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Nigeria Govt denies diverting $3bn railway project

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2 months ago

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The Nigerian Government has debunked reports alleging that it diverted three billion dollars railway project from South-East to his home state, Gombe for political gain.

Minister of Transport, Said Alkali, debunked the report in a statement issued by the Ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relation Mrs Janet McDickson, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The ministry urged Nigerians to disregard the publication, describing it as false, malicious and misleading to the public, and should be discarded.

“Attention of Management and Staff of FMT has been drawn to a publication written by Sahara Reporters (online report) alleging that “Nigeria’s Transport Minister diverted $3 Billion Railway Project from South-East to Home State, Gombe for Political Gain”.

“The management wishes to state categorically that, the above report is false, malicious and misleading to the public and should be discarded.

The statement noted that the Port Harcourt -Maiduguri narrow gauge railway rehabilitation project was awarded to Messrs China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation in November, 2020.

It said so far, the rehabilitation works had been completed from Port Harcourt to Aba and train services along the corridor was currently running.

“Rehabilitation works from Aba to Enugu is ongoing with works on substructure completed while works on superstructures are ongoing.

“It is pertinent to note that the slow pace of work on the project is due to paucity of funds and the Federal Ministry of Transportation is working assiduously with the Contractor to ensure that funds are drawn down to complete the project.

“It is worthy to note that the main line for the project is in sections, Port Harcourt – Aba, Aba-Kafanchan, Kafanchan to Kuru in Jos, and Kuru to Maiduguri, “ it said.

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According to statement, as part of preliminary works on the remaining section of the project which includes Gombe State, a recognizance survey was carried out in 2024.

It added that the survey was carried out along the entire rail line by the four stakeholders – the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Nigerian Railway Corporation, the Contractor and the Consultant.

It stated that there was no work going on in Gombe currently as falsely reported by the Sahara Reporters.

“The Management of the ministry requests that Sahara Reporters withdraw this fake report and apologise to the Minister, Sen. Said Alkali for dragging his name and the ministry in a bad light.

“The minister is working assiduously to bring out the dividends of democracy to the entire nation to achieve the mandate of the Ministry and does not deserve to be attached with this fake news.

“The Sahara Reporters is therefore, warned to desist from carrying out fake news but is advised to work professionally by officially verifying its information before publications, “ it said.

According to it, the ministry is working hard to connect the entire country through the rail sector to ease transportation, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. (NAN)

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Kaduna State to hold education summit – Commissioner

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7 hours ago

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April 27, 2025

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Kaduna State Government will convene an Education Summit as part of its strategy to bring about transformative change in the education sector, which will be anchored on four strategic pillars.

The Commissioner for Education, Professor Muhammad Sani Bello, who disclosed this while inaugurating the steering committee, further said that the event will be titled KADA EDUPACT International Summit 2025″.

According to him, one of the pillars is the Policy/Governance/Innovative Education Financing Pillar.

The Commissioner also listed the Access and Retention, Credible Learning Outcomes From Quality Inputs Pillars, as well as the Technology and Innovation pillars.

Prof Bello argued that the main objective of the summit is “to forge an Educational Pact between the government and the people, establishing commitment to shared model for education delivery, measurable outcomes and clearly defined negotiables.”

He further said that experts will make motivating presentations, adding that the Summit will provide opportunity for robust discussions on local and international investments in education, policy-making as well as technological innovations for improved teaching and learning.

The Commissioner also assured that a comprehensive education development roadmap for Kaduna State would fashioned out during the summit.

He said that the Director General of Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority, Professor Usman Abubakar Zaria, will coordinate the activities of the steering committee, whose membership cuts across relevant Ministries Department and Agencies.

Sub-committees to handle various aspects of the summit were announced immediately after the steering committee was inaugurated.

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Police Bust Human Trafficking Ring In Oyo, Rescue 84 Victims

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9 hours ago

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April 27, 2025

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The Oyo State Police Command has uncovered a human trafficking ring in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

In a major operation, the police rescued 83 individuals and a child from a house in the Orogun area of the city, where they had allegedly been held for an undisclosed period.

Preliminary reports suggest that the victims, believed to be nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo, were lured to Nigeria under the pretence of being offered employment opportunities.

There are also claims that the perpetrators extorted significant sums of money, reportedly in dollars, from the victims’ parents and relatives as part of the elaborate scheme.

The rescued individuals are currently at the Police Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, where authorities are conducting further investigations to ascertain the full details of the case.

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Pope Francis Laid To Rest In Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica

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9 hours ago

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April 27, 2025

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Pope Francis was buried inside his favourite Rome church after a funeral mass in St Peter’s Square, the Vatican said on Saturday.

Francis, who died on Monday aged 88, was laid to rest during a 30-minute ceremony which started at 1:00 pm (1100 GMT) at the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in the Italian capital.

Footage shared by the Holy See showed cardinals marking his wooden and zinc coffin with red wax seals.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who as camerlengo is running the Vatican’s day-to-day affairs until a new pope is elected, sprinkled it with holy water after it was lowered into a tomb set inside an alcove.

A reproduction of the pectoral cross worn by Francis during his lifetime hung above it.

Francis had asked that the tomb, located near the altar of Saint Francis, be simple and unadorned, reflecting the humble spirit of his papacy.

The tombstone bears only the inscription “Franciscus” — the pope’s name in Latin.

Its marble is sourced from Liguria, the northwestern Italian region once home to the Argentine pontiff’s Italian ancestors.

Francis, born Jorge Bergoglio, had specified in his will the exact spot he wanted to be buried, in the side nave of the beloved fifth-century AD church.

The pontiff was devoted to the worship of the Virgin Mary and made a point of praying in Santa Maria Maggiore before leaving on trips abroad and upon his return to Rome.

Located in the heart of Rome, the basilica already holds the tombs of seven popes.

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