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Reps Summons Discos Over N2.6trn Debt to Federation Account

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By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has summoned 11 electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) to appear before it over an outstanding debt of N2.6 trillion owed to the federation account.

This was the resolution during an investigative hearing by the House Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Rep. Bamidele Salam, after a review of the 2021 Auditor General’s report, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET) PLC, Johnson Akinnawo, in his submission revealed the scale of the liabilities.

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According to the documents submitted by NBET documents as at September 30, 2020, the 11 Discos collectively owe N2.6 trillion. The breakdown is as follows:

  • Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) – N330.4 billion
  • Eko Electricity Distribution Company – N231 billion
  • Benin Electricity Distribution Company – N233.2 billion
  • Enugu Electricity Distribution Company – N258.3 billion
  • Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company – N325.7 billion
  • Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company – N310 billion
  • Jos Electricity Distribution Company – N161.7 billion
  • Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company – N277.7 billion
  • Kano Electricity Distribution Company – N211.7 billion
  • Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company – N239.7 billion
  • Yola Electricity Distribution Company – N107.4 billion

The Auditor General’s 2021 report, which prompted the hearing, flagged multiple irregularities in the power sector. These include:

  • N30 billion in uncollected debt by NBET from market operators
  • A N549 million shortfall in NBET’s 1% income from institutional charges
  • N100 billion paid by NBET to Generation Companies (GENCOs) for electricity not delivered to the national grid
  • N26 billion owed to Nigeria by two foreign firms for power exported to Togo, Benin, and Niger
  • N166 billion in under-remittance by Discos, below the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) minimum threshold
  • N2.7 billion in unpaid invoices by the 11 Discos

Following deliberations, a motion was moved by Rep. Yahya Kusada and seconded by Rep. Billy Osawaru, directing that all 11 Discos be summoned to explain the persistent non-settlement of their financial obligations.

“With the magnitude of liabilities before us, it is imperative that these companies appear before the Committee to clarify their positions and outline plans for repayment,” Rep. Yahya Kusada said.

The Committee has also resolved to invite other market operators and participants to address concerns raised in the Auditor General’s report.

A date for the appearances will be communicated to the affected parties in due course.

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Twelve seriously injured in Kano farmers-herders clash

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Twelve people were injured in a clash between farmers from Larabar Gadan Sarki and herders from the communities of Majawa and Karade in Warawa Local Government Area of Kano State.

The chairman of Warawa Local Government, Lamido Sunusi Ahmad, disclosed this in a statement issued by his media aide, Musleem Garindau.

The statement said the council chairman visited the injured victims at Wudil General Hospital and directed that the local government should cover the cost of their treatment until they had fully recovered.

He also commended community leaders and security personnel for their swift intervention, noting that calm had been restored to the affected communities.

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The chairman urged residents to refrain from spreading rumours or engaging in any act capable of escalating tensions and instead embrace dialogue to promote peaceful coexistence.

Speaking further, the Vice Chairman of Warawa Local Government, Hon. Ibrahim Abdu Madari, explained that the conflict involved residents of the communities, all of whom are indigenous to the area.

He said reports indicated that the violence began after a cow strayed into a farmer’s field and ate some crops. The farmer allegedly beat the cow, prompting its owner to assault the farmer, and the disagreement later escalated into a wider clash.

He also reiterated his appeal to residents to live peacefully and resolve disputes through dialogue and mutual understanding.

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ISWAP commanders reportedly clash, many feared dead

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Some Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, fighters in the Timbuktu Triangle, have reportedly been killed after rival commanders turned their weapons on each other over a disagreement on a planned attack.

A counter-terrorism expert, Zagazola Makama disclosed this in a post on X.

Zagazola said the clash occurred after a heated dispute between senior field commanders over the conduct of an operation that had been scheduled for the previous night.

He revealed that one of the commanders, identified simply as Abu Ali, reportedly refused to allow fighters under his control to participate in the planned attack.

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Ali’s decision was said to have angered another senior commander, who accused him of deliberately frustrating the operation and questioned his loyalty to the group.

According to Zagazola, the dispute was not an isolated disagreement but the culmination of weeks of rising tension among commanders over operational decisions, dwindling resources and the management of logistics inside the enclave.

It was gathered that the refusal to approve the planned attack merely exposed deeper grievances that had been building within the organisation, with rival commanders increasingly competing for influence, manpower and control of supplies.

The Timbuktu Triangle has for years remained one of ISWAP’s principal operational bases, serving as a sanctuary for commanders, training camps and logistics hubs from where attacks are coordinated across parts of the Lake Chad Basin.

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NSCDC Intercepts 45,000L Of Suspected Illegal Ethanol, Nabs Three In Akwa Ibom

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The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Akwa Ibom State Command, has arrested three suspects and impounded a tanker loaded with 45,000 litres of ethanol suspected to have been illegally acquired.

The State Commandant, Mrs. Geraldine Abetianbe, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Uyo.

She said the arrest and seizure were carried out on Tuesday at about 1:00 p.m. by operatives of the command acting on credible intelligence at Ikot Umo Essien, along Aba Road, in Essien Udim Local Government Area.
‎”On June 23, at about 1300hrs, our operatives acting on credible intelligence intercepted a petroleum tanker at Ikot Umo Essien, along Aba Road, in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

“The tanker, with a capacity of 45,000 litres, was laden with a product suspected to be ethanol acquired illegally.

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“Three suspects were arrested at the scene in connection with the act,” Abetianbe said.

The commandant explained that the arrest of the suspects and seizure of the tanker were based on reasonable suspicion of the illegal acquisition and transportation of petroleum products in the state.

She said the suspects presented a waybill during interrogation, but the document immediately raised suspicion due to several discrepancies. She added that further investigations and inquiries to verify the authenticity of the declared point of loading yielded negative results.

“This confirmed our suspicion that the product was not sourced through legitimate channels.
“Through synergy, mutual respect, and timely information sharing, we recorded this success,” she said.

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Abetianbe warned criminals against engaging in the illegal trade of petroleum products, describing such activities as not only criminal but also a form of economic sabotage that deprives the government of revenue, endangers lives through adulteration and explosions, and undermines national security.

She vowed that the NSCDC, as the lead agency responsible for the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure, would not relent in carrying out its mandate.

“We shall continue to go after vandals, illegal bunkerers, product adulterators, and all those who engage in diversion and illegal transportation of petroleum products,” she said.

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