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Umahi denies restricting Obasanjo from using Lagos-Calabar coastal highway

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The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, on Saturday clarified that he never said former President Olusegun Obasanjo should not use the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway when completed.

Umahi made the clarification during an inspection tour of the highway project in Lagos.

He reacted to some comments to the effect that he said Obasanjo should not use the road for describing the highway project as wasteful.

“The point is that the former president is not only my former president, he is also my father and he is my in-law; so, I have my respect for him.

“ I never said the former president should not use the road.

“He is not the only one among the few criticising the road project.

“ I said, ‘If you say the road is not good, you have a choice to use it or not to use it.’

“That is what I said. I didn’t say the former president should not use the road,” Umahi told journalists during the inspection tour.

The minister said that the 700km road project was never wasteful but a vital investment with huge socio-economic benefits.

“If you say the project is wasteful, it is an ambiguous statement. Is it wasteful in the sense that it shouldn’t have been?

“Is it wasteful in the sense that we are going to be earning carbon credit from the concrete pavement and from solar light?

“Is it wasteful in the sense that along this corridor, we are going to have windmill energy connecting all the communities we are going through?

“Is it wasteful that it is from Lagos to Calabar? Well, we have the Sokoto-Badagry Highway project, which is 1,068km,” he asked.

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The minister added that the Federal Government was executing a 462km Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi- Gombe Road project, among other projects.

“ Why then single out this one to say that it is wasteful?”

He said that travelling from Lagos to Calabar through the highway would take only five hours, reducing travel time.

“It is an evacuation corridor; so, the amount that the Federal Government spends in doing transhipment will be saved.”

Umahi said that in the next six months, section one of the highway project would be completed.

“Is it wasteful in the sense that this road is going to be passing a number of existing roads?

“Is it wasteful in the sense that the Bua Refinery, this is passing through it?

“Is it wasteful that it is going to be an evacuation corridor for Dangote Refinery?

“I cannot see the sense in saying that it is wasteful,” he added.

Umahi also said that the project had nothing to do with corruption.

He said that Obasanjo praised his administration’s transparency and achievements when he was the Governor of Ebonyi.

“He is my father. If a father suddenly says that his son is corrupt, it is up to the son to say he is not corrupt.” (NAN)

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Residents of Kaura Namoda Commend Defence Minister for Crackdown on Bandits

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Residents of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area in Zamfara State have expressed their appreciation to the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, for his role in the elimination of over 50 bandits who had been terrorising the region.

In a statement signed by spokesperson Suleiman Yusuf, the community praised Matawalle for his leadership in restoring security, describing his commitment as a major relief for communities that had long suffered from violent attacks.

“We, the residents of Kaura Namoda, express our deep gratitude for the improved security situation.

“We can now live without fear, resuming our daily lives with a renewed sense of safety,” Yusuf stated.

The security operation, conducted under Operation Fansar Yamma, targeted a gathering of armed bandits in Kaura Namoda. A precision airstrike successfully eliminated 50 bandits, while several others sustained injuries, marking a significant blow against criminal elements operating in the region.

In a separate mission in Tsafe Local Government Area, security forces tracked and neutralised a notorious bandit, Shehu Dan Kwale, further strengthening efforts to curb insecurity in Zamfara State.

The military’s actions under the directives of Matawalle have been widely welcomed by residents of Kaura Namoda, Tsafe, and Gusau Local Government Areas, who have endured years of attacks by armed groups. Many now express optimism that sustained efforts will restore lasting peace to their communities.

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6 die as truck rams Into vehicles, pedestrians in Onitsha

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Police Command in Anambra has confirmed that six people died in a multiple-vehicle accident on Saturday at Upper Iweka axis of Onitsha, the commercial hub of the state.

The command’s Public Relations Officer(CPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said in a statement on Sunday that the police had taken over the accident scene to maintain order and facilitate investigations.

“According to eyewitness accounts, the accident occurred due to the loss of control of a truck, which rammed into pedestrians, two tricycles, and a commercial bus loaded with passengers,” he said

Ikenga noted that the crash claimed six lives, while several others sustained injuries and were currently receiving treatment at the hospital.

He added that the bodies of the deceased had been deposited in the morgue.

He added that some relatives of the victims had been contacted and informed about the incident.

Ikenga said that the command extended its condolences to the families and friends of the deceased and wished the injured a swift recovery.

He urged drivers to conduct necessary safety checks before plying the roads to prevent such tragic incidents.

The CPRO assured the public that further updates would be provided as investigations progressed

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Adeleke’s $20m fraud allegation against Oyetola mere shadow chasing – Ogundokun

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A frontline politician, Chief Abiola Ogundokun, has described Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun’s $20 million fraud allegation against his immediate predecessor, Adegboyega Oyetola, as mere shadow chasing.

Ogundokun stated this in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, while reacting to a petition by Adeleke to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Oyetola.

Adeleke had, in the petition, alleged that Oyetola, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, misappropriated a $20 million World Bank health grant while he was governor of the state.

Ogundokun said in the state that there was nothing serious in the petition other than a drama aimed at generating negative energy toward the 2026 governorship election in the state.

He described Oyetola as a man of sterling performance in the private sector as well as due diligence and strict adherence to rules in the public service as governor.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain also described the former governor as the pride of Osun and Nigeria who should not be pulled down or given uncharitable names but encouraged to do more for the state.

According to him, there is the need to stop a destructive campaign of “I will destroy you if I can’t get it.

“Oyetola is honest to a fault,” he remarked, calling on the people of the state to join him in moving Osun forward.

Ogundokun advised Adeleke to prioritise good governance rather than engaging in frivolous activities.

“What Osun requires and deserves is focused leadership and serious engagements.

“I will advise Ademola Adeleke to stop playing politics with the exalted office of the governor by turning it to a petition writing apparatus.

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“He should use the enormous power of the office to improve the lots of the people instead of deploying the state resources to bully and witch-hunt a perceived enemy or enemies.

“Writing a petition against a man like Oyetola, to me, is like chasing a shadow.

“The task before Adeleke is huge, and meeting the expectations of the people should be his priority and not fighting an imaginary political foe,” he said.

The elder statesman urged the governor not to deviate from the vision of the state’s forefathers.

Rather, he said that Adeleke should learn to build on the good foundation of his predecessor instead of finding ways to shoot down his good legacies. (NAN)

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