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My Four Children Tested Positive For COVID-19 —- SGF Boss Mustapha

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Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), says his four children have tested positive for coronavirus.

Mustapha, who is the chairman of the presidential task force on COVID-19, announced this during a media briefing in Abuja on Monday.

He also said a family member who is one-year-old tested positive for the virus.

The SGF had gone into isolation last week after he was exposed to the virus.

He said while he and his wife tested negative for the virus, his children are currently receiving treatment.

“The first test we ran, the result came back with six members within my household testing positive. The second test confirmed another three. From the month of March to November, we are being confronted with a figure of nine. It was quite a traumatic experience,” he said.

“My wife and I consistently tested negative but members of the household were infected. The last one, it was a nightmare. I was not infected but the truth about it, the agony of having members of your household… I am a father of four. All my four kids were infected.

“So, the agony that you go through even as a father, as a parent. A lot of you here are parents, so you need to do everything you can to ensure that you keep yourself and members of your family safe.”

Mustapha added that the spike in coronavirus cases is a result of the consequences of certain occurrences in the last few weeks such as the increase in social gatherings and disregard for health protocols.

“A lot of discussions is still going on around the calls for the restriction of international travels due to the discovery of new strains of the virus in certain countries,” he said.

“The PTF, aviation, and health authorities including the WHO is assessing the situation closely and would take a position as soon as a cogent scientific basis are established.”

 

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National Grid Instability Will Persist Until Repairs Are Completed — TCN

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The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says instability in the national grid will likely persist as the system undergoes repairs after another round of shutdown.

The national grid collapsed again on Thursday, the second time in 72 hours, leaving the country in darkness.

Providing updates on the incident in a statement, Ndidi Mbah, general manager of public affairs at TCN, said the grid experienced a disturbance at approximately 11:29 am, caused by a sudden rise in frequency from 50.33Hz to 51.44Hz.

She said the frequency surge was triggered by issues at one of its substations, which was then shut down to prevent further complications.

“Recovery efforts began immediately, and the Abuja Axis was restored within 28 minutes. Recovery is still ongoing,” the statement reads.

Mbah said the TCN is actively engaged in significant repair work on several critical transmission lines and substations.

The facilities, according to Mbah, include the 330kV transmission lines along the Shiroro-Mando axis, major upgrades at the Jebba transmission substation, and the restoration of the second Ugwuaji-Apir 330kV transmission line.

The public affairs manager said following the submission of the investigative report on the causes of previous grid collapses, TCN has started working to address the identified weaknesses in the transmission system.

Mbah said efforts are afoot to address the gaps outlined in the report and to strengthen the grid’s overall stability and resilience.

“These efforts include both technical upgrades and strategic interventions based on the committee’s recommendations,” she added.

“However, it is important to note that while these repairs and improvements are underway, some degree of instability in the system is likely to persist until all major works are completed.”

Mbah, acknowledging the impact of the disruptions, appealed to the public for their patience and understanding during the challenging period.

She reaffirmed the company’s commitment to improving the reliability of electricity supply, acknowledging the crucial role that stable power has in supporting Nigeria’s socio-economic growth.

The TCN official also assured the public that all necessary measures are being taken to secure the grid’s long-term stability, following the investigative committee’s recommendations.

She added that the transmission company is addressing infrastructure issues, including damage from vandalised transmission lines.

On October 5, the grid experienced a collapse – the ninth time in 2024.

TCN had blamed a series of lines and generator trippings for the instability of the grid and a partial disturbance.

On October 17, Adebayo Adelabu, minister of power, said the frequent system failure at the national grid is inevitable due to the outdated infrastructure.

Adelabu also said the country will continue to experience grid disturbances until there is a complete overhaul of the system.

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Defence HQ Declares ‘9 Lakurawas Lerrorists’ Wanted

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The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has declared nine suspected members of the “Lakurawas” terrorist group wanted.

They are Abu Khadijah, Abdurrahman, Dadi Gumba a.k.a “Abu Muhammed,” Usman Shehu, Abu Yusuf, Musa Wa’a, Ibrahim Suyeka, Ba Sulhu, and Idris Taklakse.

Edward Buba, director of defence media operations, disclosed this while speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday.

Buba noted that the new terror group emerged from the “Niger Republic” following the coup, which disrupted military cooperation between Nigeria and the country.

He said the terrorists began infiltrating northern parts of Sokoto and Kebbi states from “Niger Republic” and “Mali.”

Buba added that prior to the coup, joint border operations with Nigerien security forces had kept the terrorists away.

He said the group continues to use the vast under-governed areas to evade troops and harass local populations.

“The terrorists took advantage of the gaps in cooperation between both countries and exploited the difficult terrains to make incursions in remote areas in some North Western states to spread their ideology,” he said.

Buba added that the group was initially welcomed by locals who believed they had good intentions.

He noted that the locals failed to inform military and security agencies of the terrorists’ movements.

He assured Nigerians that troops have sustained intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) efforts to weaken the terrorists.

He said the troops are “actively locating the terrorists to neutralise their threats.”

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Equitorial Guinea Sacks Senior Government Official, Baltasar Engonga Over “Sexcapade”

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The Director General of the National Financial Investigation Agency in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Engonga, has been dismissed following the discovery of over 400 explicit videos involving him with high-profile women across the country.

The dismissal, ordered by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, was confirmed by Real Equatorial Guinea, which referenced Decree No. 118/2024, issued on November 4.

According to the decree, Engonga’s removal was due to alleged professional misconduct and personal behavior deemed incompatible with his public position.

The scandal surfaced during a fraud investigation involving the 54-year-old economist, leading to a surprise search of his house and office by ANIF officials.

During the search, they uncovered several CDs containing explicit videos that revealed his sexual encounters with different married women.

One of the women involved has since committed suicide. It has not been confirmed whether Engonga will face prosecution for his actions.

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