Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have invaded a State High Court sitting in Ilaro, Ogun State, arresting two defendants.
Our correspondent reports that the development has generated outrage.
The defendants , Alhaji Isiaka Fatai and Samuel Oyero, were trial in a suit marked HCP/IC/2023 between the State vs Awode Oladosu & 13 others.
The court was presided over by Justice A.A. Shobayo.
The case bordered on an allegation of arson reported by one Chief Akeem Adigun (aka Socopao) against Alhaji Isiaka Fatai, Oyero and 12 others.
Agosasa community in Ipokia Local Government Area of the state was recently enmeshed in crisis, with property worth billions of naira destroyed and one life lost over an Obaship tussle in the town.
But there was a pandemonium when operatives of DSS stormed the court premises and took away the suspects.
Counsel to Alhaji Isiaka, Kehinde Bamiwola, in a statement , alleged that men of the DSS operatives used weapons on the two, stressing that “Alhaji Isiaka Fatai was beaten, slapped, man-handled, rough-handled and molested.”
The Principal Registrar of the High Court and Sectional Head of High Court, Ilaro, Comrade Omololu Olusanya, who confirmed the incident, described it as shocking and disrespectful to the rule of law.
He noted that even after the judge had ordered the operatives not to make any arrest within the court premises, they still proceeded to arrest the two persons.
“They still went ahead and did the act to the extent that they assaulted one of our staff members, Mrs. Fadina, while doing that act. It’s a very sad issue that caused a lot of noise within the court premises.
“It was from the source that we heard they were DSS agents. If anybody sees them, one would think they were armed robbers.
“They did not wear anything that identified them as DSS, but they came to my lord this morning and said they had some people to arrest. That was when we knew they were DSS officers.
“They approached the judge before the court session began. The honorable judge advised them that if they wanted to make an arrest, it must not be done within the court premises.
“They could stay outside and do whatever they wanted, but they refused that advice and carried out the arrest within the premises.” he said.
Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesman, did not answer calls or reply a text message sent at the time of filing this report.
[DailyTrust]
The Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, Sam Amadi, on Tuesday, said it looks like a tragedy to be a citizen of Rivers State.
Amadi said it would be resurrection if sanity returned to Rivers State.
Posting on X, the public affairs analyst wrote: “It looks like a tragedy to be a citizen of Rivers State for at least the last 10 years. The clowning is heartbreaking. Everyday thanksgiving service, rally & press conference.
“The day sanity is restored in Rivers will be a resurrection day. Cry for the beleaguered state.”
This is coming amid the continued cold war between Governor Sim Fubara of Rivers State and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.
Since October 30, 2023, Rivers State has been embroiled in a political crisis. The crisis became public knowledge following an explosion that shook the hallowed chamber of the State Assembly complex on the night of October 29, 2023.
Following the fire incident, the state lawmakers initiated an impeachment process against Fubara and suspended four lawmakers.
This incident has left the state Assembly deeply divided, with 27 lawmakers aligning with Wike while three remained loyal to Governor Fubara, after the resignation of one, Edison Ehie, who now serves as the Chief-of-Staff to him.
In an attempt to quell the crisis, President Bola Tinubu had in December 2023, intervened in the crisis, leading to the formulation of an eight-point resolution signed by Fubara and Wike.
As the peace pact had failed to quell the unrest in the state, Fubara noted that there might be no end in sight over the continued face-off in the state.
On Monday, the governor hinted that the political disagreement in the state might not be resolved amicably because there was evidence of a deliberate attempt to sabotage his administration.
[DailyPost]
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) told Civil Society Organisations on Tuesday, May 14, that their continued participation in the electoral process will depend on their submission of reports from elections monitored by them.
Speaking at a quarterly consultative meeting with CSOs involved in monitoring elections in the country, the chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said CSOs that fail to submit reports from previous exercises may not be accredited to participate in future elections.
He, however, asked them to submit their applications for accreditation as election observers for the September 21 Governorship elections in Edo state.
The INEC chairman said: “As we inch closer to Election Day in Edo State, it is also imperative to remind CSOs of the need to submit your applications for election observation in earnest along with the required supporting documents and a realistic number of individual observers.
“Doing so will enable the Commission to produce and deliver the identity cards for observers in good time. The Commission will not entertain requests outside the deadline for the receipt of applications from interested observer groups or process applications that do not meet the criteria.
“For emphasis, submission of reports from previous accreditation in the manner required by the Commission is mandatory for continuous participation in election observation.
“Since our last meeting two months ago, many accredited observers have submitted their reports but a few are yet to do so. We urge you to do the needful. Your reports are important for us in reviewing and improving our processes and procedures”.
He also announced the existence of vacancies in National and State Assemblies caused by either the death or resignation of Members involving three State Assembly constituencies and one Federal Constituency in four States across the country.
He said: “As soon as preparations are concluded, the Commission will announce the dates for bye-elections in Khana 2 State Constituency of Rivers State, the Bagwai/Shanono State constituency of Kano State, the Zaria Kewaye State Constituency of Kaduna State and the Garki/Babura Federal Constituency of Jigawa State.”
The INEC chairman informed the CSOs of the resumption of the Continuous Voter registration exercise in Edo and Ondo state. He appealed to join us in mobilising prospective registrants for the exercise, particularly on the need to register early and not wait until the deadline approaches when eleventh-hour registrants will inundate the registration centres.
He also disclosed that in addition to the registration of voters in the two states, the Commission will make available uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for collection during the CVR.
He said: “In the coming days, the list of uncollected PVCs will be published in our offices in the two States and simultaneously uploaded to our website. We believe doing so will make it easier for voters to collect their PVCs.
“However, no PVCs will be collected by proxy. Registered voters should come in person to collect their cards. Again, we seek the support of CSOs in encouraging voters to locate and pick up their PVCs as was done in the past.”
[TheNation]
The Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has begun moves to stop the plan by the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, from marrying off 100 orphaned girls.
She said on Monday that she had reported the case to the police by petitioning the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and sought a court injunction to stop the plan pending the completion of investigations.
Mr Sarkindaji announced his plan to marry off the orphaned girls, who lost their parents due to banditry attacks in Mariga Local Government Area.
The official, who slated the mass wedding to take place on 24 May, said the plan was part of his constituency projects.
He said the gesture was “aimed at alleviating the suffering of the impoverished,” pledging to pay the dowries for the bridegrooms and have procured materials for the mass marriage.
Full scale investigation
But the women affairs minister, Ms Kennedy-Ohanenye, while briefing journalists in Abuja, described the plans as “unacceptable” emphasising that a full-scale investigation has commenced on the issue.
“I want to let the honorable Speaker of the House of Assembly in Niger State to know that this is totally unacceptable by the Federal Minister of Women Affairs and by the government. Totally unacceptable!
“Because there is something called the Child’s Right Act and I said it from the outset, that is, no more business as usual.
“These children must be considered. Their future must be considered. The future of the children to come out of their marriage must be considered.
“So I have gone to court. I have written him a letter and written a petition to the IG (Inspector General) of Police.
”And I have filed for injunction to stop him from whatever he is planning to do on the 24th (May), until a thorough investigation is carried out on those girls, find out whether they gave their consent, their ages, find out the people marrying them,” she said.
Girl child education
The minister also emphasised the need to ensure girl-child education.
“As the speaker did not think about empowering these women or sending them to school or giving them some kind of training support financially.
“The women affairs have decided to take it up and we are going to educate the children.
“Those that do not want to go to school, we will train them in a skill, empower them with sustainable empowerment machines to enable that child build his or her life and make-up her mind who and when to get married.
”If for any reason the Speaker tries to do contrary to what I have just mentioned there will be a serious legal battle between him and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs,” she said.
The minister further emphasised within the Child Rights Act, every child belongs to the state, hence the rights of every child will be protected from harm, violence or anything that will infringe on their rights.
(NAN)
The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulamlik Sarkindaji, has stopped the planned hosting of the wedding of 100 orphan girls in his constituency, saying he would not grace the occasion.
Sarkindaji took the decision following the action of the Women Affairs Minister, Uju Ohannaya, who dragged the Speaker to court to halt the wedding.
The Speaker made this known on Tuesday during a media briefing in which he said the minister had overstepped her bounds.
He said the minister should take over the sponsorship of the wedding ceremony.
The Speaker disclosed that he had already made funds available to the girls’ parents through the traditional leaders and clerics of his constituency, noting that he would not withdraw the funds.
Abdulmalik also pointed out that his motive for wanting to sponsor the wedding was the state of poverty of the girls’ parents and not the constituency project, as reported in the media.
Details later…
[Punch]
The ministry of aviation and Aerospace Development says the introduction of helicopter landing levies is to sustain surveillance and is in line with global best practices.
On April 26, the federal government granted exclusive rights to Messrs NAEBI Dynamic Concepts Limited, an aviation consulting firm, to collect helicopter landing levies across the country.
In a statement on Monday, Odutayo Oluseyi, head, press and public affairs of the ministry, said the federal government acknowledges the importance of helicopter operations in Nigeria’s aviation industry.
Oluseyi said the collection of helicopter landing levies is standard practice in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, India, and several other countries worldwide.
He said the Tallahassee International Airport in Florida began implementing helicopter landing levies “under vector airport systems, since October 1, 2022”.
Oluseyi added that helicopter landing levies were common across airfields in the United Kingdom — ranging from major commercial ones to small general aviation fields.
He said depending on the location and services rendered, helicopter levies usually equal or surpass those for fixed-wing aircraft.
“The Federal Government has granted NAEBI Dynamic Concepts Ltd., exclusive rights to collect helicopter landing levies in line with the MoU between NAEBI Concept and NAMA (focal Agency), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),” Oluseyi said.
“It is instructive to note that NAMA, under the Act as amended in 2022, is empowered to collect aeronautical revenues in both the upper and lower airspace to support her self-sustainability.
“However, over the years, NAMA has predominantly relied on the upper airspace for her revenue generation.”
Oluseyi said the government wisely identified a gap in the lower airspace where helicopter activities are predominant and instructed NAMA to fulfil its obligations to generate sufficient resources.
He said the collection of the levies is to “sustain their aeronautical architecture, enhance security and surveillance and improve the overall quality of helicopter operations in Nigeria”.
According to the spokesperson, the ministry is confident that the move will improve capacity, efficiency, safety, and security and attract more investment in the aviation industry.
Oluseyi urged all parties to be committed to initiative and embrace the new normal, which has followed due processes and protocols.
[TheCable]
FG plans new salary scheme for workers - Says employees on same level can earn different wages
AFOLABI
Says employees on same level can earn different wages
THE Federal Government yesterday hinted that formulation of an innovative wage system that would be based on employee’s productivity in the civil service was underway.
Director-General of the National Productivity Centre, NPC, Dr. Nasir Raji-Mustapha, dropped the hint in Abuja, while enlightening Nigerians on what the agency stood for and its mandate.
The DG explained that with the system, workers on the same level could earn different salaries, adding that the decision was being taken because it realised that productivity was a key factor in the growth of the country’s economy.
“We are in the process of developing a productivity-led wage system that will ensure that those who are productive are rewarded for their efforts irrespective of their grade level. Under the proposed system, employees on the same salary scale can earn different wages,” he said.
Fielding question on whether the proposal had the support and input of organised labour, he said such a policy couldn’t be carried out without the input of organised labour.
He said: “Of course, labour as a critical stakeholder is being carried along in this exercise. As researchers, we don’t just do things without considering the recipient of the reports.
President Bola Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring that no child is left out of school.
He gave the commitment at the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) Nigeria’s campaign launch, “WeAreEqual,” with the theme: “Education as a Powerful Tool for Change: No Girl Left Behind,” hosted by Oluremi Tinubu.
Addressing a distinguished audience of First Ladies from across Africa, government officials and members of the diplomatic corps, President Tinubu highlighted the critical role of education in fostering gender equity and providing equal opportunities for all.
He told the African First Ladies to feel free to ask him of anything that would make it possible for every child to access education, saying, “If there’s anything you want me to contribute, I’m ready and available.” He commended the efforts of African first ladies in advancing gender equality and lauded the initiatives undertaken in various African nations to empower women and girls.
“I salute the commitment and dedication of the African First Ladies, as members of OAFLAD, to advance gender equality and narrow the gender gap in opportunities and appointments across the African continent.
“This campaign, spearheaded by your excellencies, holds significant importance for us in Africa. I, therefore, congratulate you all. I particularly congratulate my dear wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of Nigeria, who has chosen education as a primary tool to champion this campaign nationwide.
“I remember it all started in Lagos. I am aware that this campaign has been successfully launched in 15 other African countries, focusing on health, education, economic empowerment and gender based violence. I am also delighted to learn of all the various initiatives that you have embarked upon in your respective countries. I celebrate you all.”
The President underscored the importance of creating inclusive educational opportunities for all children, particularly emphasising the significance of supporting the girl child.
He praised the reintroduction of the alternative high school for girls in Nigeria by the First Lady, a programme aimed at offering a second chance for young girls to pursue their education and contribute meaningfully to national development.
Tinubu emphasised the transformative power of education, citing it as a cornerstone for national progress and prosperity. He called for concerted efforts to eliminate structural inequalities that hinder women’s advancement and stressed the need for policies that promote women’s rights, education, and economic empowerment.
He said: “It is noteworthy that the launch of this laudable campaign in Nigeria came with the reintroduction of the alternative high school for girls by the First Lady. This initiative offers a second chance to young girls who have dropped out of school to further their education and fulfil their dreams and aspirations and become a very important contributor to the development of our nation.
“I am happy to note that the foundation stone of one of the schools was recently laid in Osun State, western Nigeria, by the First Lady. More schools are underway across the country, supported by state governments, and the Federal Government through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), and other development partners. Nigeria’s First Lady, in her remarks, explained that the #WeAreEqual campaign is a year-long, continent-wide initiative, led by OAFLAD. She added that the campaign, which she describes as significant, unites African First Ladies, partners, and allies in their collective effort to advance gender equity and bridge the gender gap throughout the continent.
Mrs. Tinubu added that the campaign was focused on four main pillars, namely health, gender-based violence, education and economic empowerment, to rally stakeholders and call for action around each of these key issues.
“To promote the “#WeAreEqual” campaign in Nigeria, I have decided to use education as a tool, while also not neglecting other pillars of the campaign, many of which are also being championed under the scope of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), which is led by my office to complement the efforts of the administration of Mr. President.”
A core follower of Chief Nyesom Wike, Senator Olaka Nwogu has stated that the plot to probe the past administration by the Rivers State Governor, Sir. Siminalayi Fubara, is a mere witch-hunt that will escalate the ongoing crisis.
The former senator and elder statesman, who represented the Rivers South-East in the National Assembly said any attempt to initiate any probe at this stage of the crisis would be viewed as vendetta.
Nwogu, who was reacting to move by the state government to set up panel to probe activities of the state government in the past said such probe would never be objective as Fubara and Wike ran the same administration.
Nwogu said the present disposition of the governor has negated all the peace overtures and spited the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said: “There is nothing extraordinary about investigation except that in the circumstances we find ourselves it will not appear as something done to promote good governance.
“It appears as designed for witch-hunt or to endorse a particular label already put on somebody. Recall that when this started they started saying that the Minister was asking for certain percentage of money which is not true.
“It was dealt with when the governor came to meet with the elders and we met with the Minister where he recanted most of the things he wrongly labelled the minister as part of the reconciliation process.
“This completely negated the instruction the President gave and the mediatory efforts of the President. The governor is saying that the President wasted his time. It is something Rivers people must be careful about.”
Nwogu said the claimed probe was diversionary, adding that it is preconceived to bring the former governor who has done well for the state down.
He said: “It is preconceived to hoodwink people to think the other way. How is Wike and Fubara different? They ran the same government. One was the gatekeeper of the other. This is going to be very selective.
“This is an attempt to criminalise a good governor that was the envy of the entire nation. We should be careful at how far we escalate this. Let me urge for caution. Let me ask people to be mindful.”
He said all the sin the former governor committed was making Fubara a governor observing that it become obvious that the Minister has been the victim and not the aggressor.
“All the time they say the governor is a victim the Minister is the aggressor but if you look carefully, you will understand right from the beginning all the Minister did was to make him a governor. So he has been at the receiving end.
“So he is actually a victim of unwarranted and undesired attack. This agenda is unfolding and it is very terrible agenda of our state. This is the direction. This is a direct spite on the President. If he chooses to abandon the eight-point agenda and to pursue this course, it means he has no respect for President’s intervention.
Emefiele: N’Assembly Moves To Stop Cardoso, Other Top CBN Officials From Participating In Politics
AFOLABI
The National Assembly is seeking amendments to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act 2007 to stop top officials of the apex bank from participating in partisan politics.
The amendment is aimed at prohibiting the chairman, governor, and deputy governors of the CBN from engaging in political activities or becoming members of any political party for three years after service.
Recall that former governor of the apex bank, Godwin Emefiele, was drafted into the political arena in the run-up to the 2023 presidential election.
The development generated tension in the polity, following the introduction of the infamous naira redesign at the twilight of the former President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
In a bid to stop such situation from repeating itself, the Senate now seeks to ban officials of the apex bank from further incursion into the political arena.
A part (amended section 8) of Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007 (Amendment) Bill 2023 read, “The Governor and Deputy-Governors shall be persons of recognised financial experience and shall be appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Senate on such terms and conditions as may be set out in their respective letters of appointment.
“The Chairman shall also be appointed by the President. The Chairman, Governor and Deputy Governors shall not engage in or be a member of any political party until three (3) years after disengaging from office.”
The bill also proposed that the CBN’s top executives made up of the chairman, governor, and deputy governors, shall initially be appointed for a five-year term.
However, they may be reappointed for one additional term not exceeding five years.
A transitional clause stipulates varying terms for the initial deputy governors to facilitate a staggered leadership transition, with two appointed for three years and two for four years.
More...
Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, has urged Air France-KLM, a French airline, to make its low-cost tickets available to Nigerians.
Keyamo spoke when Air France-KLM delegates, Christine Quantin, the airline’s country manager; Antonia Umunna, the airline’s key account manager, commercial division; and Damilola Ogunseye, deputy station manager of the holding company, visited him.
In a statement on Monday by Tunde Moshood, special assistant on media and communications to Keyamo, the minister stressed the importance of fair pricing for Nigerian travellers.
Keyamo told the airline to consider offering low airfares to ensure parity with the cost of tickets in neighbouring countries.
Also, the minister said Nigeria is committed to enhancing partnerships within the travel industry.
He emphasised the government’s open-door policy and readiness to partner with airlines to enhance travel accessibility and affordability for all Nigerians.
“The courtesy visit by Air France-KLM exemplifies the mutual commitment to advancing the aviation sector in Nigeria and lays the groundwork for future collaborations aimed at delivering unparalleled travel experiences to passengers across the nation,” Keyamo said.
According to the statement, the delegates expressed excitement over the settlement of the airlines’ trapped fund, saying it showcases the effectiveness of collaboration in overcoming challenges within the aviation sector.
“During the meeting, Air France-KLM expressed appreciation for the improved facilities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, particularly acknowledging the enhanced experience at wing E,” the ministry said.
“They also extended gratitude for the Minister’s leadership in fostering a smoother relationship between their team and various aviation regulatory agencies.
“Highlighting their commitment to innovation and service excellence, Air France-KLM announced the launch of their new Airbus A330/A350 aircraft, emphasising their dedication to deploying modern and improved aircraft services on routes within Nigeria.”
The delegates said the launch of the aircraft is in line with the company’s overarching goal of providing Nigerian travellers with a superior journey experience.
The Rivers State government, under the leadership of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, is set to probe the affairs of his predecessor in office, Nyesom Wike.
Naija News reports the current Rivers State government is preparing to establish an investigative committee to scrutinize the operations of the previous administration under Nyesom Wike for the eight years he was in power.
Fubara spoke on Monday, May 13, after inaugurating Dagogo Iboroma (SAN), as the new Attorney-General of the state.
Earlier on Monday, the factional House of Assembly led by Victor Oko-Jumbo had screened and confirmed Iboroma for appointment.
This development marks a new turn in the political crisis that has engulfed the oil-rich state and pitted Fubara and Wike against each other.
It would be recalled that Fubara was the Accountant General of Rivers State during the administration of Wike in Rivers State.
Speaking at the Rivers State government house, Fubara stressed the need to probe governance in the state, adding that there is no going back on the decision.
He said: “As it is today, in the local parlance they say the jungle has matured. We will be setting a panel of enquiry to investigate the affairs of governance.
“So brace up, I’m not going back on it.”
The announcement by the Governor attracted applause from those present at the event.
The Kogi state governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja has reserved judgment in the suit challenging the election of Usman Ododo as governor of the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Ododo, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the winner of the Kogi governorship election held on November 11, 2023.
Ododo polled 446,237 votes to defeat Murtala Ajaka, candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who came second with 259,052 votes, and Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 46,362 votes.
The SDP and Ajaka, after the poll, filed petitions to challenge the victory of Ododo.
At the court session on Monday, lawyers to parties in the petition made their final submissions and adopted their written addresses.
The INEC, APC, and Ododo urged the three-member panel tribunal, led by Ado Birnin-Kudu, to dismiss the petition for lacking merit.
Kanu Agabi, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and lawyer to INEC, argued that the petition lacked merit and was incompetent.
He urged the tribunal to either strike it out or dismiss it.
“It is our humble submission that your work in the determination of this petition is simplified in recent judgments by the court of appeal and supreme court.”
He argued that the appeal court had decided that a petition should be struck out if the grounds on which it is established are inconsistent with one another, and are not consistent with the reliefs.
The INEC counsel also argued that the evidence of the petitioners was grossly insufficient, citing a supreme court decision in a case by Tonye Cole against INEC.
“In that case, the petitioner filed 305 witness depositions but only adopted 40 of them. The petitioner only adopted about 13.1 percent of the witness depositions,” he said.
“In this case, (the petition by the SDP and Ajaka), the depositions adopted represent just about 3.6 percent of their witness depositions,” Agabi said.
He noted that the petitioners only called 25 witnesses, adding that in the mathematical calculation of evidence, 3.6 percent of Ajaka’s witness deposition adopted in the petition amounted to a failure and therefore ought to be dismissed.
Agabi argued that the petitioners’ witness, who testified about the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) machines, stated that he could not guarantee whether those were the BVAS used.
He added that out of the 25 witnesses called by the petitioners, there was no single polling unit agent among them.
Similarly, Joseph Daudu, the lawyer to Ododo, faulted the competence of the petition which he said was statute-barred for having allegedly been filed out of time.
Daudu urged the tribunal to dismiss the allegation of forgery made by the petitioners against his client.
He argued that such an issue bordered on pre-election matters, which could not be raised in the state of post-election litigation.
Emmanuel Ukala, counsel to APC, also prayed the tribunal to dismiss the petition for lacking merit.
Petitioners’ lawyer, Pius Akubo, faulted the claim by the respondents that the petition was filed out of time.
He also submitted that the petitioners have provided sufficient evidence to support their case that the election was marred by irregularities and corrupt practices.
Akubo prayed to the tribunal to allow the petition and reverse Ododo’s victory.
After taking the arguments, Birnin-Kudu, the chairman of the tribunal, reserved judgment on the petition.
“The date will be communicated to both parties,” he said.
Members of organised labour are currently picketing offices of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) nationwide.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and other affiliate groups, are protesting the increase in electricity tariff for customers under the Band A category.
On April 3, NERC approved an increase in electricity tariff for customers in the classification — from N66 to N225 per kwh.
Organised labour is calling for a reversal of the increase and a return to the negotiating table.
On Monday, the unionists arrived at the NERC office located at Novel House in Ikeja, Lagos, around 9:40am.
Addressing workers at the complex, Funmi Sessi, NLC Lagos chairperson, asked them to vacate their offices.
Sessi said the unions do not understand the regulatory functions of NERC amid the epileptic power supply in the country.
In Abuja, the unions besieged the NERC office located in the Central Business District.
Labour has also shut NERC offices in Jos, Akwa Ibom, Benin, Kaduna and in other capital cities across the country.
LAGOS
ABUJA
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