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Mutfwang condemns attack on Plateau community

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2 hours ago

August 21, 2026

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Governor Caleb Mutfwang has condemned the attack on Bin-mper community in Mangu council area, describing it as barbaric and unacceptable.

Mr Mutfwang spoke on Thursday during a condolence visit to the community in Kombum District, where the attack reportedly claimed 24 lives.

The community was attacked on the night of Monday, with women and children among those killed.

“I condole with you all today and plead with you to take courage in the Lord,” stated the governor. “As a government, we take responsibility for failing to protect you. We plead that you please take heart.”

Mr Mutfwang described the killings as “a barbaric, senseless and evil display on innocent lives”, saying the attack also targeted his administration.

“It was not only an attack against your community but also an attack on me,” he said.

He described the incident as an affront to his person and the government’s collective resolve to protect lives and property.

Mr Mutfwang assured residents that his administration would strengthen existing security measures to prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities.

“This government would not relent in its determination to secure the state and create an environment conducive to the prosperity and well-being of its people,” he said.

He also assured residents that perpetrators of the attacks would not take over their ancestral lands.

“We will do everything within our powers to ensure that you remain on your land. Nobody will take over your land,” Mr Mutfwang said.

The governor said police had arrested some suspects, promising that the government would follow the matter to its logical conclusion.

Mr Mutfwang visited the palace of the traditional ruler, Mishkagham Mwaghavul, Putmang Hirse. He assured the traditional institution and residents of President Bola Tinubu’s support, promising that the government would intensify efforts to end insurgency in Plateau.

Mr Hirse thanked the governor and his delegation for identifying with the Mwaghavul people during the difficult period. He described the attack as senseless and deliberate, saying the perpetrators appeared determined to inflict pain and destabilise the peaceful community.

“This is something we least expected; people were asleep when they were massacred,” Mr Hirse said.

(NAN)

Related Topics:attack community Condemns Mutfwang plateau

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2027 polls: Ideyi emerges ADC candidate for Ebonyi South Senatorial zone

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Sanwo-Olu Sets Fresh Agenda to End Blackouts, as Lagos Targets 3,500MW Power Supply

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2027 polls: Ideyi emerges ADC candidate for Ebonyi South Senatorial zone

Published

2 hours ago

August 21, 2026

Preport

The opposition African Democratic Congress, ADC, Ebonyi State chapter, has held a fresh primary election for the Ebonyi South Senatorial District, with Dr Ideyi Prince Gamax emerging as the party’s candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He stood as the sole aspirant in the primary, polling a total of 450 votes to emerge as the winner.

The Returning Officer and Deputy Chairman of the ADC in Ebonyi State, Dr Victor Uduma, who announced the result, stated that party members from the Ebonyi South Senatorial District participated in the primary.

Uduma said, “We had the only candidate here, Dr Ideyi Gamax, who had a total of 450 votes.

“Party members from Ebonyi South Senatorial District were particularly enthusiastic and happy and have given him the mandate to represent them in the forthcoming 2027 general election as the ADC candidate.”

Speaking after his emergence, Gamax explained that the substitution primary was conducted as part of the party’s administrative process following an earlier primary held on April 22, 2026, where he also emerged as the senatorial candidate.

Expressing confidence that the ADC would win the 2027 senatorial election in Ebonyi South, he said consultations across the district indicated that the people were eager for a change in representation.

Gamax said the people of Ebonyi South were looking towards the ADC as a vehicle for change and effective representation, as well as the delivery of the dividends of democracy.

“I am very hopeful. Our people are eager for change, and they are looking at ADC as a vehicle to bring about this change and give us the kind of representation that will benefit our people,” he said.

Dr Jennifer Adibe-Nwafor, the ADC state chairman, described the primary as peaceful and well monitored by security agencies, the media and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in the state.

She explained that the substitution primary became necessary following an alteration in the party’s earlier process, adding that the national leadership directed the state chapter to conduct a substitution primary.

According to her, the exercise, held at the ADC state secretariat on Thursday, August 20, 2026, was the authentic substitution primary recognised by the state chapter and would be forwarded to the national leadership.

Adibe-Nwafor also dismissed reports of another ongoing primary, saying she was not aware of any parallel exercise.

“If there should be any primaries, I should be the one in charge of the primaries. I am not aware of any other primaries going on anywhere,” she said.

The ADC chairman further disclosed that the party would participate in the Ebonyi State local government elections scheduled for August 22, 2026.

She expressed optimism that the party would record a strong performance in the elections.

Business

Sanwo-Olu Sets Fresh Agenda to End Blackouts, as Lagos Targets 3,500MW Power Supply

Published

4 hours ago

August 21, 2026

Preport

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ending the persistent blackout and aim for a twenty four hours electricity in the state.

He said the Lagos State Government is ready to work with the critical stakeholders to actualise the targeted increase in available electricity supply to about 3,500 megawatts (MW) through coordinated action on generation, transmission, distribution and metering.

Governor Sanwo-Olu made the commitment on Thursday at the Lagos State High-Level Strategic Power Town Hall, held at Lagos House, Marina, to critically assess the state’s electricity situation and develop practical solutions to the challenges affecting generation, transmission and distribution.

The high-level engagement was attended by stakeholders across the electricity value chain, including regulators, power distributors, transmission operators, asset managers, investors and representatives of the Federal Government and Lagos State Government.

The town hall meeting focused on how Lagos can leverage its enormous electricity demand, existing infrastructure and emerging state electricity market to attract investment and deliver more reliable power to homes, businesses and industries.

Speaking at the town hall meeting, Governor Sanwo-Olu called for stronger coordination, smart metering, better data management, enforcement and revenue assurance as panacea to the perennial challenges facing the sector. He said stakeholders must work together to build consumer confidence and attract investment.

Also speaking, the Minister of Power, Mr. Joseph Tegbe, who was represented by the Director of Distribution Services in the Federal Ministry of Power, Engr. Baba Mustapha, said Lagos requires more than 6,000MW, but currently receives far less from the national grid.

He stressed that increased generation would have limited impact without adequate transmission and distribution infrastructure, identifying gas supply, generation, transmission capacity, distribution bottlenecks and metering as key priorities.

The Special Adviser to the President on Power and Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on Power Sector Reset and Restoration, Dr. Rilwan Lanre Babalola, said the challenge before Lagos and Nigeria was no longer simply about generating more electricity, but about building a functional and sustainable electricity market.

He said the country must move away from a system where government continuously acts as buyer, guarantor and absorber of losses across the electricity value chain.

Babalola explained that the proposed Clean Lagos Electricity Market (CLEM) could provide a practical model for transforming Lagos’ huge electricity demand into a structured and investable market through demand aggregation, bilateral contracting, open access, payment assurance and transparent settlement.

He said stakeholders must be able to establish where the demand and customers are, where electricity and gas will come from, whether the network can deliver the power, the efficient tariff and how payments will move transparently to generators, network operators and gas suppliers.

Babalola also highlighted the importance of decentralisation following constitutional amendments and the Electricity Act, which have opened the way for states to establish and regulate their electricity markets.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr. Abiodun Ogunleye, said the town hall meeting was convened to bring an end to what he described as the culture of blackout in Lagos.

He said Lagos State would develop clear action points and establish a baseline for measuring progress at the proposed six-month review.

On tariffs, Ogunleye stressed that improved electricity supply must accompany payment, insisting that consumers should not be made to pay for darkness

He explained that achieving the target would allow more feeders to operate and provide increased electricity to homes and industries that require reliable power for productive activities.

Ogunleye also disclosed that newly commissioned substations would contribute to the state’s power infrastructure, while the government would work with distribution companies to monitor selected feeders and measure improvements in electricity supply.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Electricity Regulatory Commission, Temitope George, identified constraints in generation and transmission, energy theft, vandalism and non-payment of electricity bills as major challenges affecting the sector.

George urged electricity consumers to pay for the power they consume, warning that non-payment distorts the electricity market and ultimately affects the ability of other consumers to receive adequate supply.

She said Lagos State is also exploring embedded power generation to complement electricity from the national grid and reduce overdependence on the national system.

The town hall ended with a commitment by stakeholders to translate the discussions into concrete action points, establish measurable baselines and periodically assess progress.

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