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Insecurity: Telecom Operators Threaten Tariff Hike

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Telecom operators have threatened an upward review of their tariffs over the rising cost of doing business and the safety of telecommunications infrastructure in the country.

The Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria also said it is considering varying tariffs in some of the unfriendly telecommunications states in order to accommodate their demands.

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The Chairman of ALTON, Mr Gbenga Adebayo, told newsmen on Thursday in Lagos that the high cost of energy and security of telecom workers was hampering operations.

We are concerned that unless there is an intervention to save this sector, operators will have no choice but to begin a process of price review.

“Operators are very concerned about the rising cost of diesel and its implications on the general cost of business,” the ALTON chairman said.

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He said the government needed to do a lot more to keep the nation safe and keep telecom workers safe.

“We reaffirm our commitment to working with the security agencies in order to get the necessary support for national security.

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“We now need protection from sub-national government and agencies to stop the interference of smooth operations of telecom services,” he said.

Speaking on Kogi State, the association said it was concerned about the shutting down of telecommunications facilities in the state over disputes arising from unusual taxes and levies demanded by the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service.

Adebayo said, “The action by KIRS was hinged on an ex-parte court order obtained by the KIRS over unsubstantiated allegations that our members are in default of tax payments to the state government, which is not the truth.”

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He said operators had been denied access to critical telecom sites.

This issue is likely to lead to a total communications blackout in the entire Kogi state, parts of Abuja and possibly impact on service availability in some parts of the following states: Nassarawa, Benue, Enugu, Anambra, Edo, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara, and Niger.These are states sharing borders with Kogi,” he said.

Adebayo said that as a result of these actions by the state government, its members were unable to refuel the power generators nor provide any support or maintenance services in the sites.

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He said the situation had resulted in the outage of over 70 sites across parts of Kogi.

“The impact of these outages will gradually spread to the states mentioned above and if no action is taken within the next few days, a total outage of telecommunication sites in all these states will be catastrophically experienced.

READ ALSO: US Embassy Lists Conditions For ‘No-interview’ Visa Renewals

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“To the best of our knowledge, our members have settled all statutory levies and taxes due to the Kogi government and have taken necessary steps to comply with local laws that govern business activities within the state,” Adebayo said

Speaking on the degrading quality of service in Abuja, he said, “The Federal Capital Development Authority, Directorate for Signage and Advertisement, has refused to grant telecommunication service providers permit to build infrastructure in the Federal capital city.”

Adebayo said that the refusal was affecting the quality of services around FCT and Abuja.

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He urged the Federal Executive Council to prevail on the FCDA in granting approval/permit to its members to deploy infrastructure.

ALTON and its members will no longer tolerate discriminatory charges against the sector.

” The industry is planning to begin a study on varying tariffs to some of the unfriendly telecommunications states in other to accommodate their demand,” he said.

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We want to be clear and state categorically that the action by Kogi and FCDA will jeopardize communication services provided by our members to Nigerian subscribers.”

He said it would also negatively impact the use of critical communication infrastructure by the national and state security agencies in the discharge of their duties to provide necessary security for the country.

(NAN/PUNCH)

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FG Predicts Heavy Rainfall, Flood In Seven States

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The Federal Ministry of Environment on Saturday predicted possible flooding in seven states and 25 locations across Nigeria.

The ministry, in its flood alert warned that heavy rainfall expected between August 23 and 24 could lead to flooding in the listed areas.

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The alert was signed by the Director of the Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management Department, Usman Bokani.

He further directed residents of communities along the flood plain from Jebba to Lokoja to evacuate immediately as the River Niger’s water level continues to rise.

READ ALSO:NiMet Predicts 3-day Thunderstorms, Rains

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Due to the rise in the water level of River Niger, communities on the flood plain from Jebba to Lokoja are advised to evacuate,” he said.

The states and communities expected to be affected include Benue State (Abinsi, Agyo, Gbajimba, Gogo, Makurdi, Mbapa, Otobi, Otukpo, Udoma, Ukpiam); Borno State (Briyel, Dikwa, MaiduKamba; Gombe State (Bajoga, Dogon Ruwa, Gombe, Nafada); Kebbi State (Gwandu, Jega, Kamba); Nasarawa State (Agima, Keana, Keffi, Odogbo, Rukubi); Niger State (Lapai); and Yobe State (Gashua, Gasma, Potiskum).

On Friday, the National Emergency Management Agency urged residents in high-risk flood plains to evacuate to safer and higher grounds.

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READ ALSO:Again, NiMet Predicts Three-day Thunderstorms, Rain From Saturday

The states at high risk according to the agency are Kebbi, Niger, Kwara states that share borders with Benin Republic.

This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the agency’s Head of Press Unit, Manzo Ezekiel.

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The Director General of NEMA, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, also directed all NEMA offices covering communities along the River Niger to intensify advocacy and mobilization for flood preparedness following alerts of rising water levels in the upstream of the river in the Republic of Benin.

READ ALSO:NiMet Predicts 3-day Rains, Thunderstorms Across Nigeria From Sunday

In an urgent directive conveyed to the operations offices, Mrs. Zubaida Umar instructed them to sensitize communities to remain vigilant and advise residents in high-risk flood plains to evacuate to safer, higher grounds, especially those in Kebbi, Niger and Kwara states that share borders with Benin Republic.

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“She further urged the State Governments of the identified high-risk areas to support their Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) and Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) in activating contingency plans and preparedness measures to mitigate the potential impact of this year’s flooding.

“The Director General reaffirmed NEMA’s commitment to ensuring coordinated actions to safeguard lives and livelihoods along the River Niger,” the statement noted.

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‘Court Of Corruption’ — Obasanjo Knocks INEC Chairman, Judiciary In New Book

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticised the Nigerian judiciary, saying it has been “deeply compromised” and that corruption among judges has turned courts into “a court of corruption rather than a court of justice.”

In his new book, Nigeria: Past and Future, Obasanjo laments the steady decline of the Nigerian judiciary’s integrity, warning that justice has become commodified in Nigeria.

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“The reputation of the Nigerian judiciary has steadily gone down from the four eras up till today. The rapidity of the precipitous fall, particularly in the Fourth Republic, is lamentable,” Obasanjo wrote.

He expressed concern that the judiciary’s decline poses a significant threat to the nation’s stability.

READ ALSO:EFCC Raids Obasanjo’s Hotel, Arrests Suspected Internet Fraudsters At Pool Party

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Obasanjo recounted an incident where a governor showed him six duplex buildings belonging to a judge who allegedly acquired them from money made as chairman of election tribunals. This anecdote, he said, illustrates the depth of corruption in the judiciary.

The former president also accused Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, of undermining the electoral process since 2015.

“No wonder politicians do not put much confidence in an election which the INEC of Professor Mahmood Yakubu polluted and grossly undermined to make a charade,” he said.

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Obasanjo further alleged that politicians believe the outcome of election disputes depends on the will of tribunal judges, court of appeal judges, and supreme court judges.

READ ALSO:Obasanjo Blames Loss Of Values For Democracy’s Failure In Africa

No matter what the will of the people may be, the Chairman of INEC since after the 2015 election had made his will greater and more important than the will of the people,” he added.

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Moreover, Obasanjo directly accused the late former President Muhammadu Buhari of colluding with the judiciary during his election cases.

Buhari threw caution to the wind, no matter what had transpired between him and the judges who did his bidding. In his election cases, financially, he topped it up with appointments for them no matter their age and their ranks,” Obasanjo alleged.

The former president concluded that the current state of the judiciary and electoral system in Nigeria is alarming, saying, “After a false declaration of results, making losers winners and winners losers, the victim of the cheating is advised to go to court, which is a court of corruption rather than a court of justice.“

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Sanwo-Olu Unveils Leather Hub, Eyes 10,000 Jobs

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Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday inaugurated a state-of-the-art leather processing and manufacturing hub in Mushin, projected to create 10,000 direct jobs and generate over $250 million in annual export turnover when fully operational.

In a press release sent to PUNCH Online, the governor said the facility was formally inaugurated on Saturday by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, during her three-day official visit to Lagos.

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He added that the hub was named in her honour to recognise her grassroots initiatives in social investment and economic empowerment, with 70 per cent of its employment slots reserved for women and youths.

The hub is equipped with modern machinery to support Nano, Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (NMSMEs), enabling mass production of shoes, bags, belts, packaging materials, and other leather products.

READ ALSO:I Will Snub Gov Sanwo-Olu Again – Mr Macaroni

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It is designed to ease production bottlenecks, scale operations, and position Lagos as the leather logistics capital of West Africa.

Speaking at the inauguration, Tinubu described the hub as a “trailblazing project” aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to diversify Nigeria’s economy through industrialisation, manufacturing, and innovation.

The Lagos State Leather Hub in Mushin, formally commissioned by the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Saturday, 23 August 2025.
Leatherwork is a traditional craft that has stood the test of time. This facility will empower artisans, scale up leather goods production, and enable them to compete confidently in both local and international markets,” she said, urging entrepreneurs to dedicate themselves to excellence and continuous learning.

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Sanwo-Olu said the project would provide training and start-up support to over 150,000 artisans, boost the local economy, attract investments, and strengthen trade links with fashion districts, e-commerce platforms, and future rail services.

READ ALSO:Sanwo-Olu Unveils Bus Terminal, Slashes Red Line Fares By 30%

“Hides and skins that once left our shores unprocessed will now be transformed here in Lagos into world-class footwear, garments, and accessories proudly stamped ‘Made in Lagos, Made in Nigeria’,” the governor said.

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He pledged to expand the facility through transparent regulation and continuous infrastructure upgrades, adding: “True dividends of democracy are best felt when they reach the cobbler in Mushin, the tanner in Oko-Oba, and the young fashion designer in Yaba.”

Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Akinyemi Ajigbotafe, said the hub would lower production costs and raise quality standards, positioning Lagos-made leather products for dominance in both local and export markets.

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