General
Ikorodu Roads Deadlier than Badoo Cultists—Security Expert
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Before now, Ikorodu, a suburb of Lagos State, was always in the news because of the dreadful acts of the notorious Badoo cult group, which invaded residents’ homes and use pestle to smash victims’ heads to death.
But a foremost security outfit, Halogen Security Company Limited, has said the deplorable state of roads in the developing town is deadlier than the Badoo cult group.
As a result, the firm has appealed to federal government to urgently come to the rescue of residents in Ikorodu area of Lagos State.
According to the organization, the traumatic experience of commuters on the Ikorodu-Shagamu road on a daily basis, coupled with the social problems they’ve had to endure in recent times were too much to bear.
“I think it is high time the government recognized the extreme risks commuters on the Ikorodu-Shagamu road are exposed to and act immediately.
“It is now commonplace for thieves, kidnappers, rapists and other criminal elements to lodge themselves in the worst portions of the roads where all vehicles practically come to a halt and carry out their nefarious activities especially at night.
“I cannot but agree with those who call that road a death trap. I dare say that the Ikorodu road at the moment is deadlier than the Badoo cultists that ravaged the communities a few months ago, Managing Director of Halogen, Mr Wale Olaoye, disclosed in a statement issued in Lagos on Monday.
Mr Olaoye lamented the fact that besides the dire security risks, the bad roads affect in no small way, the economic conditions in that axis.
“Commercial activity will suffer there because goods and services will be in short supply leading to price increases in virtually all consumer items.
“Vehicle owners cannot use their vehicles optimally as the many potholes and detours mean that vehicles keep breaking down and they end up at mechanics’ workshop at the end of most journey.
“The implication of this is that commuters plying that road are exposed to safety risk, health risk and their livelihood is also affected,” he said.
The security expert further emphasized that the presence of a number of federal and state institutions on the road, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC), 174 Battalion Army Barracks, the Lagos State Polytechnic, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) and many others, including major industrial companies explains the high density of vehicular movement on the road with associated security and enterprise risks.
Mr Olaoye advised the government to set up a think tank to develop a national security and enterprise risk policy to guide with short – and long-term strategies for improving the safety and security of the nation’s assets and its people.
“We can have a formula that looks at the management of our infrastructure from three perspectives. First is ‘Natural Events’ (Potential Disasters) such as flooding etc. Here we can analyse its frequency and severity based on actuarial data and it can be mitigated through sensors, design, and response.
“Next is what we call ‘Unintentional Events’ (Failures, Incidents). This can be gauged also by its frequency and severity based on experience and it can be managed through design, training, and response.
“The third perspective is that of ‘Intentional Attacks’ (Acts of sabotage, Vandalism). Here the frequency and severity is difficult to predict but it still can be mitigated through security, design, and response.
“Dilapidated roads affect both security and performance of a transportation system. There are a number of rehabilitation techniques that can both reduce the rate of aging of a structure and in turn, improve their security.
“We can utilize technology that would undoubtedly improve the government’s ability to effectively analyse its infrastructural assets and allocate resources to those that are most vulnerable,” Mr Olaoye submitted.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has reaffirmed that electricity meters being deployed under the Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) are free for customers, warning Nigerians not to pay any money for meter supply or installation.
The Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr Ayodeji Ariyo Gbeleyi, stated this in Abuja at a joint media briefing on DISREP with the managing directors of Nigeria’s 11 Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos). DISREP is financed through a $500 million World Bank facility.
The DG said the concessional nature of the funding, which comes at single-digit interest rates, makes it more sustainable than commercial borrowing and supports long-term stability in the power sector.
Under the DISREP IPF, 3.2 million smart meters are being procured and installed nationwide over four years through competitive international and local bidding. According to him, close to 700,000 meters have already been delivered, while about 200,000 have been installed across different DisCos.
The DG said, “With DISREP and other Federal Government interventions, the journey to power sector reliability is underway. DISREP is not just a short-term intervention, but part of a broader and coordinated plan of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, towards building a financially viable and service-oriented electricity market
“Nigerians deserve a power sector that works, one that delivers reliable electricity, protects consumers, ensures value for money, and supports economic growth.
“Together, we shall achieve that! The supply and installation of these meters for customers is free.
It was also disclosed that the government had already paid the contractors to supply and install the meters. DISREP is integrated with other metering initiatives, including the Presidential Metering Initiative and the Meter Acquisition Fund, to accelerate the closing of Nigeria’s metering gap.
On his part, the Managing Director of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Mr Chijioke Okwuokenye, warned customers not to pay for meters.
“These meters are to be deployed and installed freely. Anybody asking you to bring money should be reported,” he said.
MD of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (Eko Disco), Mrs Wola Joseph-Condotti, said the company is working closely with the authorities to weed out bad eggs who extort money from customers for meter procurement and installation.
The programme offers significant benefits to consumers, including the removal of upfront meter purchase and installation costs, accurate billing, the elimination of arbitrary estimated billing, improved service accountability by DisCos, better transparency and dispute resolution, and long-term improvements in supply reliability as the sector becomes more financially viable.
For DisCos, Mr Gbeleyi said DISREP provides access to concessional World Bank financing for metering and network upgrades, reduces Aggregate Technical, Commercial and Collection (ATC&C) losses, improves liquidity and revenue assurance, and strengthens operational performance for long-term investment.
He disclosed that $250 million of the facility is dedicated to Investment Project Financing, which supports bulk procurement of the 3.2 million smart meters, deployment of Meter Data Management Systems, and provision of technical assistance and capacity-building programmes to strengthen DisCos’ operations and processes.
Describing DISREP as a landmark transaction, Mr Gbeleyi said it is the first initiative of its kind in which the government, beyond investing in distribution network infrastructure, is deploying meters at scale to bridge the country’s metering gap. He cited official figures showing that Nigeria currently has about 5.66 million unmetered electricity customers.
“The plan is to quickly close that gap. These meters are for everybody. They are for Nigerians. Priority is on unmetered customers,” he said.
He clarified that while the policy targets unmetered customers, DisCos have been allowed to deploy up to 20 per cent of the meters to replace faulty or technologically obsolete units, following feedback from the field.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has successfully concluded the review of the Port Service Support Portal (PSSP) application, which is aimed at ensuring seamless handling and efficient resolution of stakeholders’ commercial disputes across the maritime sector.
The Head of NSC-ICT, Mr Benjamin Ivwigheghweta, and his team; the Head of the Complaints Unit, Mr Bashir Ambi and his team; as well as consultants from BrandOne, all collaborated to complete the platform’s final implementation stage.
Mr Ivwigheghweta expressed satisfaction with the successful integration of the revamped PSSP for streamlined dispute resolution. He encouraged the team to fully engage with the new system and to ask questions where necessary, ensuring that every member is well equipped to meet stakeholder needs with precision and efficiency.
On his part, Mr Ambi applauded the deployment of the PSSP as a tool for accelerating grievance resolution, adding that the platform would significantly strengthen the council’s dispute resolution framework by promoting transparency, boosting stakeholder confidence, and generating reliable, data-driven records to support national economic growth.
He further commended the ICT team for its unwavering support-particularly in ensuring extended network availability to support the Unit’s after-hours operations.
Describing the PSSP as a critical modern upgrade for dispute resolution, Mr Ambi revealed that the Council’s operations are now about 90 percent digital. “We rely heavily on electronic platforms to serve our stakeholders,” he said, adding that the ICT Unit has remained the backbone of these efforts by providing consistent support, even over weekends, to ensure uninterrupted online service delivery.
This digital-first approach, he noted, keeps the NSC at the forefront of maritime efficiency.
Following a productive three-hour technical review and interactive question and answer session, the PSSP is now in its final phase.
The next steps include the configuration of individual user access by the ICT Unit and a live demonstration of the platform to Management. Upon completion of these tasks, the council will be ready to go live-ushering in a new era of digital efficiency in port service delivery.
The Port Service Support Portal was officially launched by the former Vice President, Mr Yemi Osinbajo, in June 2016 in Abuja. The launch was held alongside the unveiling of the Port Harmonized Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The portal was designed as an online, real-time platform to enhance service delivery, address stakeholder complaints, and curb corruption at Nigerian ports.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has deployed an army battalion to Kaiama district in Kwara State after suspected jihadist fighters killed about 170 people in an overnight attack on Tuesday.
The terrorists stormed Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Council, according to Kwara State lawmaker, Mr Saidu Ahmed.
The violence highlights fears that jihadist factions prevalent in Northern Nigeria are pushing south along the Niger-Kwara axis toward the Kainji forest.
According to a statement from the Presidency, the new military command will spearhead Operation Savannah Shield to checkmate the barbaric terrorists and protect defenceless communities.
He condemned the attack as “cowardly and barbaric,” saying the gunmen targeted villagers who had rejected attempts to impose extremist rule.
“It is commendable that community members, even though Muslims, refused to be conscripted into a belief that promotes violence over peace,” President Tinubu said in the statement.
The President urged collaboration between federal and state agencies to provide succour to members of the community and ensure that those who committed the atrocities do not go scot-free.
President Tinubu prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased and condoled with those who lost family members as well as the people and government of Kwara State.
Similarly, suspected bandits stormed Doma community in Tafoki Ward, Katsina State, on Tuesday afternoon, killing several residents, injuring many others and setting vehicles and houses ablaze.
There were conflicting figures over the casualty toll, with police putting the number of deaths at 13, while the executive chairman of Faskari Local Council estimated more than 20.
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