• ASUU, FG meeting deadlocked, lecturers stage walk-out
• Power generation falls by 503MW, workers threaten strike
• Social media influencer jailed over alleged N110m fraud
• Gunmen kidnap commissioner in Nasarawa
• Gunmen attack Imo market, kill motorcyclist

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn‘t miss:

ASUU, FG meeting deadlocked, lecturers stage walk-out

Tuesday’s meeting between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities resulted in an impasse

Sources reported that the Federal Government’s team met with the representatives of ASUU at the headquarters of the National Universities Commission.

“The meet with the FG’s team was headed by Professor Nimi Briggs and it started by 12:00pm and ended by 3:00 pm. There was no new offer on the table, they simply begged us to call off the strike.” said a top ASUU official.

Another source said, “The lecturers left angrily, though we cannot really ascertain what was discussed with them. As you can see, we were not invited, but the proposal presented was rejected.”

The spokesperson for the ministry of education, Ben Goong, when contacted, said that the minister of education would brief the press on Thursday.

The ASUU president, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke in an interview said, ‘‘It wasn’t good,” referring to the meeting.

“We didn’t sign anything; they did not come with anything good. I can’t go into details. We will talk to our members first before we talk to the press. We represent our members.’’

Power generation falls by 503MW, workers threaten strike

Nigeria’s electricity output decreased by 502.7 megawatts on Tuesday as a result of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies and the National Union of Electricity Employees’ statewide strike against the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

On the national grid, power production was seen to have an off-peak on Monday of 2,551.7 MW, a peak on that same day of 4,688.6 MW, and then a decline to 4,185.9 MW as of 6 a.m. on Tuesday.

Additionally, on Tuesday, protesters from the NUEE and SSAEAC shut down operations at TCN offices around the country and threatened to go on an indefinite strike starting today (Wednesday).

Kolade Ayodele, the NUEE Secretary in charge of the Abuja, Niger, Nasarawa, and Kogi Liaison Office, said during the protest at TCN’s headquarters in the Federal Capital Territory that the company’s board, on which the power minister served as a member, had broken the agreements made with the unions.

According to the NUEE official, there wouldn’t be a problem if the government and TCN agreed to hear the union out, but “if they refuse to listen today (Tuesday), then by tomorrow (Wednesday), we would have to withdraw our services.”

Ayodele said he was unable to specify the precise sum owing to the union’s employees but emphasized that a deal was reached in December 2019 and that it needed to be upheld.

He gave the following response when asked how long the strike would last: “For as long as the issue is not being resolved.”

Social media influencer jailed over alleged N110m fraud

A social media influencer named Portia Emilia has been jailed by the Lagos Special Offences Court in Ikeja for an alleged N110 million fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission charged Emilia as well as her business, Savanah Crest Investment Limited.

Six counts bordering on conspiracy, acquiring under false pretenses, and stealing are being brought against the accused, who were arraigned before Justice Abike Fadipe.

The offenses, according to the EFCC, were committed in Lagos in 2018.

According to the commission, the defendants plotted together to steal N50 million.

The offenses are against the law and are subject to punishment under sections 411 and 287(5) of the Lagos State Criminal Code.

To the allegations, Emilia entered a not guilty plea.

The defendant was granted bail by Justice Fadipe in the amount of N10m with a relative-only surety who also had N10m in bank insurance.

As a result, the judge detained the defendant in a custodial centre while her bail requirements were being fulfilled.

The case was adjourned until September 23.

Gunmen kidnap commissioner in Nasarawa

Yakubu Mohammed Lawal, the Nasarawa State commissioner for information, culture, and tourism, has been taken hostage by armed men in Lafia.

After intermittent firing, Lawal was reportedly kidnapped from his home in the state’s Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area on Monday night.

Confirming the abduction, yesterday, DSP Ramhan Nansel, Police Public Relations Officer, said: “On Monday, August 15 at about 8:45 pm, the attention of Policemen on routine patrol was drawn to the sound of sporadic gunshots in the Nasarawa-Eggon Local Government Area of the state.

He explained that the operatives attached to Nasarawa-Eggon Division immediately raced to the scene.

“Adesina Soyemi, Commissioner of Police, also reinforced the men with a combined detachment of the Police Mobile Force, the Anti kidnapping unit, military personnel, vigilante as well as local hunters.

“Upon arrival at the scene, it was discovered that the unknown gunmen while shooting sporadically, invaded the residence of the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism and abducted him to an unknown destination.

“The search and rescue operation is ongoing by the combined team, led by Area Commander, Akwanga Area Command, ACP Halliru Aliyu to rescue the victim unhurt and arrest the perpetrators of the crime,” he added.

Gunmen attack Imo market, kill motorcyclist

Gunmen opened fire on a market in the hamlet of Ogbaku, located in the Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria, on Tuesday, killing a commercial motorcycle.

According to reports, the shooters entered the market in a Sienna car and fatally shot the victim.

Usman Alkali, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), was in Government House Owerri to officially launch the 12 armored personnel carriers the state government had purchased to combat insecurity in the region when the event took place.

The victim, a commercial biker only known as “Chima,” reportedly resisted the gunmen’s commands to get inside their car.

“They got infuriated and shot him three times, and he died on the spot before they drove off,” a source was quoted as saying.