The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr. Kayode Opeifa, has publicly apologized following his verbal outburst against NTA Transport Correspondent and former NAWOJ president, Comrade Ladi Bala, during the coverage of the Abuja–Kaduna train derailment.

Opeifa made the apology at a press briefing held on Sunday at the NUJ FCT Council Secretariat in Abuja. He explained that the incident occurred under intense pressure, as he was managing the emergency response.

“I sincerely apologize for the regrettable remarks I made, which were directed at a seasoned journalist and reflected poorly on both the NUJ FCT and NAWOJ,” he stated.

In an attempt to promote reconciliation, Opeifa awarded Comrade Bala the honorary title of Ambassador for Media Advocacy—a symbolic gesture of the NRC’s renewed commitment to press freedom and better media relations.

Speaking further about the derailment, Opeifa confirmed that eight coaches and one locomotive were involved, carrying 618 passengers, of whom approximately 20 were injured, including seven critically. Emergency protocols were swiftly activated, engaging agencies such as NEMA, NAN, the military, NISA, and state health ministries, to ensure a coordinated response.

A court in Finland has handed a six-year jail term to Simon Ekpa, a pro-Biafra activist, after finding him guilty of terrorism offences.

The Päijät-Häme District Court concluded that Ekpa used his online platforms between August 2021 and November 2024 to stir violent actions in Nigeria’s south-east, including support for a terrorist organisation and incitement to commit terrorism.

According to prosecutors, he encouraged attacks by posting directives on X (formerly Twitter), while also helping to arrange weapons, explosives and ammunition for separatist elements in the region.

The offences were judged under Finnish jurisdiction because they were carried out while Ekpa was residing in Lahti.

In addition to the terrorism convictions, the court also found him guilty of aggravated tax fraud.

The ruling, however, is not final, as Ekpa is entitled to challenge the judgment before a higher court.

More to come…

The Federal Government has warned electricity generation companies (GenCos) that they risk disconnection from the national grid if they fail to comply with new regulatory directives on grid stability.

The directive, issued by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) under order reference NERC/2025/094, requires GenCos to activate Free Governor Control (FGC) on all generating units. The order was signed on August 26, 2025 by Musiliu Oseni, NERC’s vice-chairman, and Dafe Akpeneye, commissioner for legal, licensing, and compliance. It took effect on September 1, 2025.

FGC is a control mechanism that allows a turbine or generator to automatically adjust output in response to frequency changes on the grid, thereby improving stability.

NERC warned that GenCos who fail to integrate FGC by November 30, 2025 would face a 10 percent penalty on invoices linked to non-compliant units. Units that remain non-compliant for 90 consecutive days will be disconnected from the grid.

NERC: Grid failures linked to GenCos’ lapses

The regulator said the move was necessary to curb frequent grid collapses. In 2024, the national grid suffered eight disturbances — five full collapses and three partial failures. Reports from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) cited GenCos’ non-compliance with grid rules as a key cause.

According to NERC, section 12.6.2 of the Grid Code requires all generating units to have fast-acting governors for frequency control. The commission stressed that compliance would improve reliability and ensure a more resilient grid.

“Section 12.6.2 of the Grid Code for the Nigerian Electricity Transmission System requires all generating units to be fitted with fast-acting FGC that is capable of regulating turbine speed and adjusting power output based on frequency deviation exigencies, i.e., primary control,” the order stated.

The order also mandated GenCos to procure Grade Level 5 IoT-enabled meters to monitor compliance in real-time. These devices must be installed and integrated by the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) before the end of October 2025.

NISO will provide hourly compliance tracking, monthly reports to NERC, and impose penalties on defaulting companies.

Consequences for non-compliance

NERC warned: “Any GenCo that fails to comply with the provisions of sections 12.6.2 and 15.8.3 of the Grid Code on the integration and activation of FGC on all generating units by 30 November 2025 shall be liable to a penalty of a prorated 10 per cent of the invoice associated with the defaulting generating unit… Where a generating unit records 90 consecutive days of FGC non-compliance, the affected generating unit shall be disconnected from the grid.”

Reconnection, the order added, will only occur after NISO certifies the unit as fully compliant.