Nigeria’s national electricity grid, operated from Osogbo in Osun State, again collapsed Tuesday afternoon, leaving the entire country in darkness.
Managed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria, sources at the company confirmed the development to The Guardian as some distribution companies already notified consumers of total blackout.
The grid collapsed in May due to industrial unrest, after it had earlier collapse in April which heightened poor power supply.
Though TCN is yet to clarify the reason for the latest collapse, the grid recorded over eleven system collapse last year.
Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), the umbrella body of the distribution companies had last year decried the repeated system collapse, stating that TCN’s analogue system caused over 100 electricity grid collapses since the privatisation of the power sector in 2013.
The Guardian
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Nigerians go online to demand 'justice' for abuses against women
Large numbers of Nigerians are taking to social media to demand "justice" after a series of high-profile cases of violence against women sparked outrage in the country.
The rallying cries #JusticeForUwa, #JusticeForTina and #JusticeForJennifer have reverberated among internet users in the country, with celebrities also joining virtual campaigns inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests sweeping the United States.
The latest outpouring of anger has been unleashed by the cases of three women and girls who were killed or raped in incidents activists say showcase the widespread sexual violence and police brutality in Nigeria.
In April, an 18-year-old known only as Jennifer was allegedly attacked and raped by a gang of five men in Kaduna, a city in northern Nigeria.
The case only gained attention after her relatives - scared the accused would escape justice - released a video online of family comforting the traumatised teen that was shared tens of thousands of times.
Now, local police say two men have been arrested for rape and three other suspects are being sought.
Two other cases that happened last week prompted more people to express their anger.
A 16-year-old high school student called Tina Ezekwe was shot and killed after police opened fire at a bus stop in Lagos, the country's biggest city. during a nighttime coronavirus curfew.
After an outcry online, the police force said two officers had been arrested and were facing disciplinary action and possible prosecution.
Meanwhile, in southern Edo state, 22-year-old university student Vera Uwaila Omozuma, known as Uwa, was found beaten to death in a church after reportedly being raped.
A female blogger from the area drew the attention of hundreds of thousands of internet users with the hashtag #JusticeForUwa.
Under pressure, the regional governor and police pledged an investigation to track down those responsible for the killing of the microbiology student.
For many in Nigeria, the internet is a key outlet for protests in a country where taking to the streets can often draw a punishing response by security forces.
"Social media is a tool to bring light on police, or institutions," Segun Awosanya, the head of Social Intervention Advocacy Foundation that campaigns against abuses by law enforcement, told AFP news agency.
"Once the light is on them, they have to go back to the cases and dig them up. They can't keep quiet anymore."
Now, the protests rocking cities across the US in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of white officers, coupled with the power of the online campaigns there against police brutality and racial inequality, appear to be pushing more Nigerians to demand action.
"We see the crowds in America, and its an opportunity to share our pain and our displeasure," Awosanya, who has more than 500,000 followers on Twitter, said.
While the online protests were sparked by violence against women, they have quickly begun tapping into broader anger about the state of the country.
Now, some of Nigeria's biggest stars have ditched their usual reticence to get involved in politics and are speaking out.
"#WeAreTired of senseless killings, lorries falling on road and killing passengers, ACs catching fire and burning houses, young girls getting raped, young boys killed," tweeted Afropop diva Tiwa Sawage to her four million followers.
"Please add your own frustration because my list is long."
Savage has been joined by other celebrities like music producer Don Jazzy, who has 4.6 million followers, and singers Mr Eazi and Rema who railed against rape in the country and police violence.
"The police kills black Americans and the Nigerian police kill Nigerians," Wizkid, a popular singer, wrote in Pidgin to his 6.5 million followers, taking direct aim at President Muhammadu Buhari.
"Buhari/Trump are the same person - only difference is that one knows how to use Twitter."
Al Jazeera
The rallying cries #JusticeForUwa, #JusticeForTina and #JusticeForJennifer have reverberated among internet users in the country, with celebrities also joining virtual campaigns inspired by the Black Lives Matter protests sweeping the United States.
The latest outpouring of anger has been unleashed by the cases of three women and girls who were killed or raped in incidents activists say showcase the widespread sexual violence and police brutality in Nigeria.
In April, an 18-year-old known only as Jennifer was allegedly attacked and raped by a gang of five men in Kaduna, a city in northern Nigeria.
The case only gained attention after her relatives - scared the accused would escape justice - released a video online of family comforting the traumatised teen that was shared tens of thousands of times.
Now, local police say two men have been arrested for rape and three other suspects are being sought.
Two other cases that happened last week prompted more people to express their anger.
A 16-year-old high school student called Tina Ezekwe was shot and killed after police opened fire at a bus stop in Lagos, the country's biggest city. during a nighttime coronavirus curfew.
After an outcry online, the police force said two officers had been arrested and were facing disciplinary action and possible prosecution.
Meanwhile, in southern Edo state, 22-year-old university student Vera Uwaila Omozuma, known as Uwa, was found beaten to death in a church after reportedly being raped.
A female blogger from the area drew the attention of hundreds of thousands of internet users with the hashtag #JusticeForUwa.
Under pressure, the regional governor and police pledged an investigation to track down those responsible for the killing of the microbiology student.
For many in Nigeria, the internet is a key outlet for protests in a country where taking to the streets can often draw a punishing response by security forces.
"Social media is a tool to bring light on police, or institutions," Segun Awosanya, the head of Social Intervention Advocacy Foundation that campaigns against abuses by law enforcement, told AFP news agency.
"Once the light is on them, they have to go back to the cases and dig them up. They can't keep quiet anymore."
Now, the protests rocking cities across the US in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of white officers, coupled with the power of the online campaigns there against police brutality and racial inequality, appear to be pushing more Nigerians to demand action.
"We see the crowds in America, and its an opportunity to share our pain and our displeasure," Awosanya, who has more than 500,000 followers on Twitter, said.
While the online protests were sparked by violence against women, they have quickly begun tapping into broader anger about the state of the country.
Now, some of Nigeria's biggest stars have ditched their usual reticence to get involved in politics and are speaking out.
"#WeAreTired of senseless killings, lorries falling on road and killing passengers, ACs catching fire and burning houses, young girls getting raped, young boys killed," tweeted Afropop diva Tiwa Sawage to her four million followers.
"Please add your own frustration because my list is long."
Savage has been joined by other celebrities like music producer Don Jazzy, who has 4.6 million followers, and singers Mr Eazi and Rema who railed against rape in the country and police violence.
"The police kills black Americans and the Nigerian police kill Nigerians," Wizkid, a popular singer, wrote in Pidgin to his 6.5 million followers, taking direct aim at President Muhammadu Buhari.
"Buhari/Trump are the same person - only difference is that one knows how to use Twitter."
Al Jazeera
Tuesday, June 2, 2020
Nigeria to relax coronavirus curbs on places of worship
Nigeria will relax coronavirus restrictions on places of worship from Tuesday, the chairman of the presidential task force for COVID-19 said.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country where Christianity and Islam are widely practised, has recorded 10,162 confirmed cases and 287 deaths.
Boss Mustapha, the country’s most senior civil servant, also said a lockdown in the northern city of Kano would be eased, one of a number of changes over four weeks from Tuesday.
“Nigeria has not reached the peak of confirmed cases,” Mustapha told reporters.
Another official said the aviation industry had been asked to prepare for the possible resumption of domestic flights from June 21. He added that a national curfew would be shortened to 10 p.m.-4 a.m. from Tuesday, from the current 8 p.m.-6 a.m. order.
Nigeria’s financial sector will also be able to resume normal working hours, said Sani Aliyu, the national coordinator of the task force.
Other curbs remain in place, such as a ban on interstate travel, with a few exceptions, such as for essential workers. And face masks must still be worn in public.
By Felix Onuah
Reuters
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country where Christianity and Islam are widely practised, has recorded 10,162 confirmed cases and 287 deaths.
Boss Mustapha, the country’s most senior civil servant, also said a lockdown in the northern city of Kano would be eased, one of a number of changes over four weeks from Tuesday.
“Nigeria has not reached the peak of confirmed cases,” Mustapha told reporters.
Another official said the aviation industry had been asked to prepare for the possible resumption of domestic flights from June 21. He added that a national curfew would be shortened to 10 p.m.-4 a.m. from Tuesday, from the current 8 p.m.-6 a.m. order.
Nigeria’s financial sector will also be able to resume normal working hours, said Sani Aliyu, the national coordinator of the task force.
Other curbs remain in place, such as a ban on interstate travel, with a few exceptions, such as for essential workers. And face masks must still be worn in public.
By Felix Onuah
Reuters
Nigeria to resume film production under coronavirus guidelines
Nigeria's movie industry is set to resume film production which has been banned during lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to a producers association.
The Theater Arts and Motion Pictures Producers Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) announced relaxed restriction on movie production, saying it was in line with the Lagos state government's relaxation order which took effect from June 1.
In a statement reaching Xinhua in Lagos on Tuesday, Bolaji Amusan, TAMPAN's national president, thanked members for abiding by the earlier proclamations of the association to stop shooting of films and other related productions during the pandemic.
He however urged the artists to take the necessary precautionary measures that would protect them from contacting the virus in the course of their work, as the pandemic had not been completely defeated.
He said part of the measures to put in place subsequently on movie locations was that producers must provide soap and running water for constant washing of hands by both the cast and crew members.
"Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness, coughing or sneezing repeatedly, and quickly report such cases to the production managers for necessary actions," Amusan said.
Nigeria's movie industry, also known as Nollywood, is one of the largest film industries in the world in terms of quantity of films produced every year. Nigeria's films and TV series have enjoyed popularity in Africa and even made a hit on international theaters, such as "Lionheart", "Up North", and "Chief Daddy".
Xinhua
The Theater Arts and Motion Pictures Producers Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) announced relaxed restriction on movie production, saying it was in line with the Lagos state government's relaxation order which took effect from June 1.
In a statement reaching Xinhua in Lagos on Tuesday, Bolaji Amusan, TAMPAN's national president, thanked members for abiding by the earlier proclamations of the association to stop shooting of films and other related productions during the pandemic.
He however urged the artists to take the necessary precautionary measures that would protect them from contacting the virus in the course of their work, as the pandemic had not been completely defeated.
He said part of the measures to put in place subsequently on movie locations was that producers must provide soap and running water for constant washing of hands by both the cast and crew members.
"Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness, coughing or sneezing repeatedly, and quickly report such cases to the production managers for necessary actions," Amusan said.
Nigeria's movie industry, also known as Nollywood, is one of the largest film industries in the world in terms of quantity of films produced every year. Nigeria's films and TV series have enjoyed popularity in Africa and even made a hit on international theaters, such as "Lionheart", "Up North", and "Chief Daddy".
Xinhua
Monday, June 1, 2020
Video - Lagos has few bed space for COVID-19 patients
Lagos, which is the epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, is facing a new challenge. It is running out of bed space for patients of the disease. The government of the city now says it would adopt a strategy of home care treatment for mild cases. But experts are warning that could be dangerous. CGTN's Deji Badmus has that report.
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