The National Bureau of Statistics says the inflation rate rose by 33.20% in March.

The NBS said this in its just released CPI and Inflation Report March 2024. In the report the NBS said the headline inflation rate increased by 1.50% when compared to the 31.70% it was in February.

The NBS said: “In March 2024, the headline inflation rate increased to 33.20% relative to the February 2024 headline inflation rate which was 31.70%. Looking at the movement, the March 2024 headline inflation rate showed an increase of 1.50% points when compared to the February 2024 headline inflation rate.

“On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 11.16% points higher compared to the rate recorded in March 2023, which was 22.04%. This shows that the headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in the month of March 2024 when compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., March 2023).

“Furthermore, on a month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate in March 2024 was 3.02%, which was 0.10% lower than the rate recorded in February 2024 (3.12%).

“This means that in the month of March 2024, the rate of increase in the average price level is less than the rate of increase in the average price level in February 2024”.

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc has notified South-East residents of a total system collapse which occurred at its transmission station at about 2:41 am on Monday.

The EEDC said the situation has resulted in the loss of supply to all its interface TCN stations and consequently, it is unable to provide service to its customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states.

This was disclosed in a press statement issued on Monday by the Head of Corporate Communications, EEDC, Emeka Ezeh.

He said, “The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc wishes to inform her esteemed customers of a total system collapse which occurred at 2:41 am today, April 15, 2024

“This resulted in the loss of supply to all our interface TCN stations. Consequently, we were unable to provide service to our customers in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states.

“However, the situation is gradually being resolved as we received the supply at Awada TCN station, Onitsha, at 7:30 am.

“We are in constant communication with the relevant authorities awaiting the full restoration of supply by the National Control Centre, NCC, Oshogbo. Thank you for your usual understanding and cooperation.”

Theheute reports that Nigeria has witnessed its sixth power grid collapse of 2024, as electricity generation on the system collapsed from 2,583.77MW at 2 am on Monday to 64.7MW around 3 am.

Nigeria generates an average of 4,000 MW of electricity for an estimated 200 million citizens across the country.

But this is hardly sustainable, as the grid continues to record incessant collapse due to gas supply constraints, transmission infrastructure vandalism, and liquidity crises, among others.

The Oyo State Government, on Monday, described Saturday’s invasion of the State Secretariat in Ibadan, the state capital, by self-acclaimed Yoruba Nation agitators as an act of terrorism.

The state Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, who spoke with journalists in Ibadan on Monday, condemned the act, adding that there are better ways of agitation other than craving for bloodshed.

Theheute reports that some masked people in military camouflage suspected to be Yoruba Nation agitators invaded the Secretariat, Agodi in Ibadan, Saturday morning.

Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the masked men were stationed at different locations within the area.

The situation, according to the investigation, sent panic to residents and road users along the routes.

Businesses and residents around Bodija, Ikolaba, and Awolowo were said to have quickly locked their shops and doors and those who were about to open for the day’s business turned back.

The Commissioner also said sponsors of the invasion have landed themselves in trouble.

He said, “Sponsors of the invasion of the Governor and State House of Assembly’s office have succeeded in landing themselves in serious trouble.

“Attempting to barge into the hallowed chambers of the legislature and take it over with an arsenal of seven pump action submachine guns and over 700 live cartridges, is an act of terrorism.

“‘The conduct of Prof Banji Akintoye, a well-known Yoruba nation agitator represents the quintessential wisdom and civilisation of the Yoruba race.

“Oyo state remains the most peaceful state in Nigeria and Saturday’s incident will not take away that popular belief.”

Normalcy has since returned to Ibadan, the state capital and residents are going about their normal duties.