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TCN Gives Update On Collapsed National Grid

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The Transmission Company of Nigeria on Sunday said the national power grid has been restored following Saturday’s collapse.

The TCN Public Affairs General Manager, Ndidi Mbah described the collapse as partial, saying that “there was a partial disturbance of the grid at about 15.09Hrs yesterday, 6th July 2024.”

According to her, the incident “brings to three, the partial grid disturbances, with one total disturbance this year.”

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The TCN spokesperson said the grid collapse is suspected to have been triggered by the unexpected tripping of three units of a power-generating station which she said suddenly removed 313MW from the grid, causing system instability that led to the loss of bulk supply to a section of the national grid.

“Meanwhile, the system operator reacted to the sudden drop in generation which led to a dip in frequency by islanding a section of the grid which includes the Ibom Power Station through which the company continued to feed Uyo, Aba, Itu, Eket, Calabar, etc. even when the other section of the grid had no supply.

“Also, the operators commenced grid restoration efforts immediately after the incident. At about 21.57 hrs yesterday, the entire part of the grid that was affected by today’s incident was successfully restored,” Mbah said.

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Meanwhile, electricity consumers have condemned the repeated collapse of the national power grid.

READ ALSO: Outage As National Grid Collapses Again

A checkconfirmed that power generation from all power plants dropped to a paltry 70MW at 3 pm after it peaked at 3916MW around 10 am on Saturday.

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It was observed that the distribution companies got zero allocation as of Saturday evening.

This grid collapse came barely three days after the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission approved a tariff increase for Band A customers, from N206.80 per kilowatt-hour to N209.50/kWh.

While speaking with our correspondent, the Executive Director, Electricity Consumer Protection Advocacy Centre, Princewill Okorie, regretted that the grid keeps collapsing despite the hike in electricity tariff.

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Okorie lamented that unmetered customers would still be made to pay for the period of the collapse, wondering what the government has been doing to stop the incidents.

“What are the causes of these grid collapses? Are the materials used in building the grip of good quality and standard? Who is managing the grid? The players in the sector are more interested in collecting money from the consumers rather than making the system stable.

READ ALSO: National Grid Restored After Strike Suspension – NUEE

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“What you hear more about the power sector is payment. The money that the international communities are bringing to the industry and the money that is unlawfully collected from the consumers, where are they being utilised? The operational expenditures of the DisCos, and how do they spend them?

“In the past few months, they keep increasing tariffs yet there is inefficiency in the power sector. They are interested in collecting money, but whether the money is judiciously utilised or not, nobody cares.

“They keep overbilling customers. The desperation to collect revenue from customers for services not delivered is a challenge.

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“Now that the grid collapsed, the unmetered customers will still be made to pay for darkness. That is injustice. The government should address this issue of grid collapse once and for all,” Okorie warned.

Also, the Convener and Executive Director of PowerUp Nigeria, an electricity consumer right and power sector policy advocacy organisation, Adetayo Adegbemle,  said everyone involved in the electricity value chain should be embarrassed by their inability to stop grid collapses.

Adegbemle held that some people should be shown the way out to fix the situation.

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READ ALSO: Nigeria’s FX Reserves Hit $34.7bn

“I think everyone involved in the value chain should be embarrassed by the regular occurrence and inability to put measures in place to avoid this constant grid collapse. It is unfortunate because everyone throws the blame on others

“And I believe if heads had been rolling for people not taking responsibility for it, someone would have stood up to fix this problem,” he stated.

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Suggesting the way out, Adegbemle said, “There’s a need to align the value chain, this was something the Siemens deal boasted to achieve. I expect that if the head of TCN, for instance, is to lose his job tonight, the next MD would be more willing to work with other subsectors to ensure this does not happen again.

“From whatever we need to forestall this grid collapses, it is definitely in the hands of the leadership of the TCN, especially.”

Commenting on the grid disturbance on Saturday, the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company said its TCN stations are out of supply, saying it is unable to provide services to customers in Abia, Anambra,  Ebonyi,  Enugu, and Imo States.

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READ ALSO: Confraternity Day: Edo Warns Against Unlawful Gatherings

“The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company wishes to inform its esteemed customers of a general system collapse which occurred at 15:09 hours today, 6th July 2024. This has resulted in the loss of supply currently being experienced across the network.

“Due to this development, all our interface TCN stations are out of supply, and we are unable to provide services to our customers in Abia, Anambra,  Ebonyi,  Enugu, and Imo States.

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“We are on standby awaiting detailed information of the collapse and restoration of supply from the National Control Centre, Osogbo,” a statement by the EEDC Head of Corporate Communications, Emeka Ezeh, read.

Also, the Kano DisCo said, “We regret to inform you that the power outage being experienced in our franchise states is due to system collapse of the national grid. The collapse occurred at about 3:10 pm, hence the loss of supply on all our outgoing feeders.

“Power supply shall be restored as soon as the National Grid is powered back. Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience.”

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EFCC Arraigns Three Company Staff For Alleged Fraud Of ₦174m

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Uyo Zonal Directorate, has arraigned Akaninyene Enefiok Archibong, Sylvanus Edet Akpan, and Glory Enefiok Archibong before Justice Maurine Onyetenu of the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday said they were arraigned on Friday, November 7, 2025 on twenty-two count charges bordering on stealing, conspiracy, money laundering and criminal diversion to the tune of ₦174,226,610 (One hundred and Seventy-four million, Two hundred and Twenty-six thousand, Six hundred and ten Naira).

He said, “One of the charges reads: “That you, Akaninyene Enefiok Archibong sometime between January and December 2022, in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently took possession of the sum of ₦58,600,500.00 through your First Bank account number 3055162976, knowing that the money formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: stealing by conversion, contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.”

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Another count reads: “That you, Glory Enefiok Archibong sometime in 2022, in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, took possession of the sum of ₦14,090,000.00 through your Zenith Bank account number 2256436893, knowing that the money formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: money laundering and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act, 2022.”

He said the suspects all pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them

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In view of their pleas, prosecution counsel, Oluwatimileyin Faleye prayed the court to fix a date for trial to enable the prosecution to prove its case against the defendants.

However, defence counsel, Imeh Eduk and Ndifreke Inyangette sued for a short adjournment to enable them file formal bail applications for the defendants. They also made an oral application for the third defendant on the ground of being a nursing mother.

READ ALSO:EFCC Arrests CEO Over ₦2bn Ponzi Scheme

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After listening to both sides, Justice Onyetenu granted the third defendant, Glory Archibong bail in the sum of ₦30 million, with two sureties in like sum, and landed properties within the jurisdiction of the court.

The court ordered that Akaninyene Archibong and Sylvanus Akpan be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The case was adjourned till January 27, 2026, for bail hearing and commencement of trial.

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The defendants were arrested in Uyo, following claims of a petitioner, Mr Ubong Bassey Okon, Managing Director of Ubotex Nigeria Limited.

According to the petitioner, Akaninyene Archibong and Sylvanus Akpan, who worked in the company as cashier and auditor respectively, allegedly conspired and diverted company funds into personal accounts, by manipulating figures with forged authorizations on payment vouchers.

Investigations into the matter revealed that Akaninyene Archibong transferred portions of the stolen funds to his younger sister, Glory Enefiok Archibong, who played a critical role in laundering the said funds via property acquisition and constructions, aimed at concealing the source of the illicit funds.

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Man Axed To Death By Lover’s Children, Friends In Delta

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A man identified as Rossy Omatseye has been attacked and axed to death by the children and friends of his lover in Orerokpe Community, Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State.

The incident occurred on Monday, November 10, according to DAILY POST.

It was learnt that the deceased and his lover had an argument which led to his attack and death.

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When the children of his lover heard of the argument between him and their mother, they mobilized their friends and went to his house where they attacked and axed him to death on the spot.

READ ALSO:Police Arrest Suspected Cultists, Gun Peddlers In Delta

The deceased family members who are from Ekpan Community in Uvwie Local Government Area mobilized with their friends to avenge the death of their brother in Orerokpe Community.

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The incident caused serious tension but the Police has brought the matter under control.

Although our sources confirmed the violence, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, is yet to confirm the incident as requested by our correspondent in Warri.

 

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Four Sentenced To Death Over Kano Garage Owner’s Murder

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A Kano State High Court has sentenced four men to death by hanging for the murder of Rilwanu Ilyasu, known as Nanu, a mechanic who ran a garage at Farawa Layout in Kano.

The accused are Abubakar Sadiq (alias Alhaji Sallari), Abdulmajid Jibrin, Nasiru Sani, and Yusuf Sani.

Both were found guilty of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide under Sections 97 and 221(b) of the Penal Code. Two other suspects, Nura Farin Boss and Dan Bayo, are still at large.

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READ ALSO:French Court Sentences Saudi Navy Officer To 10 Years For Rape

Barrister Safiya Yalwati, leading the prosecution, said the attack happened on the night of April 13, 2016, when the defendants entered Ilyasu’s home armed with an axe and other deadly weapons.

She added that the assault was motivated by suspicions that Ilyasu had tipped off NDLEA operatives, leading to the arrest of the first defendant and the seizure of illicit drugs and N27,000.

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The attack left Ilyasu with fatal injuries. The prosecution called eight witnesses and presented key exhibits, including the murder weapon.

READ ALSO:Danish Court Sentences Ex-minister To Prison For Child Abuse Material

After reviewing the evidence, the court sentenced the four men to death by hanging.

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Reacting to the ruling, the Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim Maude Kabir SAN, through his media aide Abubakar Tijjani Ibrahim, said the judgment reeflects the unwavering commitment of the Kano State Ministry of Justice to ensuring that justice is served in accordance with the law.

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