metro
Lagos-Ibadan road: FG to build four bridges in Ibadan
Four pedestrian bridges are to be constructed between Ibadan tollgate and Ojoo, as part of ongoing reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, the Federal Government has said.
Director, Highways Construction and Rehabilitation, Federal Ministry of Works, Mr Funso Adebiyi, disclosed this after a meeting with some officials of the state government, in Ibadan, at the weekend.
He also said construction work on the expressway was more than halfway gone, with plans to commission the project within the first quarter of 2022.
The director said the four pedestrian bridges would take care of the high human density around the tollgate and Ojoo axis.
A joint team of the Federal Government and Oyo State government would be embarking on a tour of the road stretch, to decide where the pedestrian bridges will would be sited, Adebiyi added.
He said the Federal Government was collaborating with the Oyo State government for effective management of traffic control during the construction work.
According to him, the Ibadan tollgate to Ojoo axis is one of the busiest sections of the project, with high traffic volume.
Adebiyi, however, noted that the road wiould be closed and opened up at about four kilometres interval to ease the traffic build-up.
He appealed to road users to show understanding, during the construction even as he urged them to consider it as their project.
The director said construction works on the expressway was more than halfway gone, with plans to commission the project within the first quarter of 2022.
“We are looking at about four major pedestrian bridges but we are discussing with the Oyo State government if it will want to fund a few more infrastructure. Apart from pedestrian bridges, we are thinking of street lightings as well; the state government may want to collaborate with us.
“When we construct the road, they may put street lighting. It is collaboration; so, we are trying our best to form a synergy between the state and the Federal Governments. If the Federal Government is doing four pedestrian bridges, the state can do additional four, because the stretch is quite long and the population is quite high,” he said.
He ruled out compensation for those whose structures will be demolished, noting that such structures were built on the right of way of the Federal Government.
metro
Gunmen kill two soldiers in Abia checkpoint attack
Gunmen kill two soldiers in Abia checkpoint attack
Early Wednesday morning, gunmen attacked an army checkpoint in Ekenobizi, a border community between Abia and Imo states, located in Umuopara, Umuahia South Local Government Area.
The assailants reportedly arrived around 6:18 a.m. in a white Lexus SUV (model 350/400) and launched an assault that resulted in the deaths of two soldiers.
A military source, who wished to remain anonymous, provided details of the incident but could not confirm the exact number of attackers involved.
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Confirming the incident in a press release on Wednesday, Lieutenant Colonel Jonah Unuakhalu of the Joint Task Force South East Operation UDO KA said: “In the early hours of today, 13 November 2024, troops of the Joint Task Force South East Operation UDO KA, deployed at a checkpoint along the Umuahia – Owerri Road in Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, came under attack by the irredentist group Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed affiliate, the Eastern Security Network.
“During the attack, the gallant troops were able to repel the assault, forcing the attackers to retreat in disarray with gunshot wounds, abandoning one Sienna and one Lexus Jeep used in the attack. However, in the ensuing firefight, two soldiers paid the supreme price.”
The Joint Task Force appealed to residents of the South East, particularly those in Abia State, for credible information to help track down the fleeing attackers and combat criminal elements in the region.
The force reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property in line with global best practices and the rules of engagement.
Gunmen kill two soldiers in Abia checkpoint attack
metro
94 arrested as task force raids Lagos rail corridor squatters
94 arrested as task force raids Lagos rail corridor squatters
At least 94 illegal occupants and squatters along the railway corridor from Pen Cinema to Fagba were arrested by the Lagos State Taskforce in an early morning sting operation on Wednesday.
During the raid, substances suspected to be hard drugs—such as Indian hemp, colorado, and other harmful drugs—were seized, along with various weapons.
It was gathered that those arrested attempted to resist the task force’s actions.
In a statement, Director of Public Affairs, Gbadeyan Abdulraheem, confirmed that those arrested will face prosecution.
He added that the agency dismantled shanties and makeshift structures along the railway corridor, clearing a distance of some kilometers.
The Taskforce Chairman Adetayo Akerele explained that the eviction aimed to provide relief for residents around the Fagba, Agege, and Pen Cinema railway routes, following numerous complaints from the public about criminal activities in the area.
He noted that the squatting had violated environmental and sanitary regulations.
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Akerele also highlighted the health and safety risks posed by the presence of squatters along the rail corridor.
He warned the evicted individuals not to return and assured residents and train passengers that regular patrols and surveillance would be conducted to prevent the re-establishment of shanties in the area.
“The rail tracks are not meant for habitation or the sale of narcotics. Anyone caught converting this place into a den of criminals or an area of residence will face severe consequences according to the law,” Akerele was quoted as saying.
Speaking on the raid, Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed that a locally fabricated short gun was recovered.
“94 suspects were arrested during the midnight operation; a locally fabricated short gun and several wraps of illicit substance suspected to be indian hemp, charm and a jack knife were recovered.
“The suspects will be charged to court accordingly,” Wahab stated in a post on X.
94 arrested as task force raids Lagos rail corridor squatters
metro
Okpebholo sacks all political appointees, Board executives in Edo
Okpebholo sacks all political appointees, Board executives in Edo
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has swept out all Board, Parastatal, and Agency appointees from his predecessor, Godwin Obaseki, in a decisive move to overhaul the state’s public service.
A statement released on Wednesday by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, confirmed the immediate dismissal of all political appointees and Permanent Secretaries brought in from outside the state Civil Service.
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The statement reads:
“For the information of the general public, His Excellency, Senator Monday Okpebholo, Governor of Edo State, has approved the dissolution of Executives of all Boards, Agencies, and Parastatals in the Edo State Public Service with immediate effect.
“In addition, all Permanent Secretaries appointed from outside the State Public/Civil Service and all Political Appointees are hereby relieved of their appointments.”
Affected individuals have been directed to return all government property in their possession to the senior Public Officers in their respective Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
Okpebholo sacks all political appointees, Board executives in Edo
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