President Muhammadu Buhari at the inauguration of the Baro Port in Niger State

By Naomi Sharang
Federal and state lawmakers, as well as local council chairmen, representing Niger South Senatorial District, have appealed to the Federal Government to complete every component of the Baro River Port project.

Sen. Muhammad Bima (APC-Niger South), made the appeal when he led members of the State House of Assembly and the council chairmen, on an inspection tour of the port.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the port was commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, but was yet to be operational.

Bima said when the port was commissioned in 2019, people thought operations were going to start immediately.

Apparently, the jubilation was because of the projected economic boost its operation would engender in Niger South, Northern Nigeria and Nigeria at large.

The components that are delaying the full take-off of this project are mainly the road, the rail and the maintenance dredging.

This is something that can be done even in one year. It is not rocket science; it is something that can be done easily, he said.

He said that against the backdrop of the high rate of unemployment in the country, Baro port was projected to bring about thousands of direct and indirect jobs.

According to the senator, the project has been in the works for about two decades, having been designed in the 1990s by the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF).

Contracts were awarded in 2009, re-awarded in 2013 and 2016, yet the aim has not been achieved.

We are therefore pleading with the Federal Government to strive for its completion before the end of this administration in 2023, so that the economic revolution everyone believes an inland port will engender, will stop being perpetually postponed.

Bima said that for the port to become optimally operational, there was need for the maintenance dredging so that the river would be de-silted.

NAN reports that silt is fine sand, clay or or other material carried by running water and deposited as a sediment, especially in a channel or harbour.

To de-silt is therefore, the process of removing suspended silt from water or stream.

The dredging of the Lower River Niger that was carried out from Warri down to Baro was a commendable effort.

However, the river is now silted. Therefore, we are calling for maintenance dredging so that the river will be de-silted.

Roads that link the port must be promptly constructed or rehabilitated.

It is noteworthy that across the north, dry ports are springing up; their functionalities would not be optimal if a link to an inland port is not made easy.

Therefore, the Lambata-Bida and Agaie-Katcha-Baro and Baro-Abaji roads, should be promptly constructed or rehabilitated.

Baro has been linked to a rail since the colonial era. The rail has however, stopped functioning for decades.

We are therefore calling for the modernisation of the rail, because a multi-modal transport system will optimise functions of the port, the senator said.

He further said that as lawmakers, they would ensure that the project was captured in the 2021 budget.

The lawmaker also urged the government to include the port on its list of projects funded through its Sovereign Wealth Fund, because of its economic importance.

The Port Manager, Mr Tolufashe Bamidele, appealed to government to fast tract the construction of the road and rail line to attract would-be investors.

Chairman Agaie Local Government Council, Capt. Hassan Mohammed (rtd), said that the downturn of activities at the port had hindered economic activities in the community.

There is no point to build a port that is about N10 billion worth, and then there is no road network.

If you bring goods from Lokoja, Kogi, Warri, Delta, how do you take take them out? The railway and the roads are not functioning, Mohammed said.

The team also visited the Etsu of Agaie, Yusuf Nuhu, who expressed optimism that the lawmakers visit was a sign that the port would soon be functional.

Source: NAN News

Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano

By Abbas Bamalli

Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has charged the states anti graft agency, not to compromise in the fight against corruption no matter who is involved.

Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has charged the states Public Complaint and Anti Corruption Commission, not to compromise in the fight against corruption no matter who is involved.

Ganduje gave the charge while on a visit to the commissions office in Kano on Saturday.

According to him, the Federal Government cannot alone fight corruption hence the replication of the anti-graft agency at the state and local government levels.

He said: Whosoever falls into the commissions trap should face the consequence. I will have nothing to do with it. I will not interfere with any case whosoever might be involved.

With the way corruption is fighting back and the fight against corruption being an agenda of President Muhammad Buhari, the federal government cannot fight it alone.

It needs domestication in the states and the local governments to succeed, the governor said.

In his address of welcome, the Chairman of the commission, Muhyi Magaji, commended Gandujes determination to fight corruption in the state.

It is your will and support that has made this anti-graft agency among the best in thecountry.

We have set benchmarks in the country and are being emulated by other states, he said.

The commission recently recovered N310,000 meant for Imams that participated in a special prayer against COVID-19 and insecurity, from an aide to the governor.

Source: NAN News

Mrs Julie Okah-Donli NAPTIP D-G

The suspect was alleged to be sodomising 12 underage children in the night when parents of the children were sleeping.

Mr Mitika Mafa-Ali, the NAPTIP Zonal Head in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Sokoto.

Mafa-Ali said the suspect, aged 30, was a labourer working for the parents of the children.

He allegedly took the advantage to lure the children into homosexuality in the night when the parents are asleep.

He said the suspect was arrested following a tip off and has confessed to the crime.

The zonal head added that investigation was in progress and that the suspect would soon be charged to court.

Speaking to NAN while in custody, the suspect said he came to Rikina village from Zamfara and was assisted and sheltered by the childrens parents.

The suspect confirmed engaging the children in homosexuality as they mostly sleep together in the night.

He attributed the incident to satanic move, adding that he was introduced into homosexuality acts by somebody when he was in Niger and continue with act as a source of pleasure.

One of the victims (name withheld), said that he was 14 years in primary 4 at Rikina Primary School.

The victim recounted the suspect traced them on their various sleeping places.

The victim added that he, along with others, mostly woke up in the morning to notice sperm on their backs as some of their trousers were tore or removed by the victim while they are asleep.

A parent, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that the case had earlier been reported to the local Hisbah Officials before taking over by NAPTIP.

He said the incident was devastating as the suspect was considered as member of the community with all forms of assistance rendered to him.

Source: NAN News

Coronavirus

Out of 1,886 tests conducted in the past 24 hours in two qualified labs, the ministry received 160 positive results on Friday, bring the total number of COVID-19 cases to 12,032 in Senegal.

According to the spokesperson of the ministry, Dr Mamadou Ndiaye, the newly confirmed cases contain 67 follow-up contact cases, two imported ones detected at airport, and 91 community transmission cases.

Senegal has been reporting more community transmission cases than follow-up contact cases since over a week.

This is due to the Tabaski festival celebration when many Senegalese travelled back home around the end of July.

With 22 more patients discharged from hospitals and treatment centres, the cumulative number of recoveries reached 7,637 since the outbreak of the pandemic on March 2 in Senegal, Ndiaye added.

The death toll also continues to rise.

With two addition deaths recorded by the health authorities, Senegal now has 251 COVID-19 related deaths, a fatality rate of 2.08 per cent. (Xinhua/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Alhaji Lai Mohammed

By Rotimi Ijikanmi

The Federal Government says the funds it has borrowed so far are justifiable because they are being used for the development of critical infrastructure that will benefit Nigerians

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed stated this at the Obafemi Awolowo terminal end of the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail project.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports thatMohammed and Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi embarked on inspection tour of the 156km modern rail project from Lagos to Ibadan.

The ministers were accompanied by the officials of the Nigeria Railway Corporation NRC) the contractor handling the project China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and a team of journalists.

There is no better way to answer Nigerians as to what we have done with the money we borrowed, than this project we have inspected. This is one of the many projects that we are doing with the money we have borrowed.

There is nothing bad in borrowing provided that such borrowing is invested in infrastructure. There is also nothing bad in borrowing provided the funds are used to create jobs and create the enabling environment for the growth of the economy, he said.

Mohammed said he was excited with the level of work done on the project; the clean coaches which he said can be compared to modern trains in any part of the world.

He said he was also excited with the enthusiasm of many Nigerians who trooped out in their hundreds to hail them over the project at every station they inspected.

Mohammed commended Amaechi for his passion on the rail project which planned to commence skeletal services in September and full operations in January 2021.

Speaking in the same vein, Amaechi enjoined the National Assembly to stop the ongoing probe on the loans to fast track the delivery of the rail projects.

Why we are telling them to stop the probe is that, they are not investigating corruption in the construction project itself but the issue of loan that we accessed.

They should allow us to get the loan for the Ibadan to Kano rail project which is about 5.3 billion dollar, he said.

Amaechi said fund would not be a problem for the timely completion of the Lagos Ibadan project because they have on ground about 1.6 billion dollar.

He said the country will be contributing between 200 million dollar and 300 million dollar as counterpart funding. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Lagos-Ibadan Rail to begin operations with 16 trips daily NRC

By Yemi Adeleye

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) says it will commence skeletal operations on the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Guage Rail line from the middle of September with 16 trips daily.

The Managing Director of NRC, Mr Fidet Okhiria disclosed this on Saturday in Ibadan during an inspection tour of the project by the Ministers of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi and Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

Okhiria said that since the track laying had been completed between Ebute-Metta Junction (EBJ) in Lagos and Ibadan with stations under construction, operation would start between Yaba in Lagos and Ibadan.

We will start by the middle of September from Yaba to Ibadan while the other construction finishing will continue.

We already have 24 coaches and a set of DMUs (Diesel Multiple Units) made of eight coaches.

With that, we intend to have 16 trips a day, he said.

According to him, the corporation will not wait for all the stations to be ready before commencing operations, so that Nigerians can start enjoying the dividends of the tracks and coaches that have arrived.

NAN reports that the rail tracks on the 156km modern rail line have been completed from EBJ to Ibadan while the 10 major and minor stations are at various stages of completion.

The stations along the corridor are Apapa, EBJ, Agege, Agbado, Kajola, Papalanto, Abeokuta, Olodo, Omi-Adio and Ibadan. .

Speaking on the completion time for the project Amaechi said they were targeting January 2021 if the Covid-19 will not be a constraint to the workers.

Before Covid-19, for every station we have between 150 to 200 workers but now we have 10 to 20 workers on the sites.

We have told them now to increase the number of workers and manage Covid very well.

Covid-19 has come to stay but government has to run.

We have to deliver our promises to the people because that is why we are elected, so, let us hope that by January Ex year, the project will be ready, he said.

The minister admonished the Chinese contractor handling the project to speed up work on the construction for timely delivery. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

John Enenche, Director Defence Information

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Air Component of Operation Thunder Strike, has neutralised several armed bandits at their camp in the Kuduru forest area of Kaduna State, according the Defence Headquarters.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

Enenche said the air strikes were carried out on Aug. 13 on the heels of intelligence reports, indicating the convergence of members of Ansaru terrorist sect-linked bandits, led by one Mallam Abba, at the location.

He said that an aerial surveillance mission conducted over the area also observed several bandits, with some wielding weapons in the forest.

According to him, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) jets and helicopter gunships were therefore tasked to attack the location.

Several of the bandits were killed as the attack aircraft strafed the area, while others attempting to escape were mopped-up in follow-on attacks, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Lagos-Ibadan Rail to begin operations with 16 trips daily NRC

By Rotimi Ijikanmi
The Federal Government says the funds it has borrowed so far are justifiable because they are being used for the development of critical infrastructure that will benefit Nigerians

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed stated this at the Obafemi Awolowo terminal end of the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail project.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mohammed and Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi embarked on inspection tour of the 156km modern rail project from Lagos to Ibadan.

The ministers were accompanied by the officials of the Nigeria Railway Corporation NRC) the contractor handling the project China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and a team of journalists.

There is no better way to answer Nigerians as to what we have done with the money we borrowed, than this project we have inspected. This is one of the many projects that we are doing with the money we have borrowed.

There is nothing bad in borrowing provided that such borrowing is invested in infrastructure. There is also nothing bad in borrowing provided the funds are used to create jobs and create the enabling environment for the growth of the economy, he said.

Mohammed said he was excited with the level of work done on the project; the clean coaches which he said can be compared to modern trains in any part of the world.

He said he was also excited with the enthusiasm of many Nigerians who trooped out in their hundreds to hail them over the project at every station they inspected.

Mohammed commended Amaechi for his passion on the rail project which planned to commence skeletal services in September and full operations in January 2021.

Speaking in the same vein, Amaechi enjoined the National Assembly to stop the ongoing probe on the loans to fast track the delivery of the rail projects.

Why we are telling them to stop the probe is that, they are not investigating corruption in the construction project itself but the issue of loan that we accessed.

They should allow us to get the loan for the Ibadan to Kano rail project which is about 5.3 billion dollar, he said.

Amaechi said fund would not be a problem for the timely completion of the Lagos Ibadan project because they have on ground about 1.6 billion dollar.

He said the country will be contributing between 200 million dollar and 300 million dollar as counterpart funding.

Source: NAN News

NGOs donate food items to widows, vulnerable in FCT community

By Gami Tadanyigbe

The Good Governance Awareness Initiative, in collaboration with Sam Empowerment Foundation have donated food items to 50 widows and most vulnerable in Jikwoi Community in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

Maureen Kelechi, Founder of the Good Governance Initiative while presenting the items, said that the donation was out of the foundations sincere love to ameliorate the sufferings of vulnerable and the less-privileged.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the palliatives distributed to over 50 widows and the less privileged in the community included rice, spaghetti, noodles, beans, sugar, millet, maize and guinea corn.

The gesture become imperative because the women, especially the young widows find it very difficult to feed their children mostly at this period of COVID-19 that has adversely affected the economy.

The economy and the pandemic has permeated the city and the country has actually made it a herculean task for people to survive.

The livelihood of the people has been affected and the poorest of the poor have also been affected, she said.

Kelechi said that the foundations objective was to meet the needs of the less-privileged and the vulnerable groups in the society, especially at the grassroots.

Also speaking, Kiema Ogunlana, Project Director of Sam Empowerment Foundation said the focus of the foundation, include health, education, empowerment and civic engagement, all aimed at alleviating poverty in the society.

Ogunlana advised people in the community to adhere strictly to the restriction directive and take precautionary measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 virus.

This gesture was actually born from the fact that with the recent pandemic that has affected the entire nation, we see that hunger and livelihood of people have been affected.

So we thought it wise to mitigate such situations by distributing these palliatives to help cushion the effect of the hardship in the society, she said.

Some of the beneficiaries were full of gratitude to the foundations for coming to their rescue with the donations.

Mrs Florence Abiodun, a beneficiary of the palliative thanked the organisations for their kind gesture and called on well-meaning Nigerians to do the same.

NAN reports that the two NGOs carried out free HIV and malaria tests for the widows and the less privileged in the community. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Police IG Mohammed Adamu

By Zubairu Idris

The Police Command in Katsina State, has arrested a human trafficking kingpin, Abubakar Habibu, in Daura Local Government Area of the state.

This commands spokesman, SP Gambo Isah, said in a statement in Kastina on Saturday that the suspect was arrested at a police check point along Kongolom-Daura Road, Daura, on Aug. 11.

According to him, the suspect has been on the wanted list of the command in connection with a case of human trafficking under investigation.

Isah revealed that the syndicate specialised in conveying their victims on motorcycles across the Nigerian boarder with Niger Republic, for onward trafficking to Libya and Europe.

He noted that in the course of investigation, the suspect confessed to the commission of the crime.

The commands spokesman added that efforts were ongoing to arrest other members of the syndicate.

He further said the command also arrested two other suspects, Abubakar Saidu and Jafaru Aminu, residents of Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State, who were in possession of 12 stolen cows.

Isah said that the dou were arrested based on credible information received by the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB).

He revealed that in the course of investigation they also confessed to having received the cows from bandits along Faskari-Birnin-Gwari axis, with intent to sell them. (NAN)

Source: NAN News