News

PHOTOS: ‘Abure’s Life Under Threat’, LP Raises Alarm After ‘Mysterious’ Fire Razes His Abuja Residence

Published

1 year ago

April 3, 2024

The Labour Party crisis escalated on Wednesday with an alleged arson attack on the Abuja residence of its National Chairman, Julius Abure, by unidentified assailants.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh, in a statement in Abuja, alleged that Abure escaped “an assassination attempt at his residence.”

Ifoh said, “His ( Abure’s) residence was also gutted by a mysterious fire which started a few minutes after 1AM while Abure and the members of his family were asleep.

“According to a member of the family who narrated the incidence, the family was woken up by neighbours and security men living in the compound who raised the alarm.

“The entire family were trapped as the inferno had reached the staircase making it impossible for Abure and family to escape.

“However, it took divine intervention for the national chairman and his family to escape after neighbours and security men gallantly pulled down one of the windows upstairs making ways for the family to escape.

“Men of the Fire Service arrived shortly after Abure and his family were evacuated.

“Abure and his family were rushed to a private hospital where they are presently receiving treatment. Their condition is however stable.”

It was not exactly clear whether the matter has been officially reported to the police as at the time of filing this report.

The party has been engulfed by a leadership crisis since the 2023 general elections. Matters got to a head with calls by the Nigeria Labohr Congress (NLC) and other stakeholders of the party for the National Chairman to resign.

Despite opposition from the NLC, Abure secured re-election as Labour Party Chairman for a second term, with unanimous support from delegates at the recent national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State. The declaration was made by Mr. Ikechukwu Emetu, the Chairman of the National Convention and Deputy Governor of Abia State.

Abure has been engaged in a contentious dispute with NLC leadership, particularly led by Joe Ajaero.

The NLC had previously called for Abure’s resignation and the establishment of a caretaker transition committee to oversee a transparent national convention.

Amidst these tensions, on March 20, workers unable to access the party office gathered outside, demanding Abure’s removal over alleged financial misconduct, chanting songs of protest.

The leadership of opposing factions within the party criticized the NLC’s endorsement of the LP, highlighting divisions over leadership. According to the LP, the party’s leadership does not answer the congress, further deepening the rift within the party.

News

FG Shuts 22 Illegal Tertiary Institutions

Published

23 minutes ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The National Commission for Colleges of Education has uncovered and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education.

The discovery was made during a crackdown on illegal colleges of education in the country.

The development was revealed in the commission’s achievements, seen by our correspondent.

“The NCCE identified and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education operating across the country.

“The NCCE conducted personnel audit, financial monitoring in all the 21 federal colleges of education,” the commission said.

President Bola Tinubu had recently urged the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education to weed out illegal higher institutions of learning in the country.

Speaking at the 14th convocation of the National Open University of Nigeria in Abuja, the President ordered the NUC, the NBTE, and other agencies to take decisive action against what he described as “certificate millers” undermining the credibility of the education sector.

Tinubu, who was represented by the Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, warned that the integrity of the academic system must not be compromised.

“At this juncture, it has become imperative to reiterate that this administration remains committed to strengthening the integration of all agencies involved in the administration of education to enhance efficiency and quality,” the President said.

He added, “The National Youth Service Corps, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education are working in alignment to improve the quality of education and ensure that cases of forgery and unrecognised institutions both within and outside the country have no place in our education ecosystem.”

News

EFCC Orders Arrest Of Dismissed Officer On Lege Miami’s Show

Published

2 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has condemned the actions of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, who was recently spotted participating in a matchmaking programme on social media platforms hosted by popular entertainer Lege Miami.

The agency has ordered his immediate arrest for retaining official EFCC property, including an identity card, following his dismissal for certificate forgery.

The anti-graft agency, in a statement on its official X handle on Monday, said Folarin served as a driver at the EFCC’s Ibadan Zonal Directorate.

He was, however, dismissed after investigations confirmed he had forged his academic credentials.

It said, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, condemned in the strongest terms, the involvement of one of its former staff, Olakunle Alex Folarin, in a matchmaking programme running on Lege Miami social media platforms.”

“Folarin was recently dismissed from the Commission for certificate forgery. He was a driver at the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the EFCC.”

The statement said EFCC Executive Chairma,n Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered Folarin to be arrested and emphasised that Folarin’s actions should not be associated with the commission.

“The Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has ordered his arrest for being in possession of some Commission’s properties, including an identity card, which he should have handed over upon being dismissed from the EFCC.

“The public is advised against associating Folarin’s post-dismissal conduct with the EFCC,” the statement concluded.

News

NERC Transfers Regulation Of Electricity Market To Bayelsa

Published

2 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has transferred regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State to the Bayelsa Electricity Regulatory Agency.

In a notice on its social media handles on Monday, the commission said this was in compliance with the amended 1999 Constitution and the Electricity Act 2023.

“In compliance with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued an order to transfer regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Bayelsa State from the Commission to the Bayelsa State Electricity Regulatory Agency,” the commission said.

Recall that with the Electricity Act 2023, the commission retains the role as a central regulator with regulatory oversight on the interstate/international generation, transmission, supply, trading, and system operations.

The Act also mandates any state that intends to establish and regulate intrastate electricity markets to deliver a formal notification of its processes and requests NERC to transfer regulatory authority over electricity operations in the state to the state regulator.

The transfer order by NERC directed Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company Plc to incorporate a subsidiary distribution company to assume responsibilities for intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Bayelsa State from PHED.

PHED was also directed to complete the incorporation of PHED SubCo within 60 days from August 21, 2025.

“The subcompany shall apply for and obtain a licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from BYERA, among other directives,” the commission said.

It concluded that all transfers envisaged by the order shall be completed by February 20, 2026.

With this order, Bayelsa has joined states like Lagos, Imo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Enugu, Niger, Edo, Oyo and Plateau, which have got the power to regulate electricity markets.

The state can now generate, transmit, and distribute electricity while issuing licences to investors within the value chain.