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Vice President Kashim Shettima has told 36 state governors to stop waiting for the Federal Government to fix their electricity problems.
Shettima said states can now generate and distribute their own electricity under the Electricity Act 2023.
He spoke on Wednesday at the National Stakeholders Workshop on the Electricity Act 2023 at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Shettima was represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia.
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The Ekiti and Kebbi State Houses of Assembly have endorsed the proposed constitutional amendment to pave the way for the establishment of state police, with Ekiti passing the bill and Kebbi lawmakers adopting a resolution in support of decentralised policing to tackle insecurity. Before the latest endorsements, at least 13 states , Osun, Edo, Oyo, Rivers, Zamfara, Kwara, Nasarawa, Ogun, Delta, Taraba, Cross River, Plateau and Enugu had passed the bill.
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Vice President Kashim Shettima on Wednesday urged state governments to end their dependence on the Federal Government for solutions to local power problems. He said states should set up functional electricity markets under the Electricity Act 2023. He spoke at the opening of the National Stakeholders’ Workshop on the Electricity Act 2023 at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
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The Federal Government says it has settled more than N100bn in longstanding gas debts since January 2026 as part of efforts to strengthen the gas-to-power value chain. The Special Adviser to the President on Oil and Gas, Mrs Olu Verheijen, disclosed this on Wednesday in her keynote address at the Africa Interviews Sustainability Forum 2026 in Lagos. She said the settlement was carried out under the administration’s Presidential Power Sector Financial Reforms Programme.
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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has uncovered an illegal herbal product manufacturing facility in Agege, Lagos State. The agency disclosed this in a statement published on its verified X handle on Wednesday. According to the statement, the operation followed a report published by The Guardian concerning herbal products bearing falsified NAFDAC registration numbers.
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The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed that lives were lost after a boat reportedly capsized during a confrontation between youths and men in military uniform over an oil spill in Kula, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of the state. Police said an investigation had begun to determine the exact number of casualties and the circumstances surrounding the incident, which occurred on Tuesday evening.
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The African Action Congress has asked President Bola Tinubu to approve the use of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, for the inauguration of its Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party also requested food, drinks and other logistical support for participants at the proposed event scheduled for November 11, 2026.
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said his political differences with former Kano State Governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso will not diminish his personal affection for the opposition politician. Tinubu made the declaration on Wednesday in a birthday tribute to Kwankwaso, who turned 70, describing the former Minister of Defence as a longstanding friend and influential figure in Nigeria’s political development.
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The Edo Government has called on residents to remain calm, observe preventive measures and promptly report suspected cases following the confirmation of a new Ebola Virus Disease case in Nigeria. Dr Paul Eighemhenrio, Permanent Secretary, Edo Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, made the call on Wednesday in Benin at a news conference on behalf of the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Cyril Oshiomhole.
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The Senate Committee on Public Accounts on Wednesday rejected the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, records of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, imports for 2022 and 2023. This is owing to discrepancies with those of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. The committee consequently resolved to summon the heads of NMDPRA, NNPCL and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative to explain the discrepancies and facilitate reconciliation of the records.
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The federal government has raised alarm over lead poisoning in the country, estimating that 80 million Nigerian children are exposed to the toxic substance. The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during the commemoration of the 2026 International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, themed “From Detection to Prevention.”
Salako described lead poisoning as a major public health and environmental threat, warning that children, women of childbearing age, and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable and according to him, the government can not treat its way out of the crisis. He noted that experiences in Lagos, Ogun, Sokoto, and Zamfara have shown different sources of exposure, from battery recycling in Ogijo, Ogun State, to environmental investigations in Lagos. He concluded by highlighting the need for state-specific interventions.
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The Netherlands has returned a Benin artefact to the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, 129 years after the invasion of the Benin Kingdom. The historic presentation took place at the Oba's Palace in Benin City as part of activities marking the traditional ruler's 10th coronation anniversary. Oba Ewuare II, who received the artefact amid pomp and cultural display at his palace, described the return as a significant milestone in correcting historical injustice and restoring the pride of the Benin people.
The artefacts, which were looted during the infamous 1897 British invasion of the Benin Kingdom, have been scattered across museums in Europe for over a century. The return by the Dutch government marks another major step in the ongoing restitution campaign for Benin bronzes.
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A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has convicted a former banker, Chukwuebuka Nweke, for his role in the unauthorised withdrawal of ₦1 million from a customer's bank account.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said Nweke accessed a computer assigned to another staff member without authorisation, facilitating the withdrawal on June 21, 2025.
Justice Ismail Ijelu found him guilty after trial and ordered him to pay a fine of ₦1 million within 30 days. Failure to pay the fine will result in six months' imprisonment.
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The management of Enugu State College of Education (Technical), Enugu (ESCET), has faced backlash after making applications for the Federal Government’s Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) compulsory for all students.
An internal memo dated October 6, 2026, and signed by the Acting Registrar, Patrick A. Aneke, directed all NCE and degree students to apply for the loan for the 2026/2027 academic session.
The directive has sparked concerns among students, with some arguing that the loan scheme should remain optional for those who prefer to pay their school fees directly.
Affected students are calling on the management to review the policy and allow those who do not wish to access the loan to pay their fees directly and continue their academic activities.
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Amnesty International has condemned the arrest and four‑year prison sentence of 23‑year‑old journalist Farida Isiak, calling it vindictive and a move to silence press freedom.
Isiak, a Nagarta Radio reporter, was arrested after a ₦100 charcoal‑sale dispute involving her mother and a neighbour. Police allegedly detained both parents to force her to report to the station, then accused her of defamation over a Facebook post criticising their actions.
Despite deleting the post and apologising, she was taken before a Sharia Court in Kawo and sentenced to four years in prison or ₦1.75m fine.
Amnesty described the process as a sham trial, saying the court ignored the alleged police misconduct that triggered the incident.
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A man has died while attempting to rescue a two-year-old child who fell inside a well in Abule Egba, Lagos State, while the toddler remains missing.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, disclosed this in a statement issued by its Permanent Secretary, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, on Tuesday.
The incident occurred on Paul Street after the toddler, whose mother reportedly worked as a cleaner in the compound, accidentally fell into the well.
A male resident reportedly entered the well in an attempt to save the child but became trapped and was unable to climb out.
The child is still inside the well…..
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