FG to give Southeast roads attention – Umahi

Minister of Works and former governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. Dave Umahi has assured that federal roads in the southeast will receive the attention of the federal government under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Umahi who stated this while on a one-day tour of federal government projects in the state also disclosed that the federal government through the federal Ministry of Works was exploring available options to use rigid pavement technology to complete some of the ongoing road projects because of the high vehicular traffic on them.

Umahi, who also visited Imo State commended the Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma for bringing visible developments for the period he has been in office, noting that Uzodinma’s handiwork is showing everywhere in the state.

The minister, while in Abia disclosed that the government was considering using cement rigid pavement technology to complete some roads including the Enugu-Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway, Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Expressway, Aba-Ikot Ekpene Expressway, Aba-Owerri Expressway and among others.

Tinubu’s victory permanent- Oyetola

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has predicted that the Supreme Court will affirm President Bola Tinubu’s victory at the February 25 presidential poll, should his opponents take the judgement of the President Election Petition Tribunal to the apex court.

Oyetola made this known while speaking in his hometown, Iragbiji, Osun State on Saturday, at a reception held in his honour by the community, following his recent appointment as a minister.

The ex- Osun State Governor, who commended organisers of the event, said politics should be devoid of violence and called for unity of purpose to achieve success.

Speaking in Yoruba language, Oyetola said, “I want to congratulate the President (Bola Tinubu) on his victory at the Tribunal which I know is permanent. If they like, they should take the matter to a court that is higher than the Supreme Court, the judgment by the judges is so powerful and clear. They should wait for another four years, they can repeat the class that they have failed.”

Revealing his plans as a Minister, Oyetola, expressed a desire to ensure that the country maximises its potential in fishing.

“I want to appreciate God for my appointment as Minister of Marine and Blue Economy. When I was younger, I used to go to the river to catch fish. I love to eat fish too. I can see some of my friends that were doing that with me then. At that time, we were not doing fishing as it should be done, because we used hooks that time.”

Insurgency caused $9bn damage in Northeast — Shettima

Vice President Kashim Shettima lamented on Saturday in Maiduguri that the Boko Haram insurgency had inflicted damage worth $9 billion on the Northeast.

According to a statement by Olusola Abiola, the Director of Information at the Office of the Vice President, Shettima stated this while inaugurating the distribution of palliatives in the North East.

He also performed the official groundbreaking for the construction of the 22.5km Jere Bowl road network project, covering Jere and Mafa LGAs in Borno, being undertaken by the North East Development Commission (NEDC).

The event coincided with the 8th meeting of the North East Governors Forum (NEGF).

According to the Vice President, Borno alone had damages worth $6.8 billion.

He said: “Boko Haram insurgency had inflicted damages in the northeast to the tune of $9 billion. There are similar destructions across Adamawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, and Taraba. If the Northeast of Nigeria were to be treated as a nation, we are poorer than Chad, Afghanistan, and Niger.”

Fubara places N100m bounty on criminal gang for ‘killing’ Rivers DPO

Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers, has placed N100 million bounty on the killers of Bako Angbashim, a superintendent of police, in the state.

Angbashim, a divisional police officer (DPO) in Ahoada, Ahoada east LGA of Rivers, was killed on Friday when his team ran into an ambush while returning from an operation.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Fubara said intelligence from the security agencies has linked one Gift David Okpara Okpolowu and his criminal gang for being responsible for the murder of the senior police officer.

The governor said Okpara and his gang have established camps in the area and are responsible for the resurgence of violent crimes, including kidnapping and terrorism in Ahoada east LGA of the state.

“As a responsible government, we cannot fold our arms and allow criminals and crimes to rear their ugly heads and thrive in any part of our state,” the governor said.

“First, the prime suspects, Mr. Gift David Okpara Okpolowu (a.k.a. 2-Baba) and all members of his criminal gang are hereby declared wanted.

“Secondly, a bounty of one hundred million (N100,000,000.00) naira is hereby placed on his head for anyone who gives useful information that would lead to his arrest and prosecution.”

The governor also suspended Cassidy Ikegbidi, a traditional ruler in the area, indefinitely for “acts of complicity in ceding control of his territory to the notorious David Gift and his gang to freely operate and carry out their criminal activities”.

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