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Tag: Nigeria protest

  • Vandals destroy 2 transmission towers in Yenagoa – TCN

    Vandals destroy 2 transmission towers in Yenagoa – TCN

    Vandals destroy 2 transmission towers in Yenagoa –

    Electricity

    The Transmission Company of Nigeri (TCN) says two transmission towers, T98 and T99 along the Ahoada/Yenagoa 132kV line in the Igbooghene community of Bayelsa were destroyed by vandals.

     

    TCN’s General Manager Public Affairs Mrs Ndidi Mbah, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Friday.

     

    Mbah said that the incident caused the collapse of both towers, cutting off power supply to Bayelsa including TCN’s Yenagoa Sub-station and the Gbarain Power Station.

     

    TCN said that presently, Yenagoa Metropolis and the entire Bayelsa are still without power supply.

     

    The company said engineers led by Mr Emmanuel Akpa, General Manager Transmission, Port Harcourt Region, Emmanuel accompanied by operatives of the Department of State Services have inspected the site of the destroyed towers.

     

    ” Plans are already ongoing to mobilise a contractor on an emergency basis to reconstruct the collapsed towers.

     

    “This follows an incident on June 16, where an individual was caught destroying tower T238 along the Owerri/Ahoada 132kV double circuit transmission lines.

     

    ” Another act of vandalism occurred on June 10, at the Ahoada Transmission Substation, ”the company said.

     

    The company urged the public to help in the ongoing fight against the vandalism of power infrastructure nationwide.

     

    TCN said it will continue to collaborate with security operatives and host communities including the DSS and Civil Defence Corps to combat the menace.

     

    ” Meanwhile, we are interfacing with stakeholders including security operatives in Yenagoa to put in place other initiatives geared towards helping TCN curtail the menace within the State.

     

    ” As we continue to work towards a robust grid, it is pertinent to note that a nation’s power sector cannot grow efficiently if funds intended for infrastructural expansion are repeatedly used to replace vandalised equipment,” TCN said. NAN)

     

     

  • Using Oro festival to stop protest, huge joke Sowore, Yesufu, others

    Using Oro festival to stop protest, huge joke Sowore, Yesufu, others

    Using Oro festival to stop protest, huge joke Sowore, Yesufu, others.

    Using Oro festival to stop protest, huge joke Sowore, Yesufu, others
    Sowore slams Nigerian Army for shutting Banex Plaza in Abuja over soldiers, traders’ clash

    Some rights activists, including Lagos natives under the aegis of De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, Omoyele Sowore, and Aisha Yesufu, have criticised the use of the Oro festival to halt the planned national protest on August 1.

    They described this move as a huge joke and insisted that the protest would proceed as planned.

    The Oro festival has been trending on X (formerly Twitter) after a pro-Lagos social media page announced that the festival would take place during the planned nationwide protests from August 1 to 15, 2024.

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    The post read, “Attention residents and visitors of Lagos. Please be informed that the Oro festival will be observed in various communities across Lagos from the 1st of August to August 15. This traditional Yoruba cultural event involves significant rituals.”

    Reacting to this, the De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, through its Media Office, said, “This government is bastardizing our cultures and traditions. What business does the state government have with ‘Oro’ and for what purpose? Let’s assume that the protesters defy this, and we think they should. How will the state enforce it as such enforcement is tantamount to a restriction of their fundamental human rights of freedom of movement, association, etc.? Again, for the Oro festival, will the government declare a work-free week?

    “Government should separate our traditions from this impending madness. What will the government do to assuage the feelings of those who will not be able to conduct their legitimate business during this period of malaise that the government is getting into? Yoruba will regret this unconscionable act of the government hiding behind this spiritual and traditional act in trying to scuttle the protest. Can’t they find another means?”

    Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) wrote, “Oro festival in Lagos now allegedly scheduled for the first two weeks of August. The exact same period as the planned protests by the youths.”

    Aisha Yesufu Jibrilla (@ukocarter) reacted via her X page, “The prestigious Oro Festival is now a political tool. Y’all now understand why they tried to ban ‘Gangs of Lagos’ because it exposed them.”

    United Kingdom-based writer Abanikanda Olumoro said, “Why are you so particular about Lagos and not your own states where your indigeneship, by constitutional rights, is domiciled? The festival of masquerade does not last long. You should be ashamed because Lagos State owners and indigenes are poised and have resources to take back their State, and you cannot stop them. If Nigerians are staging a nationwide protest against bad governance in Abuja, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, Gombe, Sokoto, etc., don’t think anyone will take you seriously to say it is a Lagos issue. No. It is a show for Nigeria being staged by Nigerians across tribes and religions. President Tinubu has begged them not to protest, but you have spoiled all of that because these Nigerians, from the information I receive daily, are not going back regardless of military and police forces you are deploying.”