By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he will represent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 2026 African Union (AU) Summit.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), this year’s summit is themed: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.”

The gathering will center on advancing continent-wide commitments to sustainable water resource management, improved sanitation infrastructure, and the broader developmental objectives outlined in the AU’s Agenda 2063 framework.

During his stay in Addis Ababa, Vice President Shettima will participate in the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of AU Heads of State and Government and the 30th General Assembly, scheduled for February 14 and 15, 2026, respectively.

On the sidelines of the main summit, Shettima is expected to engage in high-level side events and hold bilateral meetings with political leaders and business executives. These engagements are aimed at deepening Nigeria’s diplomatic ties, expanding economic cooperation, and reinforcing strategic partnerships across the continent.

The Vice President is accompanied by cabinet ministers and other senior government officials. He is scheduled to return to Nigeria upon the conclusion of his official engagements in Ethiopia.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Security operatives on Thursday allegedly attempted to arrest former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, upon his arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, from Cairo, Egypt.

The allegation was made by El-Rufai’s Media Adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, in a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account shortly after the incident.

According to Adekeye, security agents approached the former governor as he disembarked from his flight and sought to take him into custody. He said El-Rufai declined to comply, insisting that he would not accompany the operatives without a formal invitation or warrant.

“Security agents today attempted to arrest Malam Nasir El-Rufai as he arrived on a flight from Cairo. Malam El-Rufai declined to follow them without a formal invitation,” Adekeye wrote.

He further alleged that during the encounter, the operatives seized the former governor’s passport from one of his aides.

“They, however, snatched his passport from an aide,” the statement added.

As of press time, there was no official statement from the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), or any other security agency regarding the alleged incident.

The development comes a day after El-Rufai, in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, suggested that he could face arrest upon returning to the country. He claimed that some of his former associates in Kaduna had already been detained.

“About four people we worked with in Kaduna have been arrested. So, it may only be a matter of time before they come for me as well,” he said.

The circumstances surrounding Thursday’s incident remain unclear, pending official confirmation from the relevant authorities.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Presidential Villa in Abuja is on track to sever its connection to the national electricity grid by March 2026, following the completion of a dedicated solar mini-grid project. The Federal Government has finalized plans to move the seat of power entirely off-grid, marking a major step toward energy independence and cost reduction.

State House Permanent Secretary, Temitope Fashedemi, disclosed this on Wednesday while defending the 2026 budget proposal before the Senate Committee on Special Duties at the National Assembly. He confirmed that the solar installation was completed in late 2025 and has been undergoing technical evaluation since December.

“We are hopeful that by March we will be able to effect a full cutover,” Fashedemi told lawmakers. He emphasized that the shift from the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) would significantly lower the operational costs of running the Presidential Villa.

To demonstrate the viability of the project, Fashedemi cited the State House Medical Centre, which has operated entirely on solar power since May 2025. According to him, the facility has not switched on its generator since installation.

“In fact, since May last year, the generator at the Medical Centre has not been switched on for one minute,” he said. He added that less than three per cent of the centre’s energy needs were briefly supplemented from AEDC during the initial transition phase, with the remainder fully covered by solar panels and battery storage.

The Federal Government allocated N10 billion in the 2025 budget for the solar mini-grid project—a decision that sparked public debate at the time. An additional N7 billion has been proposed in the 2026 Appropriation Bill to consolidate and expand the initiative.

The transition comes amid efforts to resolve longstanding electricity debt. In February 2024, AEDC listed the Villa among its top government debtors, with an outstanding balance of N923.87 million. Following reconciliation, the figure was reduced to N342.35 million, which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed to be settled immediately.

Fashedemi further revealed that the testing phase uncovered instances of overbilling by AEDC, including charges for electricity allegedly not delivered. He confirmed that discussions were ongoing to reconcile what he termed “legacy liabilities” with the utility company.

With the full transition to solar, the Villa will no longer rely on its aging generator fleet, some of which have been in use since the complex was first constructed.

While a few units may be retained strictly for emergency purposes, Fashedemi expressed confidence that the new solar infrastructure would provide stable, sustainable power for the entire Presidential Villa.