Federal Govt secretly raises electricity tariff - Investigation – Newstrends
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Federal Govt secretly raises electricity tariff – Investigation

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Chairman/CEO, NERC,Engr. Sanusi Garba,

Unknown to most Nigerians, they are now paying higher for electricity after the authorities quietly raised the tariff without notifying consumers of the product.

LEADERSHIP Friday reports that the slight electricity tariff adjustment in September points to the confirmation of plans by the federal government to withdraw its subsidy payment in the sector.

A discreet investigation by LEADERSHIP uncovered a clandestine tariff adjustment which key industry sources say was effected to gauge reactions from the public.

Though inquiry sent to Usman Arabi, spokesman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to confirm the development was not responded to, LEADERSHIP Friday’s findings show that a 2 per cent hike was effected in September.

Our source said the adjustment became inevitable as government can no longer sustain the subsidy payment.

“The hike is infinitesimal because it was not intended to draw any attention, and it is deliberate and would continue at that level so as not to choke consumers, but it will certainly be a periodic review,” our source said.

Government has claimed that its subsidy payments in the electricity sector is well over N30 billion monthly.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had, at the opening of the 14th Nigerian Association for Energy Economics (IAEE) Conference in Abuja, recently, said the government expected the electricity sector to generate its revenue from the power sector market.

Speaking through the special adviser to the president on infrastructure, Ahmed Zakari, he said, “The Federal Government intends to reduce its interventions in the power sector and thus allow the electricity market to run on its own, thereby allowing the market participants to determine the course of action.”

Going by what Osinbajo said, with such consideration to scrap electricity subsidy from next year, Nigerians would have to pay more for the commodity under a new tariff arrangement to be unveiled by the federal government.

Osinbajo noted that government would be investing over $3 billion in the coming years to improve transmission and distribution infrastructure across the country.

He explained that the effort of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to reform the energy sector would ensure that it continues to play critical roles in the growth of the country’s social and economic wellbeing.

He said: “Electricity tariff reforms with service-based tariff has led to collections from the electricity sector by 63 per cent, increasing revenue assurance for gas producers and stabilising the value chain.

“It is anticipated that all electricity market revenues will be obtained from the market, with limited subsidy from next year as reforms in metering and efficiency with the DisCos (distribution companies) to improve.

“To accelerated investment in transmission and distribution, over $3 billion will be put into this sub-segment of the electricity value chain that will put us on the path to delivering 10 gigawatts through the interventions of the Central Bank of Nigeria/Siemens partnership, World Bank and Africa Development Bank, and others.”

The federal government and Labour had gone into extensive discussions prior to the implementation of the Service-based Tariff in November 2020, where the electricity regulator (NERC) had promised improvement in service delivery to Nigerians.

The highest peak generation of electricity for the month of September was 4,694 Megawatts (MW), including electricity exports, and what was available for Nigerians in-country came down to 3,863MW, a far cry from the 30,000MW demand for electricity in the country

Essentially the country is providing roughly 11 per cent of the citizens’ demand for electricity despite huge government interventions in the power sector.

At the recent NERC-stakeholders’ forum, concerns were raised about the power sector moving backwards rather than forging ahead going by the too many policy inconsistencies.

Nigeria has one of the poorest supplies of electricity despite the power sector contributing 78 per cent to GDP growth for Q2 2021.

Chairman of the Nigeria Electricity Consumers Advocacy Network (NECAN),Tomi Akingbogun,  deplored the nature of the hike, describing it as fraudulent.

He said, “This is unfortunate and deceitful. No nation can develop based on deceit. Manufacturers need to capture their costs well to make profit so as to continue to produce.

“If costs are increased and hidden, the company will lose and close down, thereby increasing unemployment and reducing gross domestic product (GDP), etc.

“NERC needs to be run by people who understand the dynamics of the economy. NERC, at present, are not fair judges.”

Akingbogun, further said, “We all noticed this some months ago, the whole country cannot be deceived.”

Also, a vendor with one of the DisCos confirmed to our correspondent that an increase was actually made last month and that customers who patronise her observed the slight adjustment.

“I am aware and customers have been confronting me, but I have to let them know that there is a little adjustment following improvements in supply. That’s what I can tell you for now,” she said.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to deploy the industrial mechanisms granted in labour laws for the defence of workers’ rights to resist increase in electricity tariff.

Equally, NLC President Ayuba Wabba had in July warned against a speculated plan to grant approval to DisCos to hike electricity tariff.

While the speculation was rife, Wabba said, “It is in the light of this that we dismiss the ongoing speculation on increase in electricity tariff as mere speculation.

“We, however, find it prudent to put you on notice should government make true the swirling speculation by approving an increase in electricity tariff, Organised Labour will be left with no option than to deploy the industrial mechanisms granted in our laws for the defence of workers’ rights.”

Wabba said that NLC had written to remind the minister that Organised Labour on September 28, 2020, through the Federal Government/Organised Labour Committee on electricity tariff, agreed to freeze further increases in tariff until it concludes its work and its report adopted by all the principals in the committee.

In his own reaction, convener of PowerUp Nigeria, Adetayo Adegbemle, said since privatisation, Nigeria has continuously bent over to the demands of the private operators without experiencing any notable improvement in the fortunes of Nigeria’s power sector, except the demands for tariff increase.

He lamented that despite all the several tariff increments, there has not been improvement in service delivery.

“The investors have not done well to keep to their end of the bargain, and the truth is that nobody trusts them enough to want to gamble on more time.

“There is no amount of money thrown at the power sector that will resolve the problems, as the power sector challenge is not a money problem,” he said.

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Man gets four-year jail for sexually assaulting teenager in Lagos

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Man gets four-year jail for sexually assaulting teenager in Lagos

One Onyeka Ubaka has been sentenced to four years imprisonment for sexual assault and maltreatment of a 16-year-old girl in Lagos State.

He was convicted and sentenced by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Tuesday.

Justice Rahmon Oshodi convicted him after he pleaded guilty to the two amended charges brought against him by the Lagos State Government.

Ubaka was initially arraigned on January 12, 2024, and was initially charged with defilement through one-count information filed on October 26, 2023, to which he pleaded not guilty.

In the court proceedings, the prosecution counsel, B. E. Okeowo, presented a single witness, the prosecutrix, whose testimony proved particularly significant in establishing the case against the defendant. The prosecutrix who provided a testimony, identified the defendant as her boyfriend and disclosed that she was 16 years old in 2023 and that her relationship with the defendant began in her mother’s shop.

The victim testified to the court that the defendant had multiple instances of sexual intercourse with her, which resulted in pregnancy and childbirth.

“The defendant is the father of my child. He impregnated me, and the child is five months old.”

According to PUNCH, the victim, during cross-examination, gave testimony evidence that incriminate the defendant.

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In one instance, she disclosed that the defendant took her to a bar, gave her yogurt to drink, and after she drank it, she lost consciousness. She further disclosed that she woke up in a hotel room and realised that the defendant had non-consensual sex with her and told her to keep the incident a secret.

At the court proceeding on Tuesday, Justice Oshodi disclosed to the court that the prosecution counsel, B. E. Okeowo, had informed the court that the parties had entered a plea and sentence agreement dated and filed on November 25, 2024. The court then charged and convicted the defendant on the amended charge of indecent acts and sexual assault to which the defendant pleaded guilty.

Justice Ramon, in his judgment, stated that the prosecution had established beyond a reasonable doubt the charges brought against the defendant, and found the defendant guilty of indecent act and sexual assault.

“From the evidence presented by the prosecution, I am satisfied that the essential elements of indecent acts and sexual assault have been established. There is an abundance of evidence to support this conclusion. The defendant’s guilty plea further justifies his conviction for the offences contained in the amended information.

“Therefore, I find the defendant guilty and convict him under Sections 134 and 263 of the Criminal Law Supra”, he ruled.

When asked what he had to say, the defendant begged the court to temper justice with mercy.

“Temper justice with mercy so that I will take care of my responsibility,” he appealed.

It is gathered that the defendant’s father had paid the sum of N300,000 and had undertaken to sponsor the prosecutrix first degree and take full responsibility for the child until the child is eight years old.

The prosecution counsel in her final statement asked the court to convict the defendant according to the plea bargain.

“We ask that the convict be sentenced according to the plea bargain agreement starting from the day of remand, March 23, 2023, and this will pass a message to society that sexual offenders are not tolerated in our society.

“We also ask that the name of the convict be registered in the Sexual Offenders Register”, Okeowo said.

Justice Oshodi then found the defendant guilty and sentenced him to four years imprisonment.

 

Man gets four-year jail for sexually assaulting teenager in Lagos

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Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers

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Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers

CSP Adetayo Akerele, Chairman of Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit, announced the arrest of 53 suspected criminals in Gowon Estate.

Akerele said this operation aimed to boost safety, security, and environmental decorum in the area.

“The agency apprehended drug peddlers, addicts; miscreants; street urchins; illegal street traders and people of shady business dealings.

“We found various illicit drugs and narcotics, including Indian hemp, codeine syrup, and colorado,” Akerele said.

The operation brings relief to residents of Gowon Estate, Ipaja, Egbeda, Idimu, and surrounding areas affected by these criminals.

“Residents have endured trauma and safety risks due to these unauthorized squatters.

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The taskforce is committed to safeguarding residents and ridding the metropolis of individuals preying on law-abiding citizens,” Akerele said.

The agency will monitor other criminal hideouts, blackspots, and abandoned properties.

“This vigilance aims to deter individuals with sinister motives.

“These arrests demonstrate our determination to maintain a safe environment.

“We will hold every individual involved in these illegal practices accountable,” Akerele said.

The 53 suspects will face charges for narcotics-related offenses.

Residents are urged to report suspicious activities through the “See Something, Say Something” initiative.

 

Lagos taskforce raids criminal hideout, arrests 53 drug peddlers

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Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada

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Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi

Nigeria Customs returns 21 stolen luxury vehicles to Canada

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has returned 21 luxury vehicles worth over N1.8 billion to Canada.

The cars were stolen and smuggled into Nigeria by some criminals.

Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this at a press briefing on Tuesday in Lagos.

He expressed worry at the rise in stolen vehicles and its impact on Nigeria’s economy and security.

According to Adeniyi, Nigeria has become a significant hub for stolen vehicles in West Africa, with syndicates exploiting the country’s ports and borders to bring in stolen vehicles from regions such as Europe, North America, and South America.

He highlighted data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicating that only 54% of stolen vehicles were recovered between 2013 and 2015, illustrating the scale of the problem.

“This trend undermines our legitimate automotive market, strains our security infrastructure, and damages Nigeria’s international reputation,” Adeniyi said.

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He noted that the illegal trade was affecting President Tinubu’s economic reforms, aimed to position Nigeria as a trusted hub for international commerce.

To combat this challenge, Adeniyi disclosed that the NCS had launched Operation Hot Wheels, a collaborative initiative involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Canadian authorities, and international law enforcement agencies.

The operation focused on intelligence sharing, surveillance, and interdiction to disrupt vehicle trafficking networks.

Adeniyi disclosed that the operation uncovered sophisticated smuggling techniques, including false cargo declarations and containerized shipments used to conceal stolen vehicles.

During one operation, officers intercepted a container at Onne Port in Rivers State declared to contain used vehicles and spare parts.

A physical examination revealed three undeclared 2021 Toyota Highlanders, two of which were confirmed stolen from Canada.

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