Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) has reacted to the announcement issued by the Imo State Government, accusing it of planned sabotage of power supply in the state.

Imo government made the allegation in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation, and Strategy, Declan Emelumba.

The announcement alleged that “EEDC plans massive electricity outage in Imo to sabotage the State Government’s electricity project.”

DAILY POST recalls that days ago, armed security operatives, alleged to be working under the instruction of the Imo State government, had invaded the Transmission Company of Nigeria office in the state and forced staff on duty to shut down power.

As the row continues, the government is now claiming the EEDC was planning to sabotage power supply in the state.

However, in a reaction, the EEDC in a statement on Sunday by its Group Head, Corporate Communications, Mr Emeka Ezeh, stated categorically that the allegation was baseless, unfounded, and completely devoid of truth.

“We advise our esteemed customers in Imo State and the general public to disregard the claim in its entirety, as EEDC has no intention whatsoever to carry out any ‘major power outages’ in the state.

“It is unfortunate that the Imo State Government has chosen the path of propaganda as a means of diverting public attention and masking its longstanding hostility toward EEDC and its operations within the state.

“EEDC remains committed to supporting initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of electricity consumers. However, we urge the Imo State Government to provide an enabling environment for licensed operators to function effectively, rather than frustrating their operations through the use of state machinery.

“It is on record that on Saturday, 15th November 2025, armed policemen, allegedly acting on the instructions of the Imo State Government, stormed the Egbu Station of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and forced the operator on duty, at gunpoint, to shut down all feeders. This action plunged customers into total darkness. What greater act of sabotage could there be?” EEDC queried.

It added that for the avoidance of doubt, “There is no plan whatsoever by EEDC to carry out any major outage in Imo State.

“EEDC is committed to serving its customers and continues to make significant investments aimed at improving supply reliability and overall service quality across the state.

“However, we urge all our customers in Imo State to note that if any power outage occurs from this moment onward, the responsible party is clear. The state government, having raised false alarms and made unfounded, unverified, and baseless accusations against EEDC, should be held accountable.

“EEDC remains dedicated to its mandate and will continue working diligently to ensure sustainable and improved electricity distribution to customers in Imo State.”

Nigeria is leading Africa in reported diphtheria cases, with 8,587 confirmed infections and 884 deaths between January 1 and November 2, 2025,

This is according to the latest data obtained exclusively by our correspondent from the World Health Organisation on Sunday.

The WHO report showed that Nigeria continues to account for the highest number of diphtheria cases in the African region.

Last Friday, Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as Doctors Without Borders, announced that it has been scaling up its diphtheria emergency response in collaboration with several state Ministries of Health since August, due to a significant increase in diphtheria cases in Borno, Kano, and Bauchi.

MSF stated that hundreds of suspected cases identified and reported by Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers over the last three months have strained health facilities, exposing critical gaps in treatment capacity and vaccine coverage.

The WHO said, “Nigeria continues to report the highest number of diphtheria cases in the African region.

From January 1 to November 2, 2025, 12,150 suspected cases have been reported, with 8,587 confirmed and 884 deaths (CFR 7.2 per cent).”

The global health body noted that confirmed cases have been detected across 240 Local Government Areas in 30 states, with most of the cases clinically diagnosed.

“Only three per cent were confirmed by laboratory testing,” it stated.

The report revealed that children and adolescents remain the most affected demographic, with low vaccination coverage fuelling transmission.

“In Nigeria, more than two million children are under-immunised, including those with zero doses, highlighting the high risk of further spread.

“Reactive campaigns have been conducted in Imo, Kaduna, and Lagos, targeting health workers and priority populations.

“The outbreak overlaps with areas targeted by the Big Catch-up initiative. Challenges include delayed laboratory confirmation, poor Infection Prevention and Control practices, limited information, education and communication materials, and vaccine shortages,” WHO highlighted.

It further said that discussions with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, are ongoing to secure additional support.

“According to WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunisation Coverage in 2024, the estimates show 71 per cent coverage for the first Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis dose and 67 per cent for the third,” it added.

Algeria reported a diphtheria outbreak in Skikda province in October 2025 with 13 suspected cases, eight confirmed, and two deaths, mostly affecting unvaccinated individuals.

Despite high national vaccination rates for 2024, according to WUENIC, geopolitical instability in neighbouring countries has led to mass displacement into southern Algeria, where vaccination coverage among refugees is low.

It said that the lack of data since May 2025 and limited information sharing are key challenges to assessing the full scope of the outbreak.

From January 1 to 2 November 2, 2025, Chad recorded 4,462 suspected cases and 47 deaths, but only four were laboratory-confirmed due to diagnostic limitations.

The outbreak overlaps with a severe humanitarian crisis and multiple epidemics, prompting a request to Gavi for vaccines and operational support.

Guinea has reported 476 suspected cases and 123 deaths since June 2025, with human-to-human transmission concentrated in the Siguiri district in the Kankan region.

“The outbreak has affected four of 38 prefectures (11 per cent), with human-to-human transmission concentrated in the Kankan region, particularly in Siguiri district, which accounts for over 80 per cent of reported cases and fatalities,” WHO stated.

Mali reported 430 suspected cases and 29 deaths across seven regions, with rapid expansion from three to 30 affected districts within six weeks.

Between January and November 2025, Mauritania reported 849 suspected cases, 318 confirmed, and 33 deaths, mainly affecting children and adolescents aged five to 19 years.

Niger recorded 1,926 suspected cases and 122 deaths across 34 health districts, with most cases in Agadez, Diffa, and Zinder regions.

Ongoing humanitarian challenges and gaps in vaccine delivery persist despite a recent vaccination campaign and relatively high national immunisation estimates.

South Africa has reported 106 diphtheria cases, including 66 confirmed respiratory infections and 37 asymptomatic carriers affecting five provinces, with the Western Cape most impacted. Immunity gaps, limited antitoxin supply, and outbreaks among vulnerable groups, such as inmates, are complicating response efforts.

“In 2025, from January 1 to November 2, a total of 20,412 suspected diphtheria cases, including 1,252 deaths (an average case fatality ratio [CFR] of 6.1 per cent), have been reported across eight Member States in the WHO African Region (Algeria, Chad, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and South Africa). Of these suspected cases, 9,864 (48.3 per cent) have been confirmed through laboratory testing, epidemiological linkage, or clinical diagnosis. Laboratory confirmation was conducted for 5.7 per cent (n = 1,177) of the suspected cases.

“Women, children aged five to 18 years, and young adults under 30 years are the most affected, confirming that the immunity gap extends well beyond early childhood. The situation has further deteriorated in Mali, Mauritania, and Niger in recent weeks, with increasing case numbers and geographic spread of the outbreaks reported in these countries.

“The resurgence of diphtheria across multiple countries in the WHO African Region constitutes a serious public health concern, which led to its grading as a grade two emergency under the Emergency Response Framework of WHO.

Timely case detection, coordinated response, and clinical management remain critical to limiting transmission and reducing the high fatality rates observed in recent outbreaks. However, response efforts are being hampered by a global shortage of DAT and limited laboratory diagnostic capacity,” WHO said.

The UN body emphasised that Effective diphtheria control demands a coordinated, multi-sectoral response that includes emergency management, laboratory confirmation, surveillance, clinical care with DAT and antibiotics, and strong infection prevention measures.

It added that sustained vaccination, community engagement, and stronger health systems, especially routine immunisation, are crucial to stopping transmission and preventing future outbreaks in the African Region.

The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Building Control Agency, has pulled down some structures in the Ikate Elegushi area of the state over the lack of proper approval or authorisation.

LASBCA’s Director of Public Affairs, Adu Ademuyiwa, noted in a statement that the joint enforcement operation was carried out on Saturday by the Office of Urban Development and LASBCA, targeting structures that contravened building regulations and encroached on drainage setbacks.

The Lagos State Assembly House Committee Chairman on Physical Development, Sylvester Ogunkelu, who also joined the operation, affirmed that the Assembly fully supported the drive to sanitise the built environment in Lagos.

According to him, compliance with building regulations is non-negotiable, noting that unregulated development endangers lives and puts pressure on critical infrastructure.

The Permanent Secretary, Office of Urban Development, Gbolahan Oki, emphasised that “illegal construction continues to pose significant challenges to environmental sustainability and urban planning within the state.”

Oki reiterated that the ministry rmained committed to supporting LASBCA in ensuring that all building developments across Lagos meet the required standards.

On her part, the Acting General Manager of LASBCA, Gbaye Florence, expressed the agency’s resolve to intensify monitoring across all zones.

She explained that the structures being removed had been served multiple notices, including stop-work orders and demolition notices, but the owners refused to comply.

The enforcement team also moved to the Lekki–Ikoyi axis, where buildings erected under high-tension power lines were marked for demolition.

The move follows several demolitions that have taken place in Lagos in areas like Oworonshoki, Trade Fair, Ikota, etc. While building owners lament losses, the state government has insisted that property developers must get proper approvals.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed President Bola Tinubu to compel the Attorney General of the Federation to publish the names of individuals indicted in the alleged misappropriation of over N6tn meant for the Niger Delta Development Commission between 2000 and 2019.

The landmark ruling, delivered on Monday, November 10, by Justice Gladys Olotu, also mandates President Bola Tinubu to make the NDDC forensic audit report, submitted to the Federal Government on September 2, 2021, publicly available.

The judgment was obtained in certified form last Friday following a Freedom of Information suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project in November 2021.

Justice Olotu ruled that the forensic audit report and the names of those indicted constitute “public records” under Section 31 of the Freedom of Information Act.

She noted that the information is not exempt from disclosure under Sections 11-19 of the Act, as it pertains to the management of public funds.

“The refusal of the President and the Attorney General to publish the audit report or act on the allegations, despite formal demand by SERAP, constitutes a breach of their statutory duties under the Freedom of Information Act, Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution, and Nigeria’s international obligations to promote transparency and accountability,” Justice Olotu said.

The court emphasised that every citizen has the right to access information in the custody of public officials, and that the Freedom of Information Act imposes a non-discretionary duty on public institutions to release such information.

SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, described the judgment as a “ground-breaking victory for transparency and accountability in the spending of public funds,” urging the Tinubu administration to comply immediately.

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, praised the judgment, calling it “one of the most patriotic public interest litigations ever undertaken in Nigeria,” and stressed that delayed enforcement could undermine both the fight against corruption and the rule of law.

In a letter dated November 22, 2025, SERAP formally urged President Tinubu to implement the court orders without delay, stressing that compliance would demonstrate the administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.