relating to Taxation and Enact the Nigeria Tax Act to Provide for Taxation of Income, Transactions and Instruments, and for Related Matters.”

The president transmitted the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill which seeks to repeal the Federal Inland Revenue Service Bill N0. 13 of 2007 and establish the Nigeria Revenue Service, to access, collect and account for revenue accrued to the federation.

The president also transmitted the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill which seeks to establish the Joint Revenue Board, the Tax Appeal Tribunal, and the Office of the Tax Ombudsman for the harmonisation and coordination and settlement of disputes arising from revenue administration in Nigeria.

The other bills are the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024 which is expected to provide the fiscal work for tax in the country, and the Tax Administration Bill which will provide a clear and concise legal framework for all taxes in the country.

In his words, President stated that “I write to forward herewith the Fiscal and Tax Reform Bills by the Federal Inland Revenue Service for consideration and passage by the Senate.

“The proposed tax bills present substantial benefits to align with my government’s objectives on fiscal reform and economic growth by enhancing taxpayer compliance, strengthening our fiscal institutions, and fostering a more effective and transparent fiscal regime.”

The president urged the Senate to give the bills expeditious consideration.

Godswill Akpabio, the Senate president, referred the bills to the Senate committee on finance and mandated the committee to report back in three weeks.

Key provisions in the new proposed tax bill

Expectedly, since its transmission, the bill has sparked significant controversies and protests among Nigerians.

By and large, Governors and traditional rulers of Northern Nigerian states convened have convened and unanimously rejected the bill. They said the contents of the proposed tax bill do not align with the interests of the North and other sub-national entities.

Facts to know about the proposed bill

In any case, there are salient issues, clauses that are attached to the proposed tax bill, which have led to the oppositions and punches the bill has continued to receive from some sections of the country.

Increase in VAT

WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that according to Section 146 of the bill, it proposes to raise the value added tax (VAT) from 7.5 percent to 10 percent by 2025, with further increases to 12.5 percent from 2026 to 2029, and 15 percent from 2030 onwards.

Our findings also revealed that the value of taxable supplies includes the total consideration plus VAT for monetary transactions or the market value for non-monetary transactions. In cases where the transaction is part of a larger arrangement, only the relevant portion will be taxable.

For transactions between related parties or those involving non-monetary exchanges, the taxable value is determined by the equivalent market value.

More so, VAT collected by a taxable person will be called output VAT. Government bodies (federal, state, and local), their ministries, departments, agencies, and other designated agents are required to collect or withhold VAT and remit it to the tax authority as prescribed.

VAT Exemptions

The bill also explained that certain supplies will be exempted from the proposed VAT. These categories include oil and gas exports, crude petroleum oil, and feed gas. Other exempt items include: goods purchased for humanitarian projects (where the donor pays VAT upfront), baby products, locally manufactured sanitary products, military hardware, arms, and ammunition supplied to security agencies.

Additionally, electricity generated by generation companies (GENCOs) and supplied to the national grid or to the Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) will be exempt, along with electricity transmitted by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to electricity distribution companies (DISCOs).

27.5% Company Tax

According to Section 56 of the bill, it  outlines tax rates to be imposed on the total profits of companies, with small firms taxed at 0 percent. All other companies will face a tax rate of 27.5 percent in 2025, which will reduce to 25 percent from 2026. If a company’s effective tax rate is less than 15 percent in any assessment year, it must recompute and pay an additional tax to bring it up to the 15 percent threshold.

This provision applies to companies within multinational enterprise groups and any company with an aggregate turnover exceeding N20 billion in the relevant year.

4% Development Levy on Companies

Also Section 59 stipulates a development levy on the assessable profits of companies, excluding small and non-resident companies. The levy will be four percent for 2025 and 2026, three percent from 2027 to 2029, and two percent from 2030 onwards. The levy will fund the Student Education Loan Fund.

The revenue distribution is as follows: The Tertiary Education Trust Fund will receive 50 percent in 2025 and 2026, 66 percent from 2027 to 2029, and zero percent from 2030 onwards. The Student Education Loan Fund will receive 25 percent in 2025 and 2026, 33 percent from 2027 to 2029, and 100 percent from 2030 onwards.

The National Information Technology Development Fund will receive 20 percent in 2025 and 2026, and zero percent from 2027 onwards. The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure will receive 5 percent in 2025 and 2026, and zero percent from 2027 onwards.

5% Excise Tax on Lottery and Gaming Income

Section 62 and Schedule 10 of the law propose 5 percent excise duty on revenue of lottery and gaming trade or business. In determining the assessable profits of lottery and gaming trade or business, the following deductions shall be allowed, in addition to others permitted under Chapter Two of the Act: Any amount paid as winnings, prizes or similar payments from the relevant Prize Fund; statutory contributions to the Lottery Trust Fund; agency commission expenses incurred; and levies paid to relevant regulatory and government authorities as contained in relevant federal or state laws.

‘Gaming’ includes gambling, wagering, video poker, roulette, craps, bingo, slot or gaming machine, drawings or other games of chance conducted by any person;

‘Lottery’ or ‘Lotteries’ includes any betting, game, scheme, arrangement, system, plan, promotional competition or device for the distribution of prizes by lot or chance, or as a result of the exercise of skill and chance, or based on the outcome of real or virtual sporting events, or any other game, scheme, arrangement, system, plan, competition or device.

5% Telecoms Tax

The bill proposes a five percent excise duty on telecommunications services, including postpaid and prepaid services regulated by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

National Assembly adjourns plenary till November 19

In the midst of the growing opposition against the bill, the Senate and House of Representatives on Thursday adjourned plenary sittings till November 19, 2024.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker Tajudeen Abass, made the announcement during plenary in both Chambers respectively.

The lawmakers said the two weeks would afford their relevant committees to carry out oversight functions on ongoing projects to determine the level of performance of the 2024 capital budget.

The oversight function by the lawmakers is coming ahead of the expected presentation of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework ans Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) and the 2025 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly.

The Speaker Tajudeen had announced at plenary on Wednesday that the House will adjourn plenary for a few days while asking members to actively participate in the oversight activities.

He said the oversight is part of the constitutional obligation of the House to the Nigerian people and requested for cooperation from all MDAs to ensure the success of the oversight.

Northern governors forum reject the bill

However, in what could be a setback for the proposed law,  governors of 19 states under the aegis of Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF), on Monday, rejected the proposed tax amendment bill.

In a communique issued at the end of a joint meeting with Northern Traditional Rulers Council at Government House, Kaduna, the governors urged the National Assembly to “oppose any bill that can jeopardise the well-being of our people”.

Governor of Gombe State/Chairman of NSGF, Mohammadu Yahaya, who read the group’s communique, called for equity and fairness in the implementation of all national policies and programmes to ensure that no geopolitical zone was short-changed or marginalised.

Nonetheless, Yahaya said, “Forum notes with dismay the content of the recent Tax Reform Bill that was forwarded to the National Assembly. The contents of the bill against the interests of the north and other sub-nationals, especially the proposed amendment to the distribution of Value Added Tax (VAT) to Derivation-based Model.

“This is because companies remit VAT using location of their headquarters and tax office and not where the services and goods are consumed.

“In view of the foregoing, the forum unanimously rejects the proposed Tax Amendments and calls on members of National Assembly to oppose any bill that can jeopardise the well-being of our people.”

The governor added, “For the avoidance of doubt, the Northern Governor’ Forum is not averse to any policies or programmes that will ensure the growth and development of the country.

“However, the forum calls for equity and farness in the implementation of all national policies and programmes so as to ensure that no geopolitical zone is short-changed or marginalised.”

On the present economic hardship in the country, the northern governors appealed to all citizens to remain calm, saying the states and the federal government are working hard to implement measures that will cushion effects of the hardship.

The forum emphasised that the traditional institutions were critical in the quest for lasting peace and security in the north and urged them to cooperate with security agencies in the fight against banditry, cattle rustling, communal clashes, farmers/herder clashes, and other forms of criminality.

The communique further stated, “With the recent ‘End Bad Governance’ protests that took place in August, it has resolved to scale up efforts to tackle the root causes of youth restiveness by investing in education, skills development, job creation and pathways for the youth to channel their energy into productive ventures, thereby reducing their vulnerability to crime and social vices.”

The forum also decried the current electricity blackouts in most parts of the northern states and called on the federal government and relevant agencies to urgently address the situation, caused by vandalisation of electricity transmission infrastructure.

“This matter not only underscores the vulnerability of critical infrastructure, but also the need to build additional transmission lines and diversify our energy supply so as to better connect our region and improve our energy resilience,” the communique said.

It stated that the north held immense agricultural potential, which, if fully harnessed, could significantly alleviate hunger and boost economic growth.

It said, “To achieve this, we resolved to provide adequate support to our farmers, including access to financing, modern farming techniques and infrastructure, such as roads and irrigation systems.

“Agriculture should not only be seen as a means to feed our people but also as a catalyst for industrialisation and job creation across the region.

“That can be achieved through re-industrialisation of the north, especially by reviving the textile value chain and development of other agro-allied industries.”

Yahaya said, “Forum commends His Excellency, the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the reform initiative in the livestock sub-sector and agreed to provide the necessary political will and commitment to ensure the success of the Federal Government livestock development initiatives.

“The forum also agreed to sustain engagement and cross-fertilisation of ideas with the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee to achieve greater results.

“Forum acknowledges the fact that climate change has greatly affected our environment resulting in the recent flood incidents in many parts of the north and, therefore, resolved to partner with the federal government and other stakeholders to build irrigation infrastructure like canals and waterways to divert excess water and channel them towards irrigation activities, thus, enhancing rural livelihoods and safeguarding food security.”

The meeting was attended by the governors of Zamfara, Borno, Bauchi, Adamawa, Kogi, Yobe, Gombe, Kaduna, Nasarawa and Kwara states.

The governors of Plateau, Benue, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Taraba and Niger were represented by their deputies and secretaries to the state governments.

Ndume opposes the bill

Meanwhile the lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Ali Ndume, has  also criticized the bill, stating they are “dead on arrival”.

His remarks come amid widespread opposition to the proposed increases in Value Added Tax and other tax measures.

Ndume, who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Tuesday, expressed the strong sentiment among Nigerians against new tax initiatives, particularly in light of the ongoing economic challenges facing the nation.

“The governors and traditional rulers have said that the bill is not good. So, the best course of action is to withdraw it immediately.

“Right now, our people don’t want the VAT bill; they don’t even want to hear about it. That is why we are going to make it dead on arrival,” he stated.

Ndume also highlighted that while Nigerians are willing to pay taxes, they must first be able to afford to do so.

“People are struggling to survive. Let people live first before you start asking them for taxes,” he said.

Ndume noted that he has begun rallying support among his colleagues to reject the tax proposals.

He called for a focus on self-reform within the government rather than imposing additional financial burdens on citizens.

NEC asks President Tinubu to withdraw tax bill

The National Economic Council, asked President Bola Tinubu to withdraw the Tax Reforms Bills from the National Assembly to allow for wider consultations and consensus building.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, said this formed part of resolutions reached at the 144th meeting of the National Economic Council at the State House, Abuja.

Makinde told journalists that the council members agreed that it was necessary to allow for consensus building and understanding of the bills among Nigerians.

“NEC noted the need for sufficient alignment on the proposed reforms and recommended the withdrawal of the tax reform bills,” he stated.

Makinde stated that this decision was made for the benefit of the country and emphasized the need for further consultations regarding the bills.

“We saw the gap and decided that there is a need for a wider consultation,” he added.

By and large, NEC’s decision came days after the Northern Governors kicked against the reform bills.

However, despite the mounting opposition against the bill, President Bola Tinubu has remained resolute on the bill, saying he will not back down on the introduction and lobbying to make the bill come to reality.

Sen. Shehu Sani on the Reform Tax Bill

In any case, the former Senator who represented Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani has stated that the tax reform bill which was  not against or inimical to the interest of the North.

Sani gave his opinion in light of insinuations trailing the bill since it was brought to the National Assembly as an executive bill, saying that northerners or anyone whosoever should move beyond sentiments and look at the benefits that are inherent in the bill.

In a statement with newsmen recently, the former lawmaker in the 8th National Assembly described the bill as one of President Bola Tinubu’s bold moves to strengthen tax administration in Nigeria, in which its operations and enforcement are simplified.

According to him “The Tax reform Bill is not inimical to the North or any part of this country.

“It is in fact economically beneficial and fair to all parts. People should keep aside sentiments and read the Bill carefully.

“It’s a comprehensive and bold move to harmonise and simplify tax administration and streamline its operations and enforcement. The Bill will actually generate and safeguard more revenue for the country and the States.

“It will also combat the corruption in the so-called tax waivers granted to business cabals. There is nowhere in the document where any region will be shortchanged or taxes will be increased or jobs will be lost.

“Northern Governors should rescind their decision to reject the Bill and take time to read it and make inputs where necessary. NASS must treat this important Bill with all seriousness.”

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