President Bola Tinubu has announced the passing of Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, at the age of 56.
In a statement released on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, it was confirmed that Lt. General Lagbaja passed away on Tuesday night in Lagos following an illness.
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Donald Trump is on the brink of a remarkable victory over Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election on Wednesday, potentially marking one of the most dramatic comebacks in U.S. political history. Fox News was the first network to declare Trump the winner early Wednesday morning, though other networks were still awaiting final counts.
Major networks had already called key swing states—Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina—for Trump, giving the 78-year-old candidate a solid lead over Democratic contender Kamala Harris in the remaining states. Supporters gathered at a watch party in Florida, awaiting Trump's victory speech, while a more somber mood settled over Harris’s camp. Harris’s campaign co-chair, Cedric Richmond, announced that she would no longer make her planned appearance that night, saying, “You won’t hear from the vice president tonight, but you will hear from her tomorrow,” at a watch party held at Howard University in Washington.
Adding to the Democrats’ disappointment, Trump’s victory was accompanied by Republican control of the Senate, with the GOP flipping two key seats to overturn the Democrats' narrow majority.
Trump's anticipated win is expected to send shockwaves globally, as many U.S. allies in Europe and Asia are concerned about a potential resurgence of his nationalist policies and past support for leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin. However, the financial markets responded positively, with the U.S. dollar surging, bitcoin hitting a record high, and equity markets trending upwards as investors anticipated a Trump victory.
Nigeria faced another widespread power outage on Tuesday as the national grid collapsed once again, leaving millions without electricity. The latest incident occurred at approximately 2:09 pm, according to a post on the official X account of the National Nigeria Grid. This marks the latest in a series of grid failures, with at least eight recorded collapses in 2024 alone, including multiple incidents just last month.
The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) issued a notice to customers about the outage, which began at 1:52 pm on November 5, 2024. Emeka Ezeh, Head of Corporate Communications at EEDC, explained that “due to this development, all our interface TCN stations are out of supply," affecting service across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Imo States.
Ezeh confirmed that the EEDC team is on standby and awaiting updates on the cause of the collapse and restoration efforts from the National Control Centre (NCC) in Osogbo. This ongoing instability highlights the challenges facing Nigeria’s energy infrastructure as authorities work toward a stable, sustainable power grid.
A two-story building under construction collapsed on Monday in Egbelu Mgbaraja, Ogbogoro Community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, resulting in one death and leaving another person seriously injured. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. and marks the second building collapse in the area within a week.
Eyewitness Jonathan Obey reported that the building gave way while workers were on the second floor, tragically claiming the life of a young man named Udeme from Akwa Ibom State. Another worker narrowly escaped but sustained severe injuries. Obey attributed the collapse to the use of substandard materials, pointing out flaws in the foundation and support structures. “When we arrived, it was evident that low-quality materials were used. The building lacked a central pillar and adequate beams, which ultimately led to the collapse,” Obey explained.
Following the incident, Rivers State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Evans Bipi, visited the site, ordered it sealed, and declared the developer wanted. Bipi condemned the developer’s negligence, noting that construction was conducted without government approval and with poor-quality materials. “If you build without approval, you will face the consequences. The site is now sealed, and the developer must answer for using substandard materials that cost a life,” Bipi stated.
Bipi further warned that the government would take strict action to prevent such incidents. “This is unacceptable. We will make an example of this case,” he added. In a statement by his media aide, Emeka Idika Kalu, Bipi expressed condolences to the victim’s family, announcing that the remains would be held at a mortuary for family access.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Special Duties, Samuel Anya, also condemned the incident, expressing sorrow over the loss and criticizing the developer’s disregard for safety. “This is heartbreaking. Not only was the construction substandard, but it also lacked proper approval. A life has now been lost because of these oversights. The developer and the engineer responsible must be held accountable as we prioritize the safety of lives,” Anya said.
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