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Ministers, MDA heads, others banned from embarking on foreign trips
Ministers, MDA heads, others banned from embarking on foreign trips
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a ban on all foreign trips by ministers and other government officials.
Tinubu gave the directive via a letter by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
In the letter dated 12 March, 2024 the President directed an embargo on all foreign trips.
It however said any urgent and necessary trip must get the approval of the President.
A minister, who preferred not to be named because he has no permission to speak on the matter, said that he received a copy of the letter from the presidency.
President Tinubu expressed concerns about the rising cost of foreign trips embarked upon by government officials amid Nigeria’s dire economic situation.
The letter stated that the ban was for 90 days in the first instance and to come into effect on April 1, 2024.
“Mr. President has concerns about the rising cost of travel expenses borne by Ministries, Department and Agencies of Government as well as the growing need for Cabinet Members and heads of MDAs to focus on their respective mandates for effective service delivery,” the letter read.
The letter stated further, “Considering the current economic challenges and the need for responsible fiscal management, I am writing to communicate Mr President’s directive to place a temporary ban on all public funded international trips for all Federal Government officials at all levels, for an initial period of three (3) months from Is April 2024.
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“This temporary measure is aimed at cost reduction in governance and intended as a cost-saving measure without compromising government functions.”
Tinubu said exemptions would need presidential approvals which must be sought two weeks ahead of the planned trip.
“All government officials who intend to go on any public funded international trips must seek and obtain Presidential approval at least two (2) weeks prior to embarking on any such trip, which must be deemed absolutely necessary,” the letter reads.
Recall that former President Muhammadu Buhari also issued a travel ban to officials in 2019.
However, that ban was to allow government officials to appear before the National Assembly for budget defence.
Since his inauguration in May, Tinubu has embarked on some painful reforms including fuel subsidy removal and unification of the exchange rate regime.
Some of the reforms have produced inflationary pressures. But many see the current government as not cutting down its recurrent expenditure.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that President Tinubu faced backlash during and after the last 28 Conference of Parties (COP28) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with about 590 Nigerian officials in attendance.
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In response to public criticisms, the government said it only funded 422 persons of the 590-person delegation that included the president’s son, Seyi Tinubu, and other individuals believed to have no significant roles at the climate conference.
The 422 people funded by the Federal Government under Tinubu are, however, more than triple the total number of official government delegations to COP27 last year (120) and COP26 in 2021 (87).
Also, he has been criticized for travelling with his grown-up children to official state functions.
The President visited Qatar on a state visit recently and went to the Gulf state country with two of his children.
Aside from the president, some of the ministers have also been junketing around the world in the name of seeking foreign investors and investments.
In January, President Tinubu issued a directive on cutting down the size of delegations for local and foreign trips.
He directed that individuals on his delegations should be pegged at 25 for local travels and 20 for international engagements.
He also ordered that security agents based at his destinations should be regularly deployed for his protection whenever he travels to states instead of being accompanied by many security details from Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The policy drew huge praises from many Nigerians.
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Despite Tegbe’s 72-Hour Promise, Nigerians Still Battle Power Outages
Despite Tegbe’s 72-Hour Promise, Nigerians Still Battle Power Outages
Nigeria’s electricity generation has risen to 4,020.41 megawatts (MW), up from about 3,500MW, but the improvement has yet to translate into reliable power supply for households and businesses across the country.
The development comes amid growing frustration over prolonged power outages, particularly in Lagos and other states, despite assurances by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, that electricity supply would improve within 48 to 72 hours.
Data from the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) showed that generation increased on Monday, November 9, 2026, following disruptions linked to maintenance at the Egbin Power Station, gas supply constraints and damage to critical transmission infrastructure.
The increase followed the Federal Government’s intervention to restore damaged transmission infrastructure and return affected generating units to operation. However, electricity consumers continued to report inadequate supply, highlighting the gap between improved generation figures and the actual amount of electricity reaching homes and businesses.
According to the reported figures, electricity generation reached a peak of 4,253.6MW on Sunday before standing at 4,020.41MW on Monday. The Afam VI power plant contributed the largest share at 519MW, followed by the Shiroro hydroelectric plant with 445MW and the Azura-Edo plant with 438MW.
However, the Egbin Power Station, which has an installed capacity of 1,320MW, was generating only 108MW at the time of the reported assessment.
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The combined electricity allocation to the 11 distribution companies (DisCos) stood at approximately 3,195MW by late Monday afternoon, with Abuja DisCo receiving 581MW, Ikeja Electric 467MW and Eko Electricity Distribution Company 458MW.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, had earlier attributed the worsening electricity situation to planned maintenance at the Egbin Power Station, inadequate gas supply to some thermal power plants and the vandalism of critical transmission infrastructure.
In an update issued on Friday, November 6, Tegbe explained that maintenance activities and gas supply constraints had reduced the volume of electricity available on the national grid, forcing operators to introduce load shedding in some areas.
He also disclosed that the vandalism of key transmission lines had restricted alternative routes for delivering electricity, particularly to Lagos.
The minister subsequently apologised to Nigerians over the disruptions, acknowledging the difficulties experienced by households, businesses and public institutions.
He said the government was working with generating companies, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), NISO and electricity distribution companies to restore affected facilities and improve supply.
Tegbe had promised that the first affected generating units would return to operation within 48 to 72 hours, while repairs to damaged transmission infrastructure would be accelerated.
In a further update on Monday, the minister announced that the vandalised Benin-Egbin 330-kilovolt transmission line had been repaired and returned to service.
According to him, the restoration increased electricity supply to the Lagos electricity complex to more than 1,000MW, bringing it back to the level recorded before the disruption.
Tegbe said electricity had been restored to several previously affected areas in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory, although some locations were still awaiting full restoration.
He also disclosed that the government was working to repair another important transmission route, the Osogbo-Ikeja West 330kV line, which has reportedly remained out of service for about 18 months.
The line could deliver an additional 400MW to Lagos when restored. However, about six transmission towers along the route have been vandalised, making repairs difficult because of the swampy terrain.
The minister said the government expected the restoration work to be completed by the end of November.
Despite the recent disruptions, Tegbe has expressed confidence that Nigeria could achieve more stable electricity supply within the next three to five years.
He said the Federal Government was considering a proposed $2 billion east-west super grid designed to strengthen the country’s transmission infrastructure and increase its capacity to 19,000MW.
The proposed project is expected to connect several locations, including Funtua, Gwagwalada, Ikot Ekpene, Benin, Epe and Ilorin.
Tegbe said the government had commenced the procurement process and expected the project to improve the resilience of the national electricity network.
He also stressed the need to address longstanding infrastructure problems, noting that some electricity equipment was between 40 and 50 years old.
Meanwhile, he maintained that the government was working to improve electricity supply through better coordination among generation, transmission and distribution operators.
The latest development highlights the continuing challenges in Nigeria’s electricity sector, where improvements in generation do not automatically guarantee adequate supply to consumers because of limitations in transmission and distribution infrastructure.
For millions of Nigerians, the major concern remains whether the increased generation figures and government interventions will translate into more consistent electricity supply.
Despite Tegbe’s 72-Hour Promise, Nigerians Still Battle Power Outages
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News
Edo APC Chieftain Hacked to Death by Son Over Alleged Prophecy
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Julius Bello, popularly known as De Lord Ogata, has reportedly been hacked to death by his son following claims that a prophet blamed him for the younger man’s financial struggles.
Bello, who was the APC Ward Three Chairman in Fugar, Etsako Central Local Government Area, was allegedly attacked with a sledgehammer by his son, identified as Irobudo, on Sunday, November 8, 2026.
The incident reportedly occurred shortly after the suspect returned from Lagos over the weekend.
According to reports, the suspect struck his father on the head with the weapon, inflicting fatal injuries.
Family sources linked the attack to an alleged prophecy that reportedly portrayed Bello as being spiritually responsible for his son’s prolonged poverty and inability to make financial progress.
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The claims were said to have fuelled resentment against the deceased before the fatal attack. However, the alleged prophecy and its connection to the killing have not been independently verified, and the police have not established it as the motive.
The Edo State Police Command confirmed the killing and said an investigation had commenced.
The command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, disclosed that the suspect was still at large as of Monday, November 9, while police operatives were working to apprehend him.
According to the police, investigations would establish the circumstances surrounding the killing and the events that preceded the attack.
The incident has thrown Bello’s family and residents of Fugar into mourning, particularly because the suspected attacker is his own son.
The killing has also raised concerns about the potential consequences of unverified spiritual accusations when they fuel suspicion, hostility and violence within families.
The police investigation is expected to establish the full circumstances of the incident, determine the motive and bring the suspect to justice.
Edo APC Chieftain Hacked to Death by Son Over Alleged Prophecy
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INEC Flags 268 Voter Records Over AI-Generated Photos, Begins Cleanup Ahead of 2027 Elections
INEC Flags 268 Voter Records Over AI-Generated Photos, Begins Cleanup Ahead of 2027 Elections
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced the removal of questionable records from Nigeria’s preliminary Register of Voters after its biometric verification system flagged 268 entries over suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and other irregularities.
The development comes amid growing public concerns over the credibility of the voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections, following the discovery of suspicious photographs, duplicate registrations and names of deceased persons in the preliminary database.
INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Lawrence Bayode, disclosed the development during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, explaining that the commission’s Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) had identified 268 records requiring further examination.
Bayode said the commission had begun reviewing the affected entries and removing those confirmed to be irregular.
He also explained that some registration officers allegedly exploited their authorised access to introduce questionable records into the database.
According to him, some of the irregularities involved the misuse of a special registration option designed for persons with disabilities who have incomplete or missing fingers.
However, the INEC official clarified that not every photograph enhanced with artificial intelligence would lead to the exclusion of the affected voter.
He distinguished between genuine photographs improved with AI-powered applications on mobile phones and images generated entirely by artificial intelligence, stressing that only confirmed fraudulent images would be removed.
The controversy followed INEC’s publication of its preliminary Register of Voters online on October 26, which triggered public outrage after screenshots showing suspicious photographs and other questionable entries circulated on social media.
Some of the disputed records reportedly included entries from parts of Edo State, prompting questions about the commission’s registration and verification procedures.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, subsequently confirmed that the commission was examining the questionable records and would take corrective action based on verified findings.
The commission has maintained that the preliminary register is not the final certified document, explaining that the verification and public scrutiny exercises are intended to identify inaccuracies and irregularities before certification.
INEC has scheduled December 15, 2026, for the certification of the final Register of Voters after completing the necessary verification, adjudication and data-cleanup processes.
The commission has also encouraged Nigerians to participate in scrutinising the register and report suspicious entries to help safeguard the credibility of the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Flags 268 Voter Records Over AI-Generated Photos, Begins Cleanup Ahead of 2027 Elections
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