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Epileptic Power Supply: Lekki Residents Protest, Call For EKEDC Removal

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Residents of Lekki Phase 1 in Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, have expressed frustration over the epileptic power supply being witnessed in the area.

Speaking with journalists earlier today, residents stated that this has been their plight for over five years. They noted that the situation worsened since the beginning of the year, attributing it to lack of investment by the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC).

One of the residents, Chief Theodore Oniopaku bemoaned the situation, citing instances where they barely get thirty minutes of electricity per day and sometimes endure up to eighteen days without power in a month.

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He said, “The situation is really bad. We’ve been trying to avoid protests because we don’t want a situation where hoodlums will hijack it like what happened during the End SARS protest.

“But it seems no one is paying attention to our plight. Some of us are retirees, we live on pensions. How can we afford a litre of diesel at N1,600 per litre? How much do we earn in a month?”

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A retired Justice, Eniola Oluokun reiterated these sentiments, noting a six-year struggle with poor power supply in the area.

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Oluokun called for independent power supply solutions for the area, criticizing EKEDC’s lack of financial capacity and technical expertise to address the issue effectively.

He said, “Lekki phase 1 residents should be on an Independent Power supply. It is Nigeria’s heartbeat and destination for holiday fun seekers. Most visitors and tourists prefer to stay in Lekki Phase 1.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think EKEDC has the financial capacity and technical expertise to provide electricity in the area.

“Some of their equipments are old and obsolete. Whenever their equipment is faulty, it takes them five to six days to fix leaving the estate without light. Our neighbours in Banana Island who use the Independent Power plant have constant light, but we don’t. It’s a very painful situation.”

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READ ALSO: Electricity Subsidy No Longer Sustainable – FG

Another resident, a retired civil servant who preferred anonymity, blamed past governments, for the collapse of the power generation in Nigeria.

He cited corruption and lack of transparency during the power privatization process as contributing factors.

“The corruption in the power sector where trillions of Naira were diverted to private accounts and lack of transparency during the power privatisation contributed immensely to the collapse of our power generation. If the government refuse to address these two monsters, Nigerians must not expect power soon”. He said.

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Recall that the residents’ frustration have once led to a legal action against EKEDC, due to failed promises and billing discrepancies.

In April 2022, Lekki residents petitioned the presidency, represented by Ambassador Ibrahim Gambari MFR, seeking intervention to compel EKEDC to provide adequate power supply comparable to other affluent areas like Victoria Island, Ikoyi, and Banana Island.

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At the time, Mogaji Wale Arisekola a resident and media consultant for the estate, expressed grievances over high-end user tariff plans.

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He estimated potential damages of N10 billion to N15 billion from EKEDC’s shortcomings and also urged affected estates to seek legal recourse.

Arisekola said, “It is a case of accepting money under false pretext, which is in section 419 in the Nigeria penal code. The whole of Lekki Phase 1 estate no longer wants to have anything to do with EKEDC again. They are tired of paying for darkness. The tariff they put us on is for a minimum of eighteen hours in a day and we are getting less than six hours. We have enough grounds to approach the court of law to demand our fundamental rights.

“We are looking at a damage of N10 billion to N15 billion from EKEDC and the court order barring EKEDC from disturbing the Independent Power supply engaged by the estate. EKEDC’s excuses are no longer acceptable to us in the estate.”

However, despite previous attempts by EKEDC to address customer complaints, including the inauguration of a Customers’ Complaint Unit in Lekki, residents remain dissatisfied with the quality of service.

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Meanwhile, residents are set to embark on a peaceful protest against the injustice by EKEDC on Saturday 30th of March 2024 at the Lekki Phase 1 Gate.

This was made known through the “notice of protest” being circulated on WhatsApp and Zonal groups, which reads in part “…We are tired of sleeping in darkness. Please all Lekki residents must endeavour to participate. We have been sleeping without power for about a month now…”

 

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Nigerian Emerges First Black Woman To Bag PhD In Robotics At Michigan Varsity

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A Nigerian woman, Oluwami Dosunmu-Ogunbi, has made history as the first black woman to bag a PhD in Robotics at the University of Michigan in the United States.

Speaking at the university’s College of Engineering convocation, Dosunmu-Ogunbi, a daughter of Nigerian immigrants, spoke on the support she received in realising her aspirations.

She said,  “I do not stand here on my own two feet alone. None of us got here by our individual merit alone, whether it be teacher, friends, family, mentors, or role models, we each have one or multiple people to whom we are grateful for making this moment possible.”

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She added that she wants to be remembered as the University of Michigan’s first black woman to get a PhD in Robotics and she wants to use her knowledge in engineering to improve the lives of others.

She added, “A Michigan Engineer is one who does not just provide scientific and technological leadership, but is also one who is intellectually curious, socially conscious, creates collaborative solutions to societal problems, and promotes an inclusive and innovative community of service for the common good.

“We each have a solemn duty to make positive contributions to the world. Well, my reasons for becoming an engineer were initially frivolous, but they eventually moved into something more meaningful. I want to have a positive impact on the world.”

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The University of Michigan Robotics Department website describes Dosunmu-Ogunbi’s journey as one shared by many PhD students who initially lack a clear vision for their final goals.

It added that Dosunmu-Ogunbi has been an active community builder in robotics, earning an MLK Spirit Award from the College of Engineering for mentoring and inspiration as well as being named an outreach ambassador by Robotics for three years, 2021–2023.

The Department also disclosed that she was named a runner-up in the
College of Engineering’s three–minute thesis competition and has been inducted into the Bouchet Society, which recognises outstanding scholarly achievement and promotes diversity in graduate education and the professoriate.

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Dosunmu-Ogunbi is currently interviewing for faculty positions, the department revealed.

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Delta Bloodbath: Relief As Army Withdraws Soldiers From Okuama Community

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Soldiers of the Nigerian Army who have been laying siege on the Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State since March 14, 2024, following the killing of 17 army officers and soldiers on a peace mission, have been pulled out from the community.

Local sources from Akugbene and Okoloba communities in Bomadi Local Government Area told newsmen on Wednesday that “the military troops were sighted suddenly pulling out of Okuama community on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.”

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, while confirming the troops withdrawal from Okuama community, lauded President Bola Tinubu and the military high command for their interventions.

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Oborevwori, at a media briefing, said that with the withdrawal of the troops, the people of Okuama could now safely return to their homes and begin the process of reintegration and rebuilding their homes and community.

The governor said, “My dear good people of Delta State, I have the pleasure to announce to you that, upon many deliberations and collaborations between the state government and the military leadership, the Nigerian Army has agreed to withdraw its officers and men from Okuama.

“I spoke with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, on Monday, 6th of May, and as of today, 8th of May, 2024, the military has withdrawn from Okuama.

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“With this development, the people of Okuama can now safely return to their homes and begin the process of reintegration and rebuilding their homes.”

Although Oberevwori had earlier appealed to indigenes and farmers to move into a rehabilitation camp being set up for Internally Displaced Persons by the state government “for proper welfare as a first step towards their resettlement to their community,” Okuama leaders had reportedly expressed reluctance to yield to the governor’s call regarding IDPs.

The Chairman of the State Government Committee to manage the Ewu IDP Camp, Mr. Abraham Ogbodo, who affirmed that the governor had already released N10 million to the Committee to ease the take-off of the Camp site at Ewu Grammar School lamented the noticeable lack of willingness by the Okuama indigenes to move into the IDP camp despite the efforts being put in place.

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Activists To Protest Reporter’s Detention In Abuja Thursday

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Protesters have vowed to storm the headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, on Thursday, over the prolonged detention of a reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, Daniel Ojukwu.

On Wednesday, flyers circulating on social media shared by activists, journalists and other Nigerians called people to “join us for a peaceful protest at the police headquarters Abuja on Thursday by 9am”.

Former presidential candidate and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, also shared the flyer on X which had the reporter’s image, captioning it “An end to #CybercrimeAct2015Now. Let’s all be there at 9 am tomorrow (Thursday).”

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Human rights group, the Take It Back Movement, also posted on X, “We will be here tomorrow at 9 am, prompt! Join us. #FreeDanielOjukwu.”

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The group’s coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, further confirmed to our correspondent in an interview, “We are rallying all our members to participate in the protest. This is democracy and the police are not bigger than the law.”

A lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, also wrote on X, “The protest at the Force Headquarters will also be an opportunity to protest against cybercrime levy.”

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Ojukwu was picked up Wednesday, May 1, 2024, by the police on the streets of Lagos and was transferred to the Nigeria Police Force-National Cyber Crime Centre in Abuja on Sunday.

Widespread condemnations have trailed the journalist’s abduction even as the police maintain that a petition was filed against the journalist but have not given details.

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The President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba, condemned the reporter’s abduction.

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The police cannot detain somebody for seven days under any law in Nigeria as we speak,” he had told The PUNCH on Tuesday.

FIJ on Monday reported that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria was behind the petition that led to the abduction of Ojukwu by the police.

According to the media house, the petition is in relation to FIJ’s coverage of alleged financial mismanagement in the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.

In one of its investigative pieces on the office, FIJ had reported how a sum of N147.1m reportedly meant for the building of classrooms and a skill acquisition centre was allegedly sent to the account of a restaurant.

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But in a statement on its X handle on Monday, the OSSAP-SDGs denied the allegation, describing it as “false from the onset.”

The statement said the office “has been transparent in its operations and project implementation processes” and noted that “therefore, the assertion that our project was sponsored by a restaurant is false and baseless.”

The Director of the Cyber Crime Centre, Uche Ifeanyi, on Tuesday, told The PUNCH the bail conditions for the detained journalist who has spent seven days in custody had not been met.

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We’ve served them papers for bail conditions. I think the problem is they’ve not been able to meet up with the bail conditions. The person they brought on Monday could not even produce an ID card. They brought someone on Tuesday who is not a civil servant. You know how sensitive the case is. So, once they bring the civil servant of measure, we will know,” he said.

FIJ’s founder, Fisayo Soyombo said on Tuesday it was “insane” to keep the journalist for that long. “I can’t believe this is happening in a democracy. The law is clear. If you feel that something false has been published against you, the process is laid down, you go to court and institute a case. You can’t just pick someone in Gestapo style and claim the person has a case to answer.”

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