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LAGOS: We hustle in the day, rob at night, homeless Lagos youths reveal activities
Due to its economic and socio- political importance in the country, Lagos State keeps attracting the highest migration of people from other states of the federation , a trend that has made it to have its fair share of security challenges. Investigation by Crime Guard has revealed that a good percentage of people who migrate to the acclaimed mega city, did not make effort to address accommodation issue before embarking on the journey. Majority of them, both males and females, live in the markets and other open spaces. In the day time, they go out to hustle and retire to places like Oshodi market, Ladipo market, Aswani, Agege market, Ojuelegba, Ijora Olopa, Ijora Badia, Ojota , among other at areas. They are also seen at railway lines, under bridges and on kerbs, at night .
Investigation has revealed that most of them are responsible for robbery attacks around the areas they pass the night, . They are also responsible for the attacks on workers and traders who leave their houses between 4.30 am and 5am, for their respective work and business places. Their targets are also stranded commuters at bus-stops at night, as well as motorists who are unfortunate to have their vehicles break down at night. Arrest Last week, the Lagos State Police Command arrested two different groups of these youths. Seven members of the first group had assisted owner of a 2016 Model Sienna to push his vehicle which was involved in a minor accident to somewhere considered safe near Charity bus- Stop, Oshodi, with a promise to come pick it the next day. Out of trust , the motorist dropped keys of the Sienna to one of the boys , Chibuike Ekwe.
However at midnight, Ekwe, and two others , drove the car to Coconut, in Apapa area of the state , where it was being dismantled with the intention of selling it in parts, when luck ran against them. Ekwe, in the interview, said he had never stolen all his life. He blamed his indulgence in his inability to resist the temptation , after the idea was sold to him by one of the boys. According to him , “ After pushing the vehicle to a safe place, some of the boys said if they were the ones with the keys , they would move it immediately to the East , and sell it, since the owner did not know me.. “ By 3am, I informed Dalinton Ohia and one other boy to accompany me to where the vehicle was parked and I drove it to Coconut, where one man named Container, dismantled it. He said it was easier to sell it in parts. While he was on it , some members of OPC accosted us and asked who owner of the car was. When we could not provide a convincing answer, Mr Container escaped, leaving me behind”. Asked where he lived and did for a living, he responded, “ I am a panel beater at Ladipo market. I hustle in the morning and sleep in the market at night, with other boys. I have never stolen before, this is my first time”. On his part, Darlington Ohia said, “
My role was to accompany him(Ekwe) to where the vehicle was parked. He did not tell me he was going to butcher it. He only said he was going to re park it at Toyota. When we got there the guard ( Danladi) refused him from carrying the vehicle. While Danladi was discussing with me, Ekwe drove the vehicle away. We went to Toyota where he claimed he was going to park it in a well lit place , but didn’t see him”.
For Yemi Joseph, Chinoso Isiguzo and Innocent Ikeaguru and Dalandi, they claimed to have only assisted owner of the vehicle to push it to a safe place till the next day when he (owner ) promised to pay them for their service, only to be arrested . Unfortunate for those who claimed to be innocent , no relative had come to effect their bail, as requested by the Police , since their arrest. Invasion For the second group of four boys , they attacked a driver whose vehicle broke down at Toyota bus-stops , too, last weekend. The vehicle conveying refrigerators and other electronics gadgets was vandalized and the goods carted away. The suspects are: Somto Chukwu, 22; Chibogu Nweke, 29; Ezekiel Egbe, 29 and Chikodi John, 24. Ezikiel who claims to be a vulcanizer at Ladipo market, Mushin, explained his role. He said , “ I had closed for the day and was going to watch foot ball match , when I saw two boys with refrigerators. They were taking them towards the canal. A friend who was with me, Sunday, said we should follow them so as to collect our share from the sale of the item, but I refused.
“ I went straight to the expressway where the boys said the vehicle conveying the goods broke down. I saw a big size refrigerator by the pavement of where the truck broke down. I took the refrigerator to Oshodi, where I used to sleep . Unfortunately for me, the person who saw when I was carrying it brought policemen to the shop at Oshodi where I sleep. “ We pay N100 to sleep there at night. We sleep at the veranda of shops at Oshodi.
Some people sleep inside the shops but their fee is higher. I only go to Ladipo to sleep if i don’t have N100 to pay for the night. I just came to Lagos from Anambra . My parents are dead and I am an only son”, he said in an emotional laden tone. Cry for help His partner in crime, Nweke, said, “ That night, driver of the truck ran to me to help him beg some boys that invaded his truck. He said they demanded for money from him but that he had only N1000 on him. He said the boys attacked him when he told them he had no money , collected his phone from him and that he had to run for his life. “ I went to meet the boys and they told me since the man was not ready to give them money, they would collect the goods. Some of them carried car battery, while others carried brand new Samsung refrigerators .
Those I saw with batteries were Chikodi and Ebere. “I followed them to the canal by the market where they met one aboki who told them to wait till morning before he would buy the goods. But they insisted they wanted to sell them then. At the end, aboki bought the two brand new refrigerators for N30,000. They sold the battery for N6000 and I was given N5,000. For Chikodi John, he said he got N4000 from the sales of the stolen items. On his part, Somto, claimed to be innocent.
He said “ I am just suffering for what I know nothing about . I was arrested because I sleep in the same place ( Ladipo market ) with them. I was sleeping when the policemen stormed the place and picked me . We sleep inside an empty container in the market” he said. Like others who claimed innocence, none had come to secure his bail from Police custody since his arrest. The suspects who were among those paraded by the Commissioner of Police, CO Hakeem Odumosu, would be charged to court soon, according to him.
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FG Boosts Power Generation to 4,300MW in Two Weeks — Adelabu
FG Boosts Power Generation to 4,300MW in Two Weeks — Adelabu
The Federal Government has said it is beginning to deliver on its promise to improve electricity supply, with power generation rising within a two-week period following recent disruptions in the sector.
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, had earlier assured Nigerians during a media parley in Abuja that urgent steps would be taken to address the drop in generation caused by gas shortages affecting thermal power plants.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, Bolaji Tunji, the government said electricity generation improved between March 28 and April 10, 2026, reflecting what it described as a gradual recovery in the sector.
According to the statement, generation increased from about 3,951 megawatts (MW) on March 28 to over 4,300MW by April 10, signalling a steady upward trend in output.
The improvement, Tunji noted, was largely driven by increased gas supply to power plants, which rose from approximately 605 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) to over 704 mmscfd within the same period.
He explained that the gains align with Adelabu’s earlier pledge at the Power Sector Working Group meeting, where he assured stakeholders that electricity supply would improve within two weeks.
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Further data showed that mechanical availability of power plants remained stable, peaking at over 7,796MW in early April, while operational availability rose from about 4,208MW to more than 4,694MW—an indication of improved efficiency in converting available gas into electricity.
“Despite minor fluctuations recorded on some days, the overall trajectory points to a gradual recovery in the power sector, driven largely by improved gas supply and better coordination among critical stakeholders,” the statement said.
The minister’s aide emphasised that the strong link between gas supply and electricity generation highlights the need for sustained reforms in Nigeria’s gas-to-power value chain, given the country’s heavy dependence on thermal generation.
To consolidate the gains, Adelabu recently inaugurated a Gas-to-Power Monitoring Committee tasked with improving coordination between gas producers and power generation companies, ensuring real-time monitoring, and addressing bottlenecks in gas delivery.
“The committee is expected to enhance synergy across the value chain and ultimately guarantee a more stable and reliable electricity supply,” Tunji said.
The Federal Government’s intervention comes amid persistent challenges in the power sector, including transmission constraints, ageing infrastructure, and liquidity issues in the electricity market, which have continued to affect the translation of generated power into stable supply for consumers.
Industry data indicates that while generation has improved modestly, Nigeria still struggles to consistently deliver more than 4,000MW to a population of over 200 million, underscoring the scale of the country’s electricity deficit.
Experts have also pointed out that improvements in generation must be matched by upgrades in transmission capacity—currently managed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria—and better distribution efficiency by electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to ensure consumers feel the impact.
Adelabu, however, maintained that the government remains committed to sustaining and improving the gains recorded so far.
“We are not there yet, but we will continue to ensure measurable improvements,” he said, adding that ongoing reforms would gradually stabilise Nigeria’s electricity supply industry.
FG Boosts Power Generation to 4,300MW in Two Weeks — Adelabu
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World Bank Deletes Nigeria Development Update Report Days After Release
World Bank Deletes Nigeria Development Update Report Days After Release
The World Bank has removed its latest Nigeria Development Update (NDU) report from its official website, just three days after its publication, raising concerns over the reasons behind the sudden action.
The report, titled “Nigeria’s Tomorrow Must Start Today: The Case for Early Childhood Development,” was released on April 7, 2026, but the document link is no longer accessible, returning a “page not found” error when users attempt to download it.
Despite the removal, the accompanying press statement remains available, outlining key findings on Nigeria’s economic performance and policy outlook.
In the now-withdrawn report, the World Bank said Nigeria’s economy recorded 4 percent growth in 2025, with inflation dropping significantly to 15.1 percent in February 2026 from 26.3 percent recorded in the same period a year earlier. The improvement was attributed to tighter monetary policies and better food supply conditions.
The report also highlighted that Nigeria’s macroeconomic environment has strengthened following recent stabilisation reforms, noting improvements in key indicators and steady expansion across major sectors of the economy.
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Early data for 2026, according to the report, suggested that growth momentum had been sustained, although global tensions posed a mild drag on economic activity.
A major focus of the publication was early childhood development, which the World Bank described as critical to Nigeria’s long-term growth. It stressed that stronger investment in human capital is essential for translating macroeconomic gains into job creation, poverty reduction, and improved living standards.
The report painted a worrying picture of child welfare in the country, revealing that more than 110 out of every 1,000 children die before the age of five, while many others fail to meet basic developmental milestones due to poor nutrition, limited access to healthcare, and inadequate early education.
It warned that without urgent intervention, Nigeria risks missing out on the demographic dividend expected from its young population.
In addition, the report reportedly addressed ongoing structural reforms, including exchange rate unification, fiscal adjustments, and subsidy removals, noting that while these measures have helped stabilise the economy, their full benefits will depend on sustained implementation and targeted social support for vulnerable households.
However, parts of the report—particularly policy recommendations around the downstream petroleum sector—have drawn attention. The World Bank was said to have advised that Nigeria may need to continue importing petrol (PMS) in the short term to ensure supply stability while transitioning to a fully liberalised and competitive market.
The recommendation comes amid ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and has been viewed by some analysts as sensitive, given the country’s push for domestic refining capacity.
In a subsequent clarification following reactions, the World Bank emphasised that its recommendations should be seen within the broader context of energy security, market stability, and global supply uncertainties, rather than as a fixed policy directive.
The NDU is a bi-annual flagship report that evaluates Nigeria’s economic and social developments and provides policy guidance for sustainable growth.
As of the time of filing this report, the World Bank has not issued an official explanation for the removal of the April 2026 edition, fuelling speculation that the document may be undergoing revisions or internal review.
Economists say the development highlights the sensitivity of reform-related recommendations in Nigeria’s current economic climate, particularly those touching on fuel policy and social welfare, as the country navigates a delicate recovery path.
World Bank Deletes Nigeria Development Update Report Days After Release
News
Tinubu Promises Stable Electricity as Bayelsa Unveils 60MW Power Project
Tinubu Promises Stable Electricity as Bayelsa Unveils 60MW Power Project
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to delivering stable electricity capable of driving economic growth, industrialisation, and national development, saying ongoing reforms in the power sector will soon yield tangible results.
Tinubu made the remarks in Bayelsa State during the commissioning of major infrastructure projects executed by the state government, including a 60-megawatt Independent Power Project (IPP) located at Elebele in Ogbia Local Government Area.
He described the power project as a “significant step” toward strengthening energy security and subnational electricity generation, noting that no meaningful industrialisation or job creation can happen without reliable power supply.
“There can be no industrialisation, skill development and empowerment without power. I assure Nigerians that we will have electricity to power our growth,” the President said.
The IPP, powered by gas turbines, is expected to supply electricity to Yenagoa and surrounding communities, reducing dependence on the national grid and improving power reliability for households and businesses.
Alongside the power project, Tinubu also commissioned several key infrastructure projects, including the 27-kilometre dualised New Yenagoa City Road 1, the 630-metre Angiama–Oporoma Bridge, and the Sagbama/Ekeremor Road, all aimed at improving connectivity and boosting economic activity across Bayelsa State.
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He praised the state government led by Governor Douye Diri for what he described as “purposeful and progressive leadership,” adding that collaboration between federal and state governments remains essential for sustainable development.
“Development advances further and faster when the federal and state governments work in partnership toward a shared purpose,” Tinubu said.
The President also used the occasion to observe a minute’s silence in honour of soldiers killed in a recent terrorist attack on a military base in Borno State, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to defeating terrorism and banditry across the country.
“We will continue to equip and train our armed forces. We will defeat terrorism and banditry, regardless of their shenanigans,” he assured.
Tinubu further acknowledged the economic challenges facing Nigerians, including rising living costs linked to global energy disruptions, but insisted that government interventions are being implemented to ease hardship and support vulnerable citizens.
“We will continue to find ways to ameliorate the suffering of the vulnerable. This is a government that cares,” he said.
At the event, Tinubu also commended former President Goodluck Jonathan, describing him as “one of the most humble and reliable democrats on the continent,” while praising ongoing development efforts in Bayelsa State.
Governor Diri, in his remarks, appealed for federal refunds on projects executed on federal roads by the state government and highlighted ongoing infrastructure efforts under his “Assured Prosperity” agenda, including roads, bridges, civic buildings, and sports facilities.
He described the newly commissioned Yenagoa–Oporoma–Ukubie road as a transformative project that has ended years of isolation for several riverine communities in Southern Ijaw.
The Bayelsa IPP is expected to enhance power supply stability, attract investment, support SMEs, and stimulate economic diversification in the oil-rich state.
The commissioning ceremony was attended by several top political figures, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, governors from multiple states, senior federal officials, and traditional leaders, reflecting the national significance of the projects.
Residents reportedly thronged the project sites in celebration, cheering and dancing as the President arrived at the Bayelsa International Airport aboard the presidential jet.
Tinubu concluded by expressing optimism about Nigeria’s future, saying: “Nigeria will be great, and we will succeed.”
Tinubu Promises Stable Electricity as Bayelsa Unveils 60MW Power Project
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