The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, says replacing or repairing bad electricity transformers is not that of customers but squarely that of power distribution companies, DisCos.

Mrs Aisha Mamoud, Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, NERC, stated this on Saturday during a three-day Problem-Solving session between customers in Cross River and PHEDC from Thursday to Saturday, Aug. 10 tagged “Customer Complaints Resolution Meeting” 

She said consumers payment of electricity bills is for services which should be rendered and not to be made to pay for replacement or repairs of transformers or cables.

Mamoud said the meeting became necessary because of customers complaints on metering, excessive billing and transformer vandalism.

She explained that the idea behind the meeting was to educate and enlightened consumers about the electricity industry and their rights as a consumers.

“In regards to our duties and responsibilities as a Regulatory body,, the consumer act says we should try to maximize access to electricity giving that all consumers in this country have access to electricity irrespective of where they live. It is their fundmental right to have access to electricity

“Another reason we are here is to resolve all your complaints . We have done it in several parts of the country and it was a very huge success. All your complaints will be solve on the spot.” She assured.

She stressed that it is the responsibility of DisCos to provide metres to avoid estimated billing and that the federal government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Discos on provision of metres.

On her part, Mrs Olubukola Ilevbare, Head, Corporate Communication PHED, said the company is having challenges meeting the demands of vandalism in the state.

She noted that most of the transformers issues are caused by vandalism noting that on several occasions, the PHED had replaced transformers vandalized by criminals.

“I now there are times that we don’t respond to our customers as we should, maybe as a result of demands; our goal is to do our best to ensure that whenever there are genuine complaints, we attend to them.

“On the issue of metres, it is the responsibility of DisCos to provide metres, but when a customer cannot wait for the DisCo to provide the mitre, which is done in phases, he can pay for his own metre and within 10 days, it will be installed,” she said

Ilebare explained that though, there are cases where transformers are genuinely spoilt and it is the responsibility of PHED to fix them stressing that the company has been doing its best to meet customer needs.
In his speech, the House of Representatives member, representing Bakassi, Calabar South and Akpabuyo, Mr Joseph Bassey frowned at the issue of vandalism, excessive billing of customers and called for proper billing of consumers in the state

“Today’s meeting is a welcome development for the people in Cross River, electricity issue if address, it will help reduce the level of hardship and this will boost the economy.

“PHED has failed in various ways , they only get money from consumers and refuse to do maintenance. The issue of grading, I don’t feel good about it, everybody has the right to electricity, so why create bands to categorize where a particular area belongs.”

LAMENTING the high rate of corruption in the country, the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian church of God, RCCG Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye has reiterated that corruption is at its peak because majority of Christians who are supposed to be peculiar people and make a difference have compromised.

Calling on Christians to shun a lifestyle of double standards, at the day six of the church annual convention with the focus on: ‘Heaven’, Adeboye also recalled how one of his spiritual daughters was asked to inflate a N3m contract to N33m

In his words: “We talk about corruption in Nigeria. Why do you think corruption has become so deep? it is because we Christians, who are supposed to be peculiar people, are not making any difference. It’s so difficult to even know who is who.

“You must be as pure as light, people must be able to see you at a distance and know that this is a candidate for heaven. In your behaviour, character, you must be different. If you want to compromise because of promotion, let them take their promotion because you are a peculiar people.

“The world will hate you because of your standard, because your standard is that of God.”

Narrating how one of his daughters in faith was asked to inflate a N3m contract to N33m, the revered cleric at the Holy Communion service said the lady was given a road contract in a particular state in Nigeria. He said the lady was asked to increase the cost of the project from N3 million which she wrote in her proposal to N33 million.

He said: “One of my daughters got a contract to tar a road in one of the states in Nigeria. She gave a proposal of N3 million, but they asked her to put N33 million. She was surprised, turned down the offer and said I am a child of God, how will I spend the money? They looked at her as if she was somebody who dropped from the sky.”

In another instance: “Another child of mine told another story. She applied for a contract. They gave her to go and tar a road. She got to the road and found that the road was already tarred. She came back and told them there must have been a mistake. They said,” What is your problem, collect your money and give us our own.”

He, however, stated that corruption would have been a thing of the past in the country if Christians decided not to compromise even in the face of adversity.

Continuing in his sermon, Adeboye revealed that he has been sober lately, as he almost ran out of God’s favour at the Friday Holy Ghost Service: “Holiness means total obedience to God. I have been sober since yesterday. It took special love that God did not knock me on the head. God wanted to talk, but I wanted to preach a sermon that I had prepared. He told me,” You have done fine enough. He wanted me to get out of the way. As he was talking, I was interrupting.”

Daddy G.O then warned against doing things contrary to God’s will, stating, no one can love the church more than the owner of the church “You are dealing with God almighty. You can’t love the church more than the owner of the church. When he says this is how I want to go and you try to do it your way, you are on your own.”

Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu, has accused former President Muhammadu Buhari of blocking his bid to acquire an oil field.

He revealed this in an interview with the Financial Times, highlighting a contentious decision made by the previous administration.

Elumelu alleged that he had been looking to purchase the oilfield since 2017 and raised $2.5bn for it, but Buhari and his late Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, blocked the deal.

He stated that he was advised Nigeria could not permit something of such strategic importance to be handled by a private operator.

“The rejection defied logic,” Elumelu expressed in the interview, highlighting his disbelief at the administration’s decision.

“We would have been purchasing it from a foreign company, so why was it such an issue?”

Elumelu, also the chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), emphasized that his company’s offer was not merely a business transaction but a potential boost to Nigeria’s economy by retaining valuable assets within the country.

“We wanted to become a Fortune 500 company and we estimated what we needed. It’s not naira, it’s huge dollars. Energy security is crucial for a country that doesn’t produce enough electricity for its roughly 200 million citizens,” he added.

On Japa syndrome, Elumelu declared, “I support it, totally. “I don’t have a problem with people saying ‘I’m going to Canada, UK or US.’

“Joblessness is the betrayal of a generation. You’ve gone to school and come back with your dreams and aspirations and you don’t have the opportunity . For people who decide to find solutions elsewhere, no one should stop them. But for those who decide to stay, they should try to create an impact and build a legacy.”

Elumelu also recounted his struggles with oil theft, which has been a persistent issue plaguing the Nigerian petroleum industry.

He said, “The reason Nigeria is unable to meet its OPEC production quota is not because of low investment but because of theft, pure and simple! Meanwhile, oil-producing countries are smiling as their foreign reserves are rising. What is Nigeria’s problem? We need to hold our leaders more accountable!”

Described as the sharpest shooter, marksman in the gang

Details of final operation before Ladipo Market raid

Detectives from the Special Squad Unit of the Lagos State Police Command have uncovered the identity of a key member of the notorious gang of billionaire kidnappers killed during their raid at Ladipo Market last month.

Previously, only one gang leader, the prominent Nollywood actor/producer Prince Henry Ode from Port Harcourt, had been identified, together with about four members of his colleagues in the film making industry. who were also involved in the violent confrontation with the police.

Extensive Case Files in Lagos

Recent investigations led by CSP Kehinde Oni revealed a staggering 42 case files related to the gang’s operations across various police stations in Lagos.

“It was a shocking discovery,” CSP Oni remarked. “The sheer volume of evidence against the gang underscores the extent of their criminal activities.”

Details of the Final Operation

Before their raid on Ladipo Market, the gang had kidnapped a wealthy female supermarket owner from Ago Okota, extorting N68 million in ransom. 

CCTV footage from the supermarket showed an informant, later identified as Uzoamaka, entering the store to scout the area. “Our investigation revealed that Uzoamaka played a crucial role in this operation,” said a police source. “He was seen in the footage ensuring the coast was clear before the gang moved in.”

Notorious Sharpshooter

Uzoamaka is renowned in criminal circles for his exceptional marksmanship and specialized training in arms handling.

“He was known as one of the sharpest shooters in the criminal world,” said another police official. “His skills were highly regarded, but we had no idea he was connected to the kidnappings in Lagos until now.”

During the Ladipo Market operation, Uzoamaka fired the first shot when a decoy car blocked the gang’s path. “The shot he fired was intended to intimidate and eliminate anyone obstructing their escape,” explained CSP Oni. “It struck the car’s headrest but narrowly missed our officer.”

Ongoing Investigation

Detectives continue their efforts to identify all victims involved in the Ladipo raid. However, families of the deceased have been reluctant to come forward.

“We’re working tirelessly to uncover the full extent of the gang’s operations,” stated a police insider. “It’s clear that many have been hiding information, but we’re confident that further investigation will expose everything and reveal the complete truth.”

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA have smashed a drug cartel following the recovery of multi-billion-naira worth of cocaine concealed in heavy-duty automobile pivot shafts, and Ghanaian fabric, Kente, among others following a nationwide intelligence-led operation 

Spokesman of the agency, Femi Babafemi while confirming this said, “While 2.32 kilograms of cocaine concealed in Ghanaian traditional kente materials going to the United Kingdom were intercepted at a courier firm in Lagos on Monday 5th August 2024, 10.494kg of same class A drug buried in heavy duty pivot shafts heading to the United States were recovered at the same logistics company after the NDLEA sniffer dogs fished out the automobile spare parts containing the illicit drug, bringing the total weight of cocaine seized in the two shipments to 12.814 kilograms”. 

“In the same vein, five other consignments going to the US, UK and Canada were also intercepted at the courier firm in Lagos on Friday 9th August 2024.

“They include 517 grams of cocaine in clothing materials; different quantities of pentazocine injection, promethazine injection and cocodamol pills, all heading to the UK as well as 297 pills of tramadol 225mg going to Canada.

“In a different logistics company in Lagos, NDLEA operatives recovered 21 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 10kg coming from the US and meant for delivery in Abuja.

“In another intelligence-led operation, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday 7th August arrested a member of a cocaine trafficking network, Obiora Joseph Agudosi, at Alafia Orile, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos while attempting to move 9.00kg of cocaine to Onitsha, Anambra state.

“Two members of another cocaine syndicate based in Nnewi and Oba town, Anambra state were also arrested on Thursday 8th August in a follow-up operation following the seizure of their consignments in a GUO transport company bus at Benin, Edo state on the same day.

“While the bus driver, Harrison Mbachu, 44, was arrested at Benin tollgate with a total of 2.865kg cocaine, Izuchkwu Arinze, 40, was picked at Nnewi town while attempting to collect his own consignment of 1.748kg cocaine and 514 grams sodium bicarbonate, with Ameachi Okoro, 39, arrested while trying to pick his own 1.117kg cocaine at Oba town.

“Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives at Tincan seaport Lagos on Wednesday 7th August intercepted 532 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 265.25kg in a black Toyota Sienna bus, which is one of the three vehicles in a container marked MSMU 6029570 coming from Montreal, Canada.

“The seizure was made during 100% joint examination with men of Customs Service and other stakeholders.

“The following day, Thursday 8th August, the operatives recorded yet another seizure of 75 parcels of same substance weighing 37.5kg in a container marked FSCU-9274613, that came from Canada.

“In Adamawa state, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 8th August with the support of men of operation Farauta Sector 3, Mayo Belwa arrested 49-year-old Joseph Peter with 425 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 291.200kg in his Toyota Camry car marked Lagos KSF 381 HM.

“He claimed he was bringing the consignment from Edo state to deliver in Yola, Adamawa State.

“Two suspects: Adekunle Sunday Adebayo, 50, and Yahaya Mamuda, 35, were arrested at Gadar Tamburawa area of Kano on Tuesday 6th August with 29.5kg cannabis, NDLEA operatives in Lagos recovered 1,169 kilograms of the same psychoactive substance from a bus along Orchid road, Ajah on Sunday 4th August.

“No less than 1,230.00kg cannabis was destroyed on three hectares of farmland at Ikeje forest, Edimogo village, Igalamela/ Odolu LGA, Kogi state on Friday 9th August by NDLEA officers supported by men of the Nigerian Army while the owner, Danjuma Maji, 40, was arrested.

“With the same drive, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.

These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for women at Fowewe Sofuwa Islamic Centre, Saki, Oyo state; WADA sensitisation lecture and inauguration of community drug control committee at Nnando community, Anambra state

Others are WADA advocacy visit to the Emir of Ilorin, HRH Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, Kwara state; and WADA sensitisation lecture to members of Ansaru-ud-deen Muslim Society of Nigeria in Ado Ekiti, among others.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) commended the officers and men of the Special Operations Unit, Tincan, Lagos, Edo, Kano, Kogi, and Adamawa Commands as well as those of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigations, DOGI, for the arrests and seizures, 

He urged them and their compatriots across the country to continue with their current balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.

A dramatic incident unfolded at Lagos Airport on Saturday when a woman tore up her husband’s international passport shortly after their arrival from abroad.

The act, seen by many as vandalism of government property, has ignited public outrage and prompted calls for legal action.

The woman could be heard responding in rage after being asked why she tore the passport, “Is it your passport?”

She later then told off her transfixed husband as she held the kids’ hands out of the walkway, “If you want to sleep there, sleep there, this is Nigeria, this is where you will be”.

Officials could then be heard consoling and telling her husband to calm down and not say anything in response to the outburst of the woman.

The woman’s actions have been widely condemned as both a public display of emotional distress and a serious offense, given that a passport is a document owned by the Nigerian government.

@STDpicks wrote on X, “Hope she knows it’s a crime for destroying government property and she can go to jail for it.”

@__jaidz: I don’t know why some women think so shallow, she just acted without even weighing the consequences. I wont be surprised if she later was sorry for this and re think she did a very wrong thing. Women need to stop doing things based on emotions and think logically sometimes all this weaker vessel sh!t is just ignorance and pathway for stupidness.

@fortunateozuyak: May we not be humiliated by the women we settled for as wives!

@OloriOfOloris: “We need to hear the other side of the story first before jumping into conclusion.”

@Xperience_Snr: She’s not afraid of him. She’s not afraid of any consequences. This is not the first time she’s abusing him. She doesn’t respect him. She sees him as a weak man. She’s in command. The man should do a DNA on all the kids especially the last one. She’s clearly cheating on him.

President Bola Tinubu has been charged by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), to direct the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) and appropriate anti-corruption agencies, to promptly and thoroughly investigate the spending of $1.5 billio World Bank loan obtained by the 36 states and Abuja for poverty reduction and social protection across the states.

SERAP said, “Suspected perpetrators of corruption and mismanagement should face prosecution as appropriate, if there is sufficient admissible evidence, and any proceeds of corruption should be fully recovered.”

SERAP also urged him to direct Fagbemi and appropriate anti-corruption agencies to promptly investigate the alleged mismanagement of the Chinese loans of $3.121bn obtained by the Federal Government.

In the open letter dated 10 August 2024 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said, “Ensuring accountability for the spending of World Bank loan and Chinese loans would build trust in democratic institutions with the ultimate aim of strengthening the rule of law.

“Impunity for corruption in the management of World Bank loans and Chinese loans will continue as long as high-ranking public officials go largely unpunished for their alleged crimes.

“It is by pursuing these allegations and taking the evidence before the court that the truth will be revealed and justice best served.

“There are reports that the $1.5bn World Bank loan to the 36 states and Abuja and the $3bn Chinese loans obtained by the Federal Government may have been mismanaged or diverted, and in any case remain unaccounted for.

“Investigating and prosecuting allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the spending of World Bank loans and Chinese loans would be entirely consistent with the Nigerian Constitution, and the country’s international anti-corruption obligations.

“We note that while a governor may enjoy immunity from arrest and prosecution, he does not enjoy immunity from investigation. Any criminal allegation against a sitting governor can and should be investigated pending the time the governor leaves office and loses immunity.

“The findings of such investigation can also be the basis for initiating impeachment proceedings against the governor.

“Your government has the legal obligation to ensure accountability for the spending of the loans obtained from the World Bank and China. SERAP is concerned about the continuing lack of transparency and accountability in the management of World Bank loans and Chinese loans obtained by the states and the Federal Government.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.

“SERAP is concerned about years of allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the spending of World Bank loans and Chinese loans obtained by Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Government as well as the entrenched impunity of perpetrators.

“These allegations have undermined the ability of governments at all levels to address the debilitating poverty and economic inequality across the states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“Section 15(5) imposes the responsibility on your government to ‘abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power’ in any part of the country. Section 15 defines ‘government’ to include the government of the federation, or of any state, or of a local government council or any person who exercises power or authority on its behalf.

“The Nigerian Constitution and human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a state party impose obligations on your government to probe and prosecute allegations of corruption in the spending of World Bank loans and Chinese loans, and to ensure access to justice and effective remedies for victims of corruption.

“Allegations of corruption and mismanagement in the spending of these loans and other loans have rendered already impoverished citizens incapable of satisfying their minimum needs for survival.

“Prevention of corruption in the spending of World Bank loans and other loans are serious and legitimate public interests. There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for alleged corruption and mismanagement in the management of these loans.

“According to our information, the World Bank on 15 December 2020 approved a $1.5 billion loan for Nigeria’s 36 states and Abuja for social protection and strengthened state-level COVID-19 response. The loan aims to help the states and Abuja build a resilient recovery post-COVID19 and to reduce poverty.

“Specifically, the loan aims to increase access to basic education, quality water and sanitation services; improve primary healthcare; and increase the coverage and effectiveness of social assistance programs, promote women’s empowerment and reduce maternal and child mortality across the states.

“The $1.5 billion World Bank loan is for two projects. The first is Nigeria Covid-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus – Program for Results (Nigeria CARES) which aims to help increase access to social transfers and basic services, as well as provide grants to poor and vulnerable households. The project is financed through an International Development Association (IDA) credit of $750 million.

“The second is the State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability Program for Results (SFTAS), which aims to help increase the efficiency in spending, strengthen revenue mobilization, and enhance accountability in public resource management to strengthen state-level COVID-19 response.

“The project is financed through an International Development Association (IDA) credit of $750 million.

“According to the Debt Management Office, the total borrowing by Nigeria from China was USD$3.121 billion, as of March 31, 2020. The USD$3.121 billion loans are for 11 projects including the Nigerian Railway Modernization Project (Idu-Kaduna section); and Abuja Light Rail Project.

“Others include the Nigerian Four Airport Terminals Expansion Project (Abuja, Kano, Lagos and Port Harcourt), Nigerian Railway Modernization Project (Lagos-Ibadan section) and Rehabilitation and Upgrading of Abuja – Keffi- Makurdi Road Project.

“According to the Debt Management Office, Nigeria’s total public debt stock, including external and domestic debts, increased by ₦24.33 trillion in three months alone, from ₦97.34 trillion ($108.23 billion) in December 2023 to ₦121.67 trillion ($91.46 billion) as of March 31, 2024.

“The debt represents external and domestic loans obtained by the Federal Government, the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).”

Barring any last-minute change, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun of the Supreme Court is set to emerge as the next chief justice of Nigeria (CJN).

If she assumes the office, Kekere-Ekun would become the second female justice in Nigeria to hold the exalted position after Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, who was CJN between July 2012 and November 2014, spending 28 months in office.

The current occupant of the office, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, who assumed office on June 27, 2022, will formally bow out on Thursday, August 22, 2024, after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.

As the most senior justice of the Supreme Court after Ariwoola, Justice Kekere-Ekun is favoured to clinch the position.

The incoming CJN, who is 66 years old, may stay up to four years compared to the average of two years most of her predecessors held the position.

After 11 years at the Supreme Court, Justice Kekere-Ekun will not only become the next CJN but also head the National Judicial Council (NJC), which oversees the appointment, promotion, and discipline of judges across the country.

Justice Kekere-Ekun was born on May 7, 1958 and obtained her LL. B in 1980 from the University of Lagos and LL.M from the London School of Economics and Political Science in November 1983. She was called to the Nigerian Bar on 10th July, 1981.

From 1985 to 1989, she was in private practice and was later appointed a Senior Magistrate Grade II, Lagos State Judiciary in December 1989. She was appointed a judge of the High Court of Lagos State on July 19, 1996. She served as the chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, Lagos, from November 1996 to May 1999.

Kekere-Ekun

Kekere-Ekun was elevated to the Court of Appeal on 22nd September, 2004, where she served in various Divisions and as the presiding justice of two Divisions of the appellate court (Makurdi and Aku) in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

She was elevated to the Supreme Court of Nigeria as the fifth female justice of the apex court and sworn in on Monday, July 8, 2013.

She has attended numerous courses and seminars within and outside Nigeria and received several merit awards.

Justice Kekere-Ekun is also a life Bencher, a member of the International Association of Women Judges and its president.

LEADERSHIP Sunday reports that the judiciary has been in the eye of the storm, notably since the country returned to democratic rule in 1999.

With Justice Kekere-Ekun assuming office in the next few weeks, the succession battle in the Supreme Court may be rancour-free for the first time in five years.

Justice Walter Onnoghen, who served as CJN between 7th March, 2017 and 25th January 2019, left controversially after he was accused of failing to declare his assets.

His successor, Justice Tanko Muhammad, who assumed office on 25th January, 2019, followed almost the same pattern after his fellow justices accused him of unfair treatment, particularly in the area of their welfare. He voluntarily resigned on the grounds of ill-health on 27th June, 2022.

The CJN is the head of the government’s judicial arm. He presides over the country’s Supreme Court and the National Judicial Council.

The outgoing CJN (Ariwoola) was appointed acting CJN on 27th June, 2022 upon Justice Tanko Muhammad’s resignation and was confirmed by the Nigerian Senate on 21st September, 2022.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria is the highest, and its decisions are final. The president nominates the CJN upon the recommendation by the NJC, and is subject to confirmation by the Senate.

The CJN holds office at the pleasure of the Nigerian constitution and can only be removed from office due to death or on attainment of age 70, whichever comes first, or by impeachment by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which requires a super majority of the Senate members.

Short Stay In Office Based On Rules – Senior lawyers

In the last 15 years, seven CJNs have presided over the affairs of the nation’s judiciary, which is about an average of two years each for the occupants of that office.

Lawyers have, however, lamented the short stay in office of the CJNs.

According to them, an average of two years in office is not enough to bring about the needed reforms in the country’s judiciary.

However, some senior lawyers who spoke to LEADERSHIP Sunday were quick to assert that the CJN’s office is not a political appointment.

According to them, it is regulated by law.

A former attorney-general and commissioner for justice in Imo state, Chief Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume (SAN), said the apex court is not a political party whose programmes and policies are personal.

According to him, the CJN is an administrator and is not expected to bring his agenda to run the court.

“The court is regulated by law, and the law is the law; there is nothing you can do about it. The Supreme Court is not a political party where one man is expected to bring his agenda to the table after winning election,” he said.

Another lawyer, Barrister Abdul Balogun, said rules for succession to the CJN’s office have already been laid down.

“Laws and rules guide the judiciary, and any attempt to deviate from them is a call to lawlessness, which will negatively impact the country’s judiciary.

“In the judiciary as a whole, it is a laid down rule that the most senior assumes office upon a vacancy in the leadership of any court from the customary court to the Supreme Court. So, any attempt to deviate from that is a call for chaos in the system,” he said

In the last 15 years, the country has produced seven CJNs. While some of them left an indelible mark in office and in the minds of Nigerians with their policies and reforms to the country’s judiciary, others had their tenures characterised by controversies.

Aloysius Iyorgyer Katsina-Alu (2009- 2011)

From his very first day in office, there was controversy after he was sworn in by his predecessor. He was the first CJN to be sworn in by his predecessor, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi (rtd), due to the unavailability of the then ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua, who did not hand over powers to then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.

Yar’Adua never returned to the country until his death. Justice Katsina-Alu’s tenure as the CJN was also marked by his controversial battle with the then President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami (rtd), who the NJC later suspended.

Dahiru Musdapher (2011-2012)

His tenure as CJN was crisis-free; rather, he brought some reforms that impacted positively on the judiciary. Some of his reforms are still being implemented today. The Jigawa State-born Musdapher was appointed Chief Justice Nigeria on August 27, 2011, and sworn in by former President Goodluck Jonathan on August 29, 2011.

He served as Chief Judge of Kano State between 1979 and 1985.

Musdapher, a native of Babura town, served as a member of the Court of Appeal between 1985 and 2003 and later joined the Supreme Court.

During his tenure, he admitted that the judiciary needed radical surgical reforms and called on all Nigerian judges to rise above the daunting challenges by restoring hope and confidence in the judicial system.

MARIAM ALOMA MUKHTAR (2012 – 2014)

Justice Mukhtar could be described as a judge who came, who saw and, to an extent, reinvigorated the fervor to stamp out the burden of corruption that has, in no small measure, weighed down the scale of justice in Nigeria.

She spent barely 28 months in office. She took over from Justice Dahiru Musdapher on July 15, 2012.

Undisputedly, no administration in the judiciary ever attempted to fight corruption like Mukhtar, during whose short regime about seven judges were sacked.

Remarkably, no woman had attained that position since 1963, when the Federal Republic of Nigeria was proclaimed, and Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe became its first President.

The situation deteriorated to the extent that an ex-CJN and a sitting president of the Court of Appeal publicly poked themselves over an alleged plan to subvert justice in a gubernatorial dispute involving Sokoto State.

Consequently, on July 11, 2012, while answering questions from the Nigerian Senate, Justice Mukhtar admitted the presence of bad eggs at the top echelon of the judicial arm of government, even as she vowed to fight and expose such persons before her exit from office.

A few days after she assumed duties, Justice Mukhtar reviewed 337 petitions filed against judicial officers before the NJC.

Hence, it was not surprising that seven justices were sacked within two years of her tenure.

MAHMUD MOHAMMED (2014 – 2016)

Justice Mohammed was also less controversial in his about two years in office as CJN.

He was born on November 10, 1946, in Jalingo, Taraba State.

He studied for his Bachelor’s degree in Law (LL.B) at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, graduating in 1970. After that, he attended the Nigerian Law School in Lagos and was subsequently called to the Bar in 1971.

He began his career in the public service with the Ministry of Justice of the defunct North-eastern and Gongola States and served on the Gongola Bench.

WALTER ONNOGHEN (2017 – 2019)

Justice Onnoghen began his tenure as CJN on a controversial note and ended it on the same note. When he was appointed in acting capacity, it appeared that former President Muhammadu Buhari never wanted him to become the substantive CJN as it took him several months to confirm his appointment.

In fact, it was Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), the former vice president who acted as president when Buhari was away on a medical trip, that confirmed Onnoghen’s appointment.

Midway into his tenure as CJN, he was accused of corruption and removed from office after he was asked to resign.

His resignation from office followed the recommendation of the NJC for his early retirement. The recommendation was sent to Buhari, who readily accepted it.

Justice Onnoghen faced trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal over allegations of false declaration of assets.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) also accused the former CJN of receiving illicit payments and bribes from lawyers. He denied all the allegations.

Not a few Nigerians read political undertone in his tribulation, especially as the 2019 general elections were fast approaching.

IBRAHIM TANKO MUHAMMAD (2019 – 2022)

Like his predecessor, Justice Tanko Muhammad assumed office on a controversial note and also exited under questionable circumstances.

After Justice Onnoghen was eased out, many believed it was to prepare Justice Muhammad to become the CJN. Some believed the former president tainted Onnoghen with a corruption tag to make way for Muhammad, also a northerner.

Like Onnoghen, he could not finish his tenure, but due to ill health.

There was confusion in the media over his resignation. However, after many weeks of denial and confusion, it was later confirmed that he resigned as CJN on health grounds.

Shortly before his resignation, he officially reacted to the allegations of uncaring attitude levelled against him by his fellow justices in the apex court.

In his first official reaction, he admitted that the Supreme Court, like any other establishment in the country, had been hit by a devastating economic crunch and the court’s leadership under him could no longer meet some of its obligations to the justices, especially in welfare.

OLUKAYODE ARIWOOLA (2022 -2024)

Justice Ariwoola took the oath of office as the acting CJN at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on June 27, 2022.

He is, arguably, one of the finest CJNs the country has produced with his policies and programmes for the judiciary. However, like some of his predecessors, his tenure is fraught with controversies, especially as the judiciary under him came to be seen as being in the pockets of the political class.

In fact, retiring Supreme Court justices in his tenure used their valedictory speeches to lampoon the judiciary under his watch and so many Nigerians have lamented that the present judiciary dispenses judgement rather than justice.

Whoever takes the mantle after Ariwoola will have a herculean task repairing the battered image of the judiciary in order to restore the confidence of the people in that arm of government.

Tertiary institutions in Nigeria are an important component of the nation’s educational system, offering advanced learning opportunities beyond secondary schooling.

Over the years, the argument around whose school or even alma mater was the best usually dominate the trends. Everyone’s university is the best, inasmuch as it fulfil the essence of its establishment. However, some universities stand out among their peers.

In this article, we utilised the Times Higher Education (THE) rankings for 2024 to come up with a list of the top 10 universities in Nigeria. Important to note that these top 10 universities in no particular order:

1. University of Ibadan

The University of Ibadan is a public research university in Ibadan, Nigeria. The university was once a college of the University of London. The college was established in 1948 as University College Ibadan, one of many colleges within the University of London. It is a public university in Nigeria and one of the oldest.

2. Covenant University

Covenant University is in Ota, Ogun state, Nigeria. This university started in 2002. It is a private school with Christian beliefs. Bishop David Oyedepo, who also started the Living Faith Church Worldwide, founded it.

3. Obafemi Awolowo University

Obafemi Awolowo University is a federal university in Ile-Ife, Osun State. The university was founded in 1961 and classes commenced in October 1962 as the University of Ife by the regional government of Western Nigeria, led by Samuel Ladoke Akintola.

4. Ahmadu Bello University

The Ahmadu Bello University is a public research university located in Zaria, Kaduna State. It was opened in 1962 as the University of Northern Nigeria.

5. University of Lagos

The University Of Lagos (UNILAG) is a public research university in Lagos. It takes a slot on the list of 10 best universities in Nigeria due to a long-standing status of giving the best in class learning and research.

It offers over 110 undergraduate and 129 postgraduate programs. Its top programs include business, engineering, law, and environmental sciences.

Furthermore, UNILAG offers health sciences, management sciences, education, and arts programs.

6. University of Nigeria, Nsukka

The University of Nigeria is in Nsukka, a vibrant town in Nigeria’s southeastern part. The University of Nigeria has 15 academic faculties offering undergraduate and graduate courses. You can take a course in agriculture, medicine, and management sciences. Also, the University provides engineering, arts, humanities, and social sciences.

7. University of Benin

The University of Benin is known for its commitment to academic excellence. Its most popular alumni are Babatunde Fashola, a lawyer and former Lagos State Governor; and Tom Ilube, a British entrepreneur.

The University of Benin has 15 faculties offering over 80 undergraduate and graduate programs. You can pursue engineering, law, medicine, education, arts, management sciences, or humanities.

8. Federal University of Technology, Minna

The Federal University of Technology is a top-tier public institution in the bustling city of Minna. FUT stands among the top 10 universities in Nigeria for offering highly-marketable technology courses.

The University has over 48 undergraduate and 119 postgraduate programs.

Its top programs include agriculture, engineering, innovative technology, and information and communication technology.

9. University of Ilorin

University of Ilorin, also known as UNILORIN, is a federal government-owned school in Kwara state, North Central Nigeria. It’s known for its strong programs in business, law, and medicine.

10. University of Port Harcourt

The University of Port Harcourt was established in 1975 as University College, Port Harcourt. It’s known for its strong programs in petroleum engineering, business, and environmental sciences.

Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, has come under fire for castigating the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over the recent nationwide protest against bad governance tagged #EndBadGovernmentinNigeria, which later turned violent, particularly in the Northern States.

In a release titled “On Governor Bala Mohammed’s Latest Trade and Truculent Buffoonery,” former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Barr. Yakubu Dogara opined that the Governor’s recent utterances were uncalled for and unnecessary.

According to him, “No doubt, these are trying moments in Nigeria, with lots of nerves in the air and lots of spitting into the political wind. The job of leaders, irrespective of the political tribe they belong to, is to ensure that we bring this crisis to a responsible end by appealing to governments at all levels to scramble to meet some of the legitimate demands of the protesters, most especially hunger and pervasive insecurity in the national interest.”

Yakubu Dogara stressed that “it is certainly not a time to engage in blowing all the dog whistles at once in the irresponsible manner Gov. Bala Mohammed did.”

The former Speaker declared that, “For me, it didn’t come as a surprise because I had long ago, both in writing and on live TV, denounced him as a thug who speaks in the manner of thugs and understands only the language of thuggery.”

“I am penning these lines to further disavow him and to tell those who don’t know that, although Gov. Bala Mohammed is one of us, he is not all of us. Bauchi State is home to tested leaders who were not raised like mushrooms and who will not dare speak or operate in a manner that reveals contempt for rules, precedent, order, stability, and national cohesion. But Gov. Bala Mohammed does not only do so; he thrives in it,” he added.

According to him, “Not long ago, I said of him, ‘any time the Governor speaks either by himself or through his aides, it is always an outburst of profanity which debases and demeans all of us.'”

He also stated that “A leader is supposed to nurture and inspire the people he leads into positive action as opposed to indulging in wanton self-adulation and praise.”

Yakubu Dogara stressed that “Bala Mohammed has run Bauchi State for a little over six years now with no functional social amenities. Bauchi State under him is one of the states with the highest number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, yet he has built no functional school.”

According to him, “Just one example: my Alma Mater, the famous Bauchi Teachers College, located right under his nose, now lies in ruins. Let him tell the world which of the hospitals in the state is fully functional and how many doctors he has employed. The list is endless.”

“Yet, in the midst of the destitution and squalor that Bauchi State found itself under his watch, he has built the biggest government house for himself and his family and the best family house in Northern Nigeria, if not in the whole country,” he added.

The former Speaker continued, “Next, he wants to build flyovers in a city that has no traffic congestion, albeit for KEKE and OKADA riders. If anyone has ever wondered what the bottom of misgovernance looks like, this is it.”

According to him, “The irony is that when the youths he has refused to build schools for—who have no access to affordable healthcare and employment opportunities—choose to revolt, it is PBAT’s policies that are blamed. What a display of a ravenously wayward sense of entitlement.”

“Just merely looking at what H.E. Nyesom Wike achieved in just one year as FCT Minister, which totally dwarfed what Bala Mohammed achieved in his six years as FCT Minister, is an open rebuke to his inept and visionless leadership, which is now self-evident in Bauchi State,” he added.

According to him, “Governor Bala Mohammed, as a renowned crass opportunist, knows how to extort and exploit people and situations. I once wrote about this, and I quote a line: ‘So much for the motion on the doctrine of necessity, as if some of us didn’t know the events that preceded it and the main drivers of the motion.'”

He advised, “The Governor ought to know, or should be told, that moving against an ailing and bedridden President who was desperately in need of prayers instead, in the manner which he did, was not an act of courage but cowardice.”

He challenged, “Let him name any motion he moved against the government while late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua was well and in charge. To hit someone who you know will have no chance of hitting back is the master strategy of a wimp, and only wimps get paid for it. After taking up the FCT ministerial portfolio as payment for the hatched job, in the manner a hunting dog is served some portion of the meat of its prey, is it not shameful to flaunt that as an achievement? History has never been kind to those who stabbed the vulnerable.”

“To buttress the point being made, when Gov. Bala Mohammed was in court after rigging himself into office and desperately needed PBAT to save him, he was busy singing his praises to the highest heavens and telling the world how amazing PBAT was, not even minding the fact that he is the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum,” he added.

Yakubu Dogara added, “Just months after PBAT saved him, he has turned around to describe the President as ‘now inept, incompetent, and incapable of running Nigeria.’ I will even invite him to chair our 2027 presidential campaigns if he continues this way.”

He concluded, “This level of unbridled disrespect is unparalleled. In months, Gov. Bala Mohammed has transmuted from being a Hallelujah boy to the undisputed cheerleader of a pack of wolves who are trying so hard to soil the President beyond redemption.”

According to him, “It is good that the world gets to know what we are up against in Bauchi State and the price we are paying for foisting a tasteless joke on the state and elevating a cavorting charlatan to the position of Governor.”

He stressed that “Dignity still matters in public office, and it’s unlikely that Gov. Bala Mohammed will ever have it. Yet, his graver vice is cowardice, reflected in a willingness to lie to the public to please and appease, heedless of the inevitability of its contradiction an hour later and the consequences thereof.”

“Right now, he has turned Bauchi State into a prison of mirrors where his revealed lies are answered with new lies. Those who think he misspoke are dead wrong because that is who he has always been, and as Maya Angelou said, ‘When someone tells you who they are, believe them.'”

He concluded by stating that, “As it is, we wait to see whether the ‘Kaura 2027’ his cult followers printed on their gowns will be a POLITICAL scandal or an execution DATE.”