...urge criminals to cease their evil acts.

The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has expressed concern over Nigeria’s escalating crime rate, particularly kidnappings.

Reacting to recent killings and abductions, including the kidnapping of two Catholic reverend sisters, Obi described the situation as “worrisome” on his X page.

Obi, the former Anambra governor, condemned the killing of the College of Nursing Sciences manager in Ihiala, stating, “no one is currently spared from the dangerous wind of many kidnappings and killings blowing through many parts of the nation”.

He noted that insecurity affects every Nigerian, impacting agriculture, health, and education, where workers are often kidnapped or killed.

Obi cited examples of kidnapped farmers, teachers, and lecturers, including the recent killing of the College of Nursing Sciences manager and the abduction of two reverend sisters.

He emphasized that these individuals contribute significantly to national development, and their kidnappings and killings are unjustifiable.

Obi urged leaders to address the situation, wondering how many cases go unreported.

He asked the federal government to deploy security measures to rescue captives and end terror, while urging criminals to stop their evil acts.

The South East region of the country witnessed a surge in violence perpetrated by separatist groups enforcing sit-at-home orders, which essentially attacked Nigeria’s sovereignty with effrontery and arrant disregard for constituted authority.

The alarming situation escalated on November 18, 2024, when unknown gunmen launched simultaneous attacks on Abatete and Ukpo communities in Anambra state, leaving a trail of destruction and death, including three vigilante members and an innocent citizen. These senseless attacks were recurring nightmares which instilled fear and uncertainty among the populace.

In the year under review, another devastating attack in Aba, Abia state resulted in the loss of 11 lives, including five military personnel and six civilians, with the Army blaming the outlawed separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement, for the incident.

Many civilians among whom were youths were alleged to have been killed, harassed and assaulted by security personnel in a bid to end the reign of the separatist group in the region.

In fact, a report by SMB Morgen, an Africa-focused market/security intelligence gathering firm, revealed that a staggering N419.2 million ransom was paid between July 2023 and June 2024 in the South-East .
This alarming figure accounted for 40% of the total N1.048 billion paid across the six geo-political zones during the same period, with Anambra State being the hardest hit, as families shelled out N350.2 million in ransom payments, a whopping 88% of the N400 million demanded by kidnappers.

A breakdown of the ransom payments across the South-East states as revealed by the report, showed that Imo State paid N39 million as ransom, Abia State paid N25 million, while Enugu State and Ebonyi State paid significantly lower amounts, with N4 million and N1 million, respectively, as ransom in one year.
But in the regional breakdown of the N2.2 trillion ransom payments made in the same period.

According to another data from the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its 2024 Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey, the South-East paid N85.4 billion, an amount lower when compared to N1.2 trillion paid in the North West, which accounted for the highest share.

The interception of 59 minors from Kano en route to Nasarawa State has taken a new dimension as the senator representing Kano South Senatorial District, Sumaila Kawu, has stopped the trafficking probe.

Kawu asked the police to hand over the 59 minors intercepted in a J5 vehicle in Abuja on its way to Nasarawa State, promising to reunite them with their parents.

The lawmaker showed up at the FCT police command yesterday to say that the movement was an almajiri form whereby students migrate to other parts of the country to study.

Earlier on Tuesday, the FCT commissioner of police, CP Olatunji Disu,had paraded the vehicle driver, Idris Usman, and the children, promising to ensure they were returned to their base in Kano to reunite with their families.

Disu had said, “This incident has been classified as a case of suspected child abuse and trafficking given the circumstances and the absence of proper documentation or parental consent for the movement of the minors.

“The suspects’ vehicle and all the children are with us while a thorough investigation is underway.”

After the briefing, Senator Kawu, who kicked against the mode of transportation of the children, told the police to hand over the children to him.

Kawu observed that there was nothing wrong with transporting the children to Nasarawa for training, a position that introduced a surprising dimension to the case at the police command.

When asked about the condition of the children’s transportation, Kawu said, “We will resolve it. We have secured another bus that will carry them back home. I am advising our people to stick to the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammed (SAW) and the Qur’an in searching for knowledge. We have a procedure, a process provided by Islam. We must stick to that process. We must avoid traditional ways of doing things.”

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force had intercepted a white Peugeot 15 bus with Reg. No. KMC 283 ZJ along the Abuja-Kano route with 59 children suspected to have been trafficked from Kano. They were packed into  15-seater bus.

On Wednesday, the police operatives, led by deputy superintendent of police Sarki Umar, intercepted them on January 6, 2025, at about 3:30 p.m., along the Abuja-Kano route, heading to Nasarawa State.

The police said the kids, aged between four and 12, came from different families and were being transported by one Idris Usman to a male resident of Nasarawa State.

The commissioner of police, FCT, CP Olatunji Disu, said some arrests had been made, and the police would ensure that the children were returned and reunited with their families.

He also said the driver, Usman, who claims to be a teacher with over 40 years of experience, travelled to Kano State to convey the children en route to Nasarawa State under the pretext of training them.

The vehicle driver operates with his motor boy, Al Hassan Ibrahim, who is also from Kano State.

The FCT police commissioner said, “This incident has been classified as a case of suspected child abuse and trafficking, given the circumstances and the absence of proper documentation or parental consent for the movement of the minors.

“The suspects, the vehicle, and all the children are in custody while a thorough investigation is underway. The Police Command is working closely with the FCT Social Development Secretariat (SDS) to ensure that the children are safely reunited with their families and to bring all those involved in this act to justice.

“I want to reiterate our commitment to protecting vulnerable groups, particularly children, from exploitation and abuse in line with the Child’s Rights Act 2003. We appeal to parents and guardians to remain vigilant and ensure the safety of their children,” the commissioner had said.

Yesterday’s intervention by the senator seems to have changed the mind of the police towards further investigation and prosecution of the suspects.

The Nigeria Polics Force (NPF) has arrested a woman, Ihsanatu Shaaibu, and one other unnamed suspect, over alleged child abuse by inflicting grievous injuries on a five-year-old stepdaughter, Fa’iza Bala.

The development followed a viral video of the incident on social media. Consequently, Police operatives effected the arrests on Thursday.

This was disclosed by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, in a post on his verified social media handles and that of the NPF on Thursday night.

The Police image-maker wrote: “In relation to the viral video where a woman identified as Ihsanatu Shaaibu physically abused and caused grievous injuries to her stepdaughter Fa’iza Bala, a 5 year old.

“The Suspects have been arrested today, Thursday 9th Jan 2025, and will be prosecuted as soon as investigations are concluded. We will keep you abreast of the proceedings.”

Canadian-based Nigerian doctor, Arinze Onwumelu, also known as Dr. Zo, has shared his opinion about the financial prudence of building mansions in villages.

Speaking on the topic, Dr. Zo questioned the longstanding tradition, which he described as economically unviable in the face of modern realities.

“I am Igbo, from the eastern part of the country,” he began, pointing out a cultural norm among the Igbos.

“There is this thing we have in the east that for you to be recognised as an Odogwu (a wealthy man), you must build a big mansion in the village. I did it too. I watched a lot of people this last Christmas go home and open their big mighty mansions in the East, especially. I don’t think other parts of the country have this same concept.”

Dr. Zo expressed concern about the lack of economic value in such investments.

“Sometimes, I wonder, we the Igbos think we are very smart in terms of economy, but sometimes I wonder the economic value. If I build that house somewhere in Lagos, Abuja, or Port-Harcourt, even Enugu, I would have made over a N100 million in the last five years.”

While Dr. Zo did not entirely dismiss the idea of owning property in the village, he advocated for moderation.

“I am not saying you should not build a house in the village. What I tell you is what I tell my younger ones: go to the village and just build a small house, 4-bedroom, have a big compound. It’s always good to have something in the village, but it does not have to be a mansion, occupying everywhere with houses. It’s rubbish.”

Reflecting on his personal experience, Dr. Zo shared the burdens of maintaining such properties.

“What I am saying to you, I did it, my father did it, father’s friends did it, and their kids are struggling today to maintain those houses. I am spending a lot of money to maintain the house I haven’t been in over four years because of things going on in the east—insecurity and stuff. So, what is the economic value? It is just a wrong move.”

He went further to advise against repeating the mistakes of the past. “What I am saying today, you will realise it in 25 years. Absolutely no need for those houses. Use that money and put it in better locations that will give you money. This is coming from a mistake that I made. A village mansion is a waste of time and a waste of money.”

Nigerians are facing significant visa rejections for intending travellers to Schengen nations amidst the growing rate of migration to developed countries. Half of all visa applications to the destination by Nigerians were rejected.

The latest Henley Global Mobility Report January 2025, published by Henley & Partners, indicates that out of 105,926 Schengen visa applications submitted by Nigerians in 2024, 42,940, representing 40.8 per cent of the total application were rejected.

Migration has been part of the Nigerian middle-class psyche for decades, but the migration rate has increased in the last four years as economic hardship continues to bite harder.

Inflation soared to an all-time high of 34.60 per cent in November 2024, fueling the cost-of-living crisis, unemployment, and lack of opportunities, thereby forcing thousands to seek better opportunities outside the country’s shores.

The rejection level thus placed Nigeria among the top 20 countries withthe most denied visas to the choice destination and ranked 11th on the list.

According to the report, the rejection, largely driven by passport power and identity-based visa policies, has more than doubled over the past decade and created substantial barriers to economic mobility for Nigerians and other African citizens.

Nigeria’s passport ranked 94th in the latest global most powerful passports.

Similarly, Africa also faced a higher rejection rate compared to other continents despite the insignificant volume of applications from the region.

The report showed that six of the top 10 countries facing the highest Schengen visa rejection rates are in Africa.

Comoros leads with a 61.3 per cent rejection rate, followed by Guinea-Bissau at 51 per cent, Ghana at 47.5 per cent, Mali at 46.1 per cent, Sudan at 42.3 per cent, and Senegal at 41.2per cent.

Three Asian countries and a European country complete the list: Pakistan with 49.6 per cent, Syria with 46 percent, and Bangladesh with 43.3 cent. Greece, despite being a European Union member and part of Europe’s Schengen area, holds the second-highest rejection rate at 56.4 per cent. Furthermore, the top 10 African countries, while submitting only 2.8 per cent of global Schengen visa applications, faced a rejection rate of 44.8 per cent. Half of the 277,792 applicants from the top 10 countries with the highest rejections were denied visas.

The report said: “Looking at broader regional patterns in 2023, the top 20 countries in Africa and Asia submitted 703,894 applications, representing 6.8 per cent of all Schengen visa applications, of which 40 per cent were rejected.

“The top 10 African countries faced particularly high rejection rates, with applicants experiencing a 45 per cent rejection rate, higher than combined Africa–Asia average of 40 per cent.”

Prof. Mehari Maru of the School of Transnational Governance and the Migration Policy Centre at the European University Institute and of Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, commenting on the report, said: ‘The global mobility divide is widening significantly. As the Henley Passport Index January 2025 edition reveals, global travel freedom has nearly doubled from 58 visa-free destinations in 2006 to 111 in 2025, but the gap between the most and least mobile nations has reached unprecedented levels.

“Africans face consistently higher rejection rates than their Asian and global peers. In 2023, despite submitting half as many applications as those from Asia, African applicants were twice as likely to be rejected, with rates 14 percentage points higher than Asian applicants.”

Debt servicing consumed 47 per cent of the Federal Government’s total expenditure in the first nine months of 2024, The PUNCH reports.

An analysis of data from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s latest quarterly statistics bulletin highlights the growing burden of debt repayment obligations and its implications for Nigeria’s fiscal sustainability.

In the first nine months of 2024, the Federal Government spent N8.94tn on debt servicing, a sharp increase of 56.8 per cent from N5.69tn in the corresponding period of 2023.

The debt costs accounted for nearly half of the N18.97tn total expenditure for the period, compared to 42 per cent of the N13.57tn spent in 2023.

The rising debt servicing ratio reflects Nigeria’s increasing dependence on borrowing to fund its budgetary operations, particularly as fiscal deficits continue to widen.

The debt-to-revenue ratio further underlines the severity of the situation. In 2023, the Federal Government’s retained revenue of N4.32tn meant that debt servicing accounted for 132 per cent of revenue during the period.

This figure worsened in 2024, when debt servicing consumed 147 percent of the N6.08tn retained revenue.

This trend indicates that Nigeria is borrowing not just to finance its expenditure but also to service existing debts, a fiscal trajectory that raises serious concerns about sustainability.

Recurrent expenditures, which include personnel costs, pensions, transfers, and debt servicing, rose sharply by 45.6 per cent from N10.38tn in 2023 to N15.11tn in 2024.

Personnel costs increased by 20 per cent from N2.99tn to N3.59tn over the same period, reflecting the government’s continued commitment to maintaining public sector salaries despite fiscal challenges.

Overhead costs, including MYTO and service-wide votes, surged by 51.4 per cent from N589.63bn in 2023 to N892.85bn in 2024, while transfers more than doubled from N711.36bn to N1.31tn, representing an 83.8 per cent rise.

However, pensions and gratuities experienced a marginal decline, falling from N339.66bn in 2023 to N336.61bn in 2024.

Despite the government’s attempts to allocate more funds for infrastructural development, the increase in capital expenditure was relatively modest compared to recurrent spending.

Capital spending rose by 20.8 per cent from N3.19tn in 2023 to N3.86tn in 2024, a significant amount but still far overshadowed by the recurrent and debt servicing costs.

The disproportionate allocation of funds highlights how rising debt obligations continue to crowd out critical capital investments, further exacerbating Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit and limiting economic growth potential.

The fiscal deficit widened from N9.25tn in the first nine months of 2023 to N12.89tn during the same period in 2024, marking a 39.3 per cent increase.

This growing deficit highlights the persistent gap between government revenue and expenditure, compounded by escalating debt servicing costs.

With such a large share of revenue allocated to debt repayment, the government’s capacity to fund public services, infrastructure, and other developmental projects is increasingly constrained.

In his national broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 64th Independence Anniversary, President Bola Tinubu boasted that his administration reduced the debt service ratio from 97 per cent to 68 per cent.

Tinubu also said his administration is committed to stopping the vicious cycle of overreliance on borrowing for public spending and the resulting stress on managing scarce government resources caused by debt service.

He noted the country could not continue to service its debt with 90 per cent of its revenue, as this was a recipe for destruction.

However, CBN data shows that the ratio worsened to 147 per cent in the first nine months of 2024.

The global credit ratings agency, Fitch, earlier projected Nigeria’s external debt servicing to rise by $400m to $5.2bn in 2025.

Regarding external debt, the agency said external financing obligations through a combination of multilateral lending, syndicated loans, and potentially commercial borrowing would raise the servicing from $4.8bn in 2024 to $5.2bn in 2025.

This was despite the current administration’s insistence on focusing more on domestic borrowings from the capital market.

Analysts at Cowry Research earlier noted that there is no immediate relief for Nigeria’s debt levels and debt service costs.

“Financing costs are expected to continue consuming a larger portion of the Federal Government’s revenues, while the local currency remains weak against the dollar and the interest rate environment remains tight, reflecting the Central Bank’s monetary tightening measures,” they said.

Speaking earlier with The PUNCH, the President of the Nigerian Economic Society, Prof Adeola Adenikinju, said, “There is little we can do regarding our debt servicing. This is an obligation that we owe, and it will do a lot of damage to our image if we don’t pay. That is a consequence of past years of mismanagement and dependence on debt to run the government.”

He lamented that most of the time, the government does not meet up with the provisions for capital expenditure in the budget.

Adenikinju added, “Even when they say N48tn, you can be assured that they are not going to spend that.”

He noted that spending on debt servicing will not yield any positive benefit for the Nigerian economy.

“It is sad because debt service will not do anything positive for the economy. It is not going to improve infrastructure. It is not going to enhance economic growth. It is not going to yield any significant positive effect on the economy. We have been wasteful in the past, and that is the consequence we have to deal with now,” he said.

Also, the Chief Executive Officer of the CFG Advisory, Tilewa Adebajo, earlier said that Nigeria needed to commence debt negotiation talks with its creditors.

Adebajo noted that the country’s debt servicing now exceeded recurrent and capital expenditures, which put the country in a position where it used the majority of its revenue to service debt.

The PUNCH earlier reported that the International Monetary Fund said that Nigeria allocates the majority of its revenue to debt servicing, leaving limited funds for critical development projects.

Speaking during the Fiscal Monitor press briefing at the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington DC, Davide Furceri, Division Chief of the IMF’s Fiscal Affairs Department, emphasised the need for Nigeria to adopt more effective revenue mobilisation strategies to ease this financial burden.

Furceri noted that Nigeria’s debt service-to-revenue ratio stands at around 60 per cent, significantly constraining the government’s ability to invest in social and economic programmes.

He stressed that the country must further reduce the share of its revenue allocated to debt repayments by focusing on broadening its tax base.

He said, “There is a need to grow the revenue-to-GDP ratio.  For a country Like Nigeria, the Debt Service-to-Revenue is about 60 per cent. What that means is that a larger part of the revenue of the country goes into debt servicing.  What we recommend for countries like Nigeria, if they can improve their revenue mobilisation, they will be able to reduce the portion of the revenue that goes into debt servicing.

“It is important to broaden the tax base in order to have more revenue and especially in Nigeria to put in place a system and mechanism that is transparent and efficient to assist the government in collecting more revenue.”

He called for the implementation of a transparent and efficient tax collection system, urging the government to improve its fiscal operations to generate more income.

The PUNCH recently reported that Tinubu called on world leaders to prioritise debt forgiveness for Nigeria and other developing countries from creditors and multilateral financial institutions.

The President also asked the United Nations to commit to multilateralism by deepening relations among member states, which aligns with the principles of inclusivity, equality, and cooperation.

This was during the General Debate of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, United States.

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the high-level annual global event, the President said countries of the global South would not make meaningful economic progress without special concessions and a review of their current debt burden.

Nigeria’s electricity generation has continued to hover around an average of 4,500 megawatts despite the country securing loans totalling over $3.23bn in about four years from international financial institutions.

Global institutions such as the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency have supported the power sector with billions of dollars in loans, but many parts of Nigeria still suffer incessant blackouts.

These funds were approved to finance various projects to address the country’s electricity challenges and improve access to reliable power supply.

However, power generation in the country has persistently hovered around 4,500MW for a population of over 200 million people.

The daily power report obtained by one of our correspondents on Thursday, for instance, showed peak generation reached 4,743MW as of 6 am on Thursday.

However, the average power generation in the past three years has remained at 4,500MW despite efforts by the government.

Since 2020, the World Bank has approved multiple loans to Nigeria’s power sector, focusing on sustainable energy solutions, distribution system upgrades, and overall sector reform.

The Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria Project, with a principal amount of $500m, was signed in September 2024 to enhance energy reliability and agricultural productivity.

In December 2023, the World Bank signed agreements for the Nigeria Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up Project, totalling $750m across three International Development Association credits.

This project is expected to expand renewable energy access and distributed electricity solutions.

In June 2023, the World Bank approved $1.5bn for the Power Sector Recovery Performance-Based Operation, which includes $301m already effective, $449m currently disbursing, and $750m from 2020, of which $715m has been disbursed.

This programme was designed to improve financial sustainability and operational efficiency within the power sector.

Also, the Nigeria Distribution Sector Recovery Programme, with $500m approved in February 2021, aims to support the capital and technical needs of electricity distribution companies.

On July 31, 2024, the African Development Bank Group approved a loan of $500m to the Federal Republic of Nigeria to help transform the country’s electricity infrastructure and improve access to cleaner energy sources.

According to a statement from the AfDB, this funding will finance the first phase of the Economic Governance and Energy Transition Support Programme, aimed at transforming the country’s electricity infrastructure and improving access to cleaner energy sources.

The statement also noted that the loan will help close the financing gap in the Federal Budget for the 2024/25 fiscal year, specifically supporting the implementation of Nigeria’s new Electricity Act and the Nigeria Energy Transition Plan.

These initiatives are designed to decentralise the electricity supply industry and attract investments from subnational governments and the private sector.

In September 2022, the Federal Government said it would partner with the Japan International Cooperation Agency to implement a $200m electricity transmission expansion programme in Lagos and Ogun states.

The former Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, had said the aim of the programme was to expand the transmission network in the identified states so as to effectively support industries in the South-West.

However, there have been some challenges around the implementation of a number of the projects linked to the loans.

The PUNCH earlier reported that the $500m Nigeria Distribution Sector Recovery Programme, aimed at addressing significant challenges in the country’s electricity distribution sector, was hit by several delays.

A World Bank document on the restructuring of the project, obtained by The PUNCH on Monday, indicated that these delays, primarily due to a court case filed by the Association of Meter Manufacturers of Nigeria and a slow approval from the National Assembly, have threatened the timely implementation of the project.

The DISREP, approved by the World Bank in February 2021, is designed to improve the financial and technical performance of Nigeria’s electricity distribution companies.

The programme is a hybrid one, combining a Programme-for-Results component valued at $345m, with an Investment Project Financing component of $155m.

The funding aims to enhance Nigeria’s electricity sector by improving Discos’ performance, addressing the metering gap, rehabilitating distribution infrastructure, and strengthening governance.

However, the implementation of the project has been delayed due to a few factors, including a legal challenge that impacted the procurement of smart meters.

With the challenges in the sector, power generation in Nigeria has not improved, and the country continues to experience erratic electricity supply and frequent national grid collapses, with over 100 incidents recorded in the past decade.

Nigeria has been battling epileptic power supply, affecting the productivity of small businesses and manufacturers. This challenge is exacerbated by the frequent collapse of the national grid, with a total of 12 breakdowns recorded in 2024.

These challenges, compounded by infrastructure deficiencies and delays in implementing critical reforms, have raised questions about the effective utilisation of these funds.

To resolve recurring issues, the Minister of Power, Adelabu Adebayo, revealed that Nigeria requires at least $10bn over the next 10 years to achieve 24-hour power supply across the country.

However, several underlying factors have hindered the presidential goal to generate 6,000MW this year.

The government has pledged to address these inefficiencies and ensure that the loans yield the intended results.

The PUNCH earlier reported that the Ministry of Power plans to allocate a significant portion of its N1.2tn 2025 budget towards financing a range of multilateral and bilateral loan projects to enhance electricity generation and distribution nationwide.

Stakeholders within the power sector have emphasised the need for transparency and accountability in managing these resources to achieve tangible improvements in electricity generation.

However, as of now, the stagnation in power output persists, leaving many Nigerians to contend with unreliable power supply despite the substantial financial inflows in the sector.

Recall that Adelabu had promised Nigerians that there would be incremental power supply in the country under his watch as the Minister of Power. According to him, the Tinubu administration would do everything possible to make electricity accessible to all.

He promised that 1,200 MW would be added to the 4,800MW generated in May to raise the generated power to 6,000 MW by September but all of these goals were not achieved.

As an alternative, the government said it has begun moves to harness renewable energy sources as a critical part of the nation’s energy mix, to ensure sustainable power supply to citizens.

The government also revealed plans to provide Nigerians with at least 20 hours of daily electricity by 2027.

However, many challenges are hampering the actualisation of these targets, ranging from the multiple grid collapse cases, growing debts to power generation companies, and the vandalism of critical power infrastructure, to ageing infrastructure, inadequate maintenance, and insufficient investment in the power sector.

Despite having an installed capacity of approximately 12,500MW, Nigeria often generates only a fraction of this, leaving many areas without reliable electricity.

Commenting, a power expert, Mr Chinedu Amah, queried reasons why the government is borrowing to invest in a sector it claims to have privatised.

Amah, who is the founder of Spark Nigeria Ltd, noted the loans remain of no value if there is no electricity.

Speaking in a telephone interview on Thursday, the power expert urged the House and Senate Committees overseeing the audit of the borrowing process to take action.

He said, “The first question is why is the government investing in a space, it says it has privatised. That’s the first question. Why is it throwing investments and even borrowings at a sector it has privatised?

“Does the Federal Government borrow money to improve the telecommunications sector or automobile companies? That is the first question.

“The next thing is what was it spent on, who is auditing that process, and what are the House and Senate Committees saying concerning those borrowings and their effectiveness in improving power supply and the electricity market.

“If they are borrowing, what is the pathway for recovering the funds for repayment? Borrowing is not a problem, but it’s about what you are spending the money you borrowed on and whether you are spending it judiciously.

“If you are spending it, how do you hope to recover it for value, and when are you paying back that value?

“But at the end of the day, whether they borrow N100bn or whatever, if Nigerians don’t see the light at home, the loans have no value. It must translate to a true value, and it’s an adequate power supply.”

The President of the Nigeria Consumer Protection Network, Kunle Olubiyo, in a chat with our reporter, raised concerns about project conceptualisation in Nigeria, particularly in the energy sector.

According to him, while projects design and delivery globally are aimed at achieving intended objectives, in Nigeria, many projects are often designed to facilitate the pilfering of public funds.

He said at the generation level, critical issues like the lack of a spinning reserve persist despite the availability of funds that could have been allocated to address such challenges.

This oversight, he said, reflects a systemic neglect of pressing infrastructure needs.

Olubiyo also said the prevalence of abandoned projects had left many states across the country severely underserved in terms of energy supply.

He said that even when those projects are completed, they often fail to meet the current energy load demand due to their outdated designs and limited capacity.

He said government funding alone would not suffice to address the challenges, calling for partnerships with the private sector and commercial banks.

A private autopsy and toxicology analysis carried out by the family of the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, has been completed.

Naija News understands that in June 2024, the Coroner’s Court located in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State granted the family authorization to carry out an independent autopsy and toxicology examination on Mohbad.

The family sought this independent investigation due to the suspicious circumstances surrounding the singer’s death.

This court ruling followed the earlier autopsy conducted by the Lagos State Government, which was deemed inconclusive and subsequently rejected by the family.

According to The PUNCH, source within the family told journalists on Thursday that the results have been available since December.

“The private autopsy has been concluded and the result is currently with the forensic pathologist contracted by the family. The result was ready since December and the pathologist is waiting to present it in court,” a relative reportedly disclosed.

In other news, a coalition of concerned citizens, known as The Critical Thinkers Group, has advocated for the resumption of the coroner’s inquest regarding the singer’s death.

The group has also verified the conclusion of the family’s private autopsy and toxicology analysis, expressing that the suspension of the inquest has heightened concerns and extended the quest for clarity surrounding the circumstances of the singer’s demise.

A statement issued by the secretary of its United States chapter, Bossy Keno, stated: “It should be noted that the inquest was suspended in September following a court order. This came after an NGO that sought to participate in the proceedings was denied by Magistrate Shotibi of the Ikorodu Magistrate Court.

“The suspension of the inquest has raised concerns among many, with growing sentiments that the delay is prolonging the search for answers.”

The group emphasised that reopening the inquest was crucial to advancing the fact-finding process and ensuring the matter can progress to the High Court.

“We call on the Magistrate to set a new date for the proceedings and also to hear testimonies from key witnesses, including Naira Marley, Sammy Larry, Nurse Feyisayo Ogedengbe, and the family’s pathologist, who is expected to present the findings of the private autopsy,” the group demanded.