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Aso Rock Goes Solar as Tinubu Orders National Grid Disconnection

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President Bola Tinubu and Minister of Power Adelabu and Aso rock

Aso Rock Goes Solar as Tinubu Orders National Grid Disconnection

President Bola Tinubu will fully disconnect the Aso Rock Presidential Villa from the national grid by March 2026 following allegations of electricity overbilling for power not supplied, the State House has confirmed.

The State House Permanent Secretary, Temitope Fashedemi, made the disclosure while defending the 2026 State House budget before the Senate Committee on Special Duties. He revealed that the solar mini-grid project at the Presidential Villa was completed in December 2025 and is currently undergoing technical testing ahead of a full transition to solar power.

Fashedemi explained that during the testing phase of the new solar installation, officials discovered what he described as significant overbilling by the electricity distribution company. According to him, the State House observed instances where it was billed for electricity that was not supplied and has begun reconciliation discussions to address what he termed “legacy liability.”

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The Villa is serviced by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), which in February 2024 publicly listed several government agencies as debtors. At the time, AEDC said the Presidential Villa owed N923.87 million in unpaid electricity bills. Other major debtors included the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and some federal ministries.

The Tinubu administration had earlier allocated N10 billion in the 2025 budget for the solarisation of the Presidential Villa through a solar mini-grid system. An additional N7 billion has been earmarked for the same project in the 2026 Appropriation Bill, bringing total allocations to N17 billion over two years.

Fashedemi noted that a similar transition to solar power at the State House Medical Centre in May 2025 has already demonstrated cost savings and reliability. He said the facility has operated almost entirely on solar energy and battery storage since then, with minimal reliance on grid electricity and no generator use.

He expressed optimism that by March 2026, the Presidential Villa would complete its transition and fully exit the national grid, relying primarily on renewable energy for its electricity needs.

The development aligns with broader efforts to promote renewable energy adoption in Nigeria, reduce public sector energy costs, and address concerns over electricity billing transparency. If fully implemented, Aso Villa will operate largely on solar power supported by battery storage systems, significantly reducing dependence on grid supply and diesel generators.

Aso Rock Goes Solar as Tinubu Orders National Grid Disconnection

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Four-Storey Building Collapses in Enugu, Workers Trapped Inside

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An early-morning building collapse in Enugu has left one person dead and four others injured after a four-storey structure under construction suddenly gave way in the Independence Layout area of the state.

 

The incident occurred around 6 a.m. on Sunday on Ogbalu Street, where workers were reportedly sleeping inside the construction site when the building collapsed.

Four workers were pulled from the debris alive and taken to the Enugu State Teaching Hospital for medical treatment.

Enugu collapsed building

Authorities said six people had been sleeping at the site before the incident, but one of them had reportedly stepped out shortly before the structure came down. The body of another victim was recovered from the rubble.

 

The rescue operation has drawn the involvement of several emergency and security agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency, Nigerian Red Cross Society, State Emergency Management Agency, Enugu State Capital Territory Development Authority and the Police.

Officials are still working at the scene to determine whether anyone else may be trapped beneath the debris.

The cause of the collapse remains unknown as of the time of reporting.

The incident has also renewed questions about compliance with construction standards, site safety and the effectiveness of regulatory monitoring in Enugu.

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Adeleke Orders Arrests After Associate Ajagungbade Is Reportedly Killed in Ife

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Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has directed security agencies to arrest anyone found to have been involved in the reported killing of his associate, Olamilekan Ajagungbade, popularly known as Emir Ajagungbade.

Ajagungbade was reportedly shot dead in Ile-Ife on Sunday amid a dispute connected to the leadership of a motor park.

Reacting to the incident, Adeleke ordered Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Zungura to take immediate action against those responsible. The directive was disclosed by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed.

The governor also ordered rival groups involved in the park dispute to leave the motor parks while security agencies work to restore calm.

There will be no sacred cows as all culprits will be brought to book” Adeleke said, while urging residents to remain calm.

As part of his response, the governor announced plans to bring back the Park Management System across the state, saying an Executive Order would soon be issued to provide the legal backing for the arrangement.

The renewed system is expected to regulate the operation of motor parks and garages and address disputes over their management.

Ajagungbade was described in the report as a close associate of the governor and a member of the Accord Party.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting and the identities of those responsible had not been fully disclosed at the time of reporting.

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Police Arrest Two in Delta, Recover Guns, Daggers and Battle Axe

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Two suspects are in police custody in Delta State following separate raids that resulted in the recovery of firearms, ammunition and other items, the state police command has said.

The latest operation involved the arrest of Chukwuka Nzete, also known as “Ododo”, in Isupe Community, Ndokwa West Local Government Area.

Police said Nzete was suspected of dealing in illegal firearms and alleged that he ran a shrine used to fortify suspected criminal elements.

Items recovered during a search of his residence included a pump-action gun, four dagger knives, a battle axe and pots containing substances suspected to be charms.

The command said detectives were investigating to establish the extent of Nzete’s activities and whether he had links with other criminal groups.

A separate operation also led to the arrest of Joel Iwomi, 36, in Umuebu, Obiaruku.

According to the police, Iwomi resisted attempts by operatives of the Command Anti-Cult Unit to enter his residence before officers eventually gained access and conducted a search.

The search allegedly produced a pump-action gun and 18 live cartridges.

Both suspects have been taken into custody while investigations continue.

The Delta State Commissioner of Police, Samuel E. Erale, said the command would continue efforts to keep illicit firearms away from criminal elements and prevent weapons capable of threatening public safety from circulating in the state.

He urged residents to cooperate with security agencies by reporting suspicious movements, illegal firearms and other criminal activities.

The police said information supplied by members of the public would be handled confidentially.

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