News Rider

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja As attacks on Christians and others persist, the United States of America has deployed 100 military personnel to Nigeria to strengthen the fight against insurgency.  Confirming the presence of foreign troops, the Defence Spokesperson, Samaila Uba said that the deployment followed a recent security agreement between Nigeria and the US. The US personnel, who arrived at Bauchi airfield with military equipment are expected to assist in training members of the Nigerian Armed Forces while providing technical support and intelligence sharing.  Uba said: "The collaboration will provide access to specialised technical capabilities aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s ability to deter terrorists’ threats and enhance the protection of vulnerable communities across the country." He noted that US personnel are not combat forces, adding that all training activities will be conducted under the authority, direction and control of the Federal Government and in cl...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The original inhabitants, visitors and settlers are set to experience new lease of life with transformative projects in Mambila Plateau, 64 years after it was conceived.  Part of the projects are Bali–Serti (Gashaka)–Gembu road; Gembu–Mbamnga–Yang (Lip) road; and special intervention on failed sections of Jalingo-Mutum Biyu-Tella-Wukari road caused by flooding.  At the conclusion of National Media Tour of the North East, officials of the Federal Ministry of Works visited the projects, all cited in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State.  The Gembu–Mbamnga–Yang (Lip) road, which links to the Cameroon border, alongside other interventions were conceived to improve livelihoods in the communities.  Recall that on February 11, 1961, a United Nations-supervised plebiscite was held in the British-administered Northern Cameroons. As majority of the residents voted to join the Federation of Nigeria rather than the Republic of Cameroon...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja Committed to transforming the livelihoods of Nigerians, the Federal Government has delivered life-changing roads in Adamawa State. In continuation of its nationwide media tour, the Federal Ministry of Works commissioned Cham-Numan section of the Gombe–Yola Road, which is one of the 2,064 projects inherited from previous the governments.  The road, which is the only artery that connects Gombe State to Adamawa, was rehabilitated in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu to provide world-class infrastructure that will boost development in the country.  Federal Controller of Works for Adamawa State, Engr. Dimas Tuwai described the route as an economic corridor bedeviled by years of neglect.  He explained that issues arising from variations in scope and design necessitated the use of bolders’ fill instead of stone base, leading to an augmentation of the contract sum to about ₦16 billion from its initial ₦9 billion when it w...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja Members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) have applauded the Federal Government for the rehabilitation of roads in Bauchi that links to Gombe and Adamawa States.  The roads are among the 260 Emergency/Special Intervention Projects launched at the inception of APC's administration in May 2023, meant to restore critically damaged portions of Federal highways across the country. Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Gombe State Chapter, Comrade Faruk Mu'azu described the rehabilitation as timely and impactful.  "If you can recall vividly, the road was not motorable, but with the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Works, movement is free and without hitches." Mu’azu who commissioned the project on behalf of the Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the award of contract for the dualisation of the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe road. He emphasised that the expansion of t...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Federal Government has vowed the speedy completion of Maiduguri–Monguno Road (Section I) in Borno State despite security and logistical challenges. During the media tour of the Northeast zone in Maiduguri, the Federal Controller of Works in the state, Engr. Salihu Adamu assured Nigerians that the project will be completed irrespective of persistent security and logistical constraints.  "The biggest challenge faced by the contractor is insecurity. There are pockets of attacks on the highways, and this forced them to take longer and safer routes to source construction materials," he said.  The project was initially awarded in 2018 to QUMECS (Nigeria) Limited at a contract sum of ₦21.73 billion, traversing 105.6 kilometres. Following a technical review and scope adjustment, the project was revised to incorporate a flexible pavement structure with asphaltic concrete shoulders, bringing the current contract sum to ₦28.37 billion to reflect pre...

The police have opened up on the intricacies surrounding the Wednesday bomb explosion at Bayelsa State Secretariat Complex in Yenagoa.  Findings indicated that the explosion, which occurred at about 6:00am, prompted swift action from security operatives to prevent colossal damage.  An eye witness revealed that the Bayelsa State Government ordered a temporary four-hour suspension of activities at the secretariat.  Also, the Head of Service, Dr Wisdom Ebiye Sawyer directed the civil servants to keep away from the scene pending the completion of security checks.  Though the area was cordoned off immediately after the explosion, activities gradually returned to the area after police inspection.  But in a statement, the Command Spokesperson, Musa Mohammed said that operatives of the Explosive Ordinance Unit were able to contain the explosion and recovered one other unexploded device. The statement reads: "The Bayelsa State Police Command wish to inform th...