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Tinubu puts three presidential jets for sale
Tinubu puts three presidential jets for sale
Three jets in the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF) are set to be sold off.
There are 10 aircraft in the fleet – six jets and four helicopters – which will be cut to seven if the planned action sails through.
This is said to be part of the cost-saving measures being adopted by the Tinubu Administration, an official told our correspondent.
During the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the plan to sell two planes in the fleet did not materialise.
In October 2016, a Dassault Falcon 7x executive jet and a Beechcraft Hawker 4000 business jet were put up for sale.
The preferred bidders who initially agreed to pay $ 24 million for the two aircraft, later reduced their offer to $ 11 million. This was rejected by the then government.
Thereafter, an arrangement to put some of the aircraft on chatter for willing governors was initiated to make the planes income-generating, thereby reducing the government expenses on maintenance.
The planes in the Presidential Fleet are Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) 737, Gulfstream G550, Gulfstream G500, two Falcon 7X, HS 4000, two Agusta 139, and two Agusta 101.
The BBJ 737 is the Nigerian Air Force One, which is used exclusively by the President.
It is designed to serve as an office and a residential quarter on air to enable the president to function effectively during his trip.
The President also uses one of the helicopters for shuttles during his trips around the country.
Other jets in the fleet are used by top government officials, including the Vice President, governors, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the National Assembly members on special shuttles, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, ministers on special missions, the Chief of Staff, advisers and even ambassadors of plenipotentiary status.
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It could not be ascertained at the weekend if the President BBJ 737 will be sold and replaced.
The BBJ was bought for about $43 million during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
A Falcon and Embraer jets have been slated to be sold.
Not less than N80 billion has been budgeted for the PAF as maintenance cost, as follows: 2016 (N3.65 billion), 2017 (N4.37 billion), 2018 (N7.26 billion), 2019 (N7.30 billion), 2020 (N6.79 billion), 2021 (N12.55 billion), 2022 (N12.48 billion) and in 2023 about N25.7billion, made up of N13 billion in the budget and N12.7 billion in the 2023 Supplementary Budget.
The amount released from the budgetary line year on year could not be confirmed.
But President Tinubu is said to be uncomfortable with the rising cost of maintenance, hence his directive to reduce the fleet.
A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The President is uncomfortable with the rising cost of maintaining the planes.
“Three planes have been pencilled down for disposal.
“The main reason is cutting down high maintenance costs.
“I think officers in PAF were particularly concerned about the frequency of maintenance and how much it costs the nation.
“The President decided to let off the aircraft that constitute the most burdensome.”
An investigation confirmed that the presidency might have incurred over $5 million as maintenance fees in the past few months.
It was unclear the actual figure of outstanding commitments on the fleet which have not been settled.
Giving reasons for the use of some of the planes by top government officials, a source said: “It takes much time to connect some African countries by air. In such a situation, the Presidential Air Fleet is handy.
“The use of the fleet is domiciled in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for effective management.”
Last week, President Tinubu in another cost-saving measure imposed a three-month travel ban on public-funded foreign trips by Federal Government officials.
This takes effect from today.
Tinubu puts three presidential jets for sale
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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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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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