Yobe: Resident accuses government over lack of electricity in Damaturu

By Yahaya Wakili

A resident of Damaturu, the Yobe state capital, Alhaji Abba Damaturu has accused the Yobe state government of carelessness by allowing the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) to treat the people of Damaturu local government and Yobe state as worthless.

Speaking to newsmen in Damaturu, the state capital. Alhaji Abba Damaturu said the people of Damaturu and Yobe state in general are suffering at the hands of YEDC as a result of the supply of power, noting that people are suffering in searching for drinking water, especially in this hot period.

Alhaji Damaturu appealed to media houses and social media to share this message with a view that the innocent people would come in and intervene to come to our aid. He said, “Speaking sincerely, nobody or any company will come and invade Yobe’s secure land and operate a business without the knowledge of the Yobe state government.

“But God gave us some unpatriotic leaders or people who are not petty of their masses; to the best of my knowledge, this is carelessness of government; there is no way that somebody will come and extort money from the people with the intention of doing them something but fail to do it, so everybody knows this is carelessness of government,” Damaturu said.

He said electricity now in Damaturu is beyond the level of a common man; there is no way a poor man will get water for use easily in Damaturu. He added that in the whole of Nigeria, we Yobeans are first or second in abiding by law and order in paying electricity bills promptly, despite that the YEDC refuses to give us light and also collects less than #10,000 from each household monthly.

He accused the YEDC of diverting the electricity to the business moguls area, where they are collecting huge amounts from them, leaving the masses suffering and living the masses in darkness, adding that in some part of Damaturu where they are not getting light constantly, they purchase one kuskus less than #1,000; this is wickedness and laziness of the government.

“Why government would not constituted a law to furnish them, but government live them doing such injustice on us, what offence we committed. The punishment that the YEDC is playing on us is beyond what the punishment of the government doing to us is; all this YEDC gets the lookhold from the government; if you say the government takes drastic action against them, they will not do it again,” he said.

“Let me tell you something: the seamless thing on the face of the Yobe state government is even the Specialist Hospital Damaturu is dependent on YEDC light; they can’t have the generator for 24 hours; they operate the generator for 4 to 5 hours only; if you want to donate blood to a patient, they will tell you there is no light.

He urged the people of Yobe state to join hands together to fight this injustice, which our leaders have done to us. Let’s fight to get our rights; if not, in the future we will become slaves, and if we live in peace in Yobe, if you become their slave, you have no right to flee the state either.

Yobe: Resident accuses government over lack of electricity in Damaturu

At Iftar With President Tinubu, VP Shettima Urges Reps To Shun Division, Partisanship

** As House donates ₦705 million to support humanitarian efforts

By: Our Reporter

Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on leaders of the National Assembly to uphold the sacred responsibility of leadership and to prioritise unity and national development over political divisions and partisan interests.

He spoke on Monday night when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu hosted the leadership and members of the House of Representatives to Iftar (breaking of Ramadan fast) at the New Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Speaking on behalf of the President, VP Shettima urged lawmakers to embrace their responsibility with humility and a shared commitment to progress.

He said, “In the end, history will not judge us by the number of personal battles we fought against one another, but by the bridges we were able to build together. We are gathered here this evening not as adversaries in a contest for power, but as partners in the noble task of nation-building.”

Reflecting on the significance of Ramadan, which coincides with the Lenten season, the Vice President called for deep introspection and a reaffirmation of commitment to Nigeria’s unity.

“This sacred month of reflection and renewal reminds us to choose stability over strife, collaboration over conflict, and dialogue over discord. What binds us as a nation is far greater than what divides us,” the Vice President said.

VP Shettima commended President Tinubu’s leadership, describing him as a man of vision and inclusivity.

According to Senator Shettima, “In President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, you have not just a leader you can trust, but a leader who trusts you. He sees you as stewards of our democracy, as voices of the people, and as partners in our shared aspiration to build a better Nigeria.”

He further assured Nigerians that the government’s economic policies are yielding results and explained that “The economy has turned the corner. We are now on the path to sustained economic growth, and with perseverance, we will create a Nigeria where every citizen can thrive.”

The Vice President also lauded the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, and the House leadership for fostering harmony within the legislature.

“There can be no development without peace, and there can be no peace without development. The unity within the House is a testament to our collective resolve to move Nigeria forward,” he said.

VP Shettima urged the leaders to govern with empathy, fairness, and justice, reminding them that their positions are a sacred trust of the Nigerian people. “Leadership is not about personal gain; it is about service. It is a burden vested in us by God, tested by history, and measured by the impact we leave behind,” he said.

Earlier, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the invitation to break fast with him and for always showing respect and concern for the House of Representatives.

“As we all know, the month of Ramadan entails many things, one of them is reflection; where were you before, where are you now and where do you want to be? I believe Nigeria more than ever before needs this type of reflection,” he said.

Imploring both Christians and Muslims to dedicate this time to praying for the country, the Speaker said Nigerians know what the Tinubu administration has achieved within just two years and this period offers a moment for every Nigerian to reflect and pray for the country – prayers for the economy; prayers for improved security, prayers for the leaders and prayers for the citizens.

He assured that every member of the House of Representatives is in support of the President, noting that the policies of the government are for the betterment of the people and Nigeria as a country.

On behalf of the House of Reps, the Hon. Speaker donated the sum of ₦705,000,000 (Seven Hundred and Five Million Naira), which he said is a six-month fifty per cent deduction from their salaries to augment the humanitarian engagements of Mr President and to support vulnerable people in the country.

At Iftar With President Tinubu, VP Shettima Urges Reps To Shun Division, Partisanship

UK Expresses Commitment to Restoration of Peace in Northeast

By: Michael Mike

The United Kingdom has expressed its commitment to the restoration of peace, stability and sustainable solutions to the troubled Northeast region which has been bedeviled by insurgency.

The British Deputy High Commissioner, Gill Atkinson made the commitment on Monday when she paid a courtesy call on Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum in Maiduguri.

Atkinson who commended Zulum for his commitment to fighting insurgency in Borno, said: “On behalf of the British Government, I recognise the effort of His Excellency, the Governor, in tackling insurgency and supporting the people of Borno State, particularly aiming to secure a prosperous future for the people displaced by insurgency.

“I want to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to supporting peace, stability and sustainable solutions, particularly through the ongoing regional stabilisation facility.”

Responding, the Secretary to Borno State Government who received the Deputy High Commissioner on behalf of Governor Zulum, expressed appreciation to the UK Government for their partnership and support.

He said,: “With the UK Government to start with, we have quite a number of very strong partnerships. His Excellency appreciates it, and he specifically instructed me to convey the special message of appreciation.”

The meeting was attended by the Commissioner for Environment, Engr Emet Kois, Education, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe, Work and Housing, Engr Mustapha Gubio, Transport and Energy, Aliyu Mohammed Bamanga and Inter-Governmental and Special Duties, Tukur Shani.

Others in attendance include Special Adviser on Security to the Governor, Abdullahi Ishaq, the Senior Technical Assistant, Political, to the Governor, Alhaji Tahiru Shettima, Permanent Secretary of political and cabinet, Danjuma Ali, and the Executive Secretary of Borno State Agency for Coordination of Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Response (BOACSDHR), Babakura Mamman Gadai.

UK Expresses Commitment to Restoration of Peace in Northeast