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Residents of Edo communities jubilate after connecting to electricity in 30 years

Published

2 years ago

August 27, 2024

Is Nigeria's Electricity Tariff Going Up? FG Finally Breaks Silence

Residents of Edo communities jubilate after connecting to electricity in 30 years

The Federal Government through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), has inaugurated two hybrid mini-grid with total of 200KW capacity for Oloyan and Sule camp communities in Ovia South and Ovia North-East local government areas of Edo State respectively.

Nigerian Tribune reports that Olayan, an agrarian settlement in Edo State that had been without electricity for over three decades gets the 100KW of electricity while the Sule camp community also gets 100KW after 30 years of blackout.

Speaking during the inauguration, the REA Managing Director, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, said mini-grid was one of many being developed across the nation through the Federal Government’s Rural Electrification Fund (REF).

He said Rural Electrification Fund remained a key mechanism of the Federal Government, designed to enable developmental impact in rural communities through the provision of sustainable energy access.

Aliyu, represented by the agency’s Executive Director, Doris Uboh, noted that the rural communities were being held back across the nation due to the spate of energy poverty in rural communities, which deserved a new lease of life.

He said in citing the mini off grid, REA took into consideration the economic viability of the community, including the critical agricultural activities seen across the community.

“It is evident that our interventions in un-served and underserved communities are serving as catalysts to true sustainable development, in line with the objectives of the Federal Government. The off-grid, renewable energy ecosystem in Nigeria will continue to be a driving force for the Nigerian economy,” he said.

Aliyu explained that the inauguration of the two mini-grids in Oloya and Sule camp communities brought to three the total mini-grid in the state, as one was inaugurated in Adebayo community last two years.

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He said that to ensure sustainability of the project, they have constituted a committee, comprising members of the communities where the project was cited to take responsibility and also provide security for the project.

He said the agency focused on rural communities because the urban areas had received much attention while rural areas had been abandoned or neglected for too long.

He said the president’s renewed hope agenda was to focus on communities that had been neglected for too long, noting that the benefitting communities had been in existence for 21 and 30 years without electricity.

On his part, the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, commended the agency for its commitment to bring sustainable energy solutions to communities in the state.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ozigbo Esere, the state Rural Electrification Agency, said the innovative infrastructure such as the mini-grid were essential for the growth and prosperity of the people of Edo State.

He said the initiative is a reflection of the visionary leadership of President Bola Tinubu and the transformative 2023 Electricity Act, which has laid a solid foundation for a brighter energy future in Nigeria.

On behalf of the communities, the Baale of Oloyan community, Chief Kolawole Olusegun and the Baale of Sule camp community, Asimiyu Kareen, said the project will significantly improve their socioeconomic activities.

They said that installation of the electricity project has made them believe in the promises of the Federal Government. It is a sign that the government has not forgotten the rural people.

Residents of Edo communities jubilate after connecting to electricity in 30 years

Related Topics:electricity Residents of Edo

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Atiku Challenges Tinubu Over Mecca Trip, Demands Daily Photo, Video Proof

Published

2 hours ago

October 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Atiku Challenges Tinubu Over Mecca Trip, Demands Daily Photo, Video Proof

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to provide daily, verifiable photographic and video evidence of his presence in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, during his announced Umrah pilgrimage, questioning whether the trip could include an unannounced visit to France.

Atiku made the demand in a statement issued on Wednesday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council.

The opposition leader alleged that information available to him suggested Tinubu might make a brief appearance in Makkah before travelling to France. However, he did not publicly provide evidence to substantiate the allegation.

Atiku called on the Presidency to release clear, current and date-stamped photographs and videos each day showing Tinubu at the Kaaba, the sacred structure at the centre of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, and participating in the religious rites associated with Umrah.

He argued that Nigerians deserved verifiable information about the President’s whereabouts, daily engagements and the purpose of the trip, particularly because the journey had been presented as an opportunity to pray for the country.

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Atiku also raised questions about the President’s health and a reported $20 billion loan request involving a French business partner, urging the Presidency to clarify the issues and disclose Tinubu’s full itinerary.

The former Vice-President said he and other Nigerians would join the President in praying for the country’s peace and progress. He, however, cautioned against invoking religion without sincerity.

“No one should invoke the name of Almighty Allah in vain,” Atiku said, according to the statement.

He maintained that a presidential trip presented as a spiritual mission for Nigeria was a matter of public interest, adding that citizens were entitled to know the President’s official engagements and how the journey was being funded.

The Presidency had earlier announced that Tinubu would depart Abuja on Thursday, October 29, for Makkah to perform Umrah, an Islamic pilgrimage that can be undertaken at any time of the year.

Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, said the visit would provide Tinubu with an opportunity for spiritual reflection, devotion and prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and progress.

According to the announcement, the President was expected to return to Nigeria the following week after completing the pilgrimage.

The Presidency’s announcement identified Makkah as the destination for the religious exercise. As of the latest reports, Atiku’s allegation of a possible onward journey to France had not been independently verified.

The dispute comes amid heightened political scrutiny as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general election, with opposition figures increasingly questioning the administration’s decisions, public spending and transparency.

Atiku Challenges Tinubu Over Mecca Trip, Demands Daily Photo, Video Proof

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Yobe Court Jails 20-Year-Old Man Seven Years for Sex with 16-Year-Old Girl

Published

2 hours ago

October 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Dauda Umaru

Yobe Court Jails 20-Year-Old Man Seven Years for Sex with 16-Year-Old Girl

A Federal High Court sitting in Damaturu, Yobe State, has sentenced a 20-year-old man, Dauda Umaru, to seven years’ imprisonment for procuring and having sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old girl.

The court, presided over by Justice Aisha Y. Salihu of Court 2, also ordered Umaru to pay ₦1 million into the Victim Trust Fund Account and an additional ₦500,000 as compensation to the victim.

The conviction was secured by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) under Section 16(1) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition), Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, as amended.

According to NAPTIP, the court warned that failure to pay the stipulated amount would attract an additional seven months’ imprisonment.

Umaru was arraigned on July 13, 2026, and convicted on October 27, 2026, following the prosecution of the case.

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The judgment highlights the legal consequences of sexual exploitation involving minors and the role of NAPTIP in investigating and prosecuting trafficking-related offences.

The case also draws attention to the need to protect children from sexual exploitation and ensure that offenders are brought before the courts.

In a related case reported earlier in October, a Borno State High Court in Maiduguri sentenced a 37-year-old woman, Fatima Sanda, to two years’ imprisonment for procuring a 16-year-old girl for sexual exploitation. The court also ordered her to pay ₦500,000 in compensation to the victim.

Both cases were prosecuted under the same anti-trafficking law, which criminalises the procurement of persons for sexual exploitation.

Yobe Court Jails 20-Year-Old Man Seven Years for Sex with 16-Year-Old Girl

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Tinubu Heads to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, Seeks Allah’s Blessings for Nigeria

Published

13 hours ago

October 28, 2026

Trends Admin

Tinubu Heads to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, Seeks Allah’s Blessings for Nigeria

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will travel to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday to perform Umrah, the Islamic lesser pilgrimage, and pray for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and progress.

The planned trip was announced on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

According to the announcement, Tinubu will use the spiritual journey to seek Allah’s guidance and blessings for Nigeria and its citizens as the country continues to grapple with economic and security challenges.

Umrah is a voluntary Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah that can be performed at any time of the year, unlike Hajj, which takes place during a specific period in the Islamic calendar.

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Before departing Abuja, the President is expected to commission equipment acquired by the Nigerian Air Force to support its operations. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.

Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria next week after completing the religious exercise in Saudi Arabia.

The planned visit comes as his administration continues to pursue economic reforms and address security concerns across the country.

The Presidency said the pilgrimage would provide the President with an opportunity for spiritual reflection and devotion, including prayers for Nigeria’s continued peace, unity and development.

The announcement did not provide further details about the President’s travel delegation or the precise date of his return.