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[quote author=]I feel the southeast get's sorted in this deal and it's unfortunate. There's no reason why the southeast shouldn't have a direct line to Abuja, this is ridiculous.[/quote]My thoughts exactly! Dat abuja-ajaokuta rail line should be extended to east, it doesn't make sense ending at ajaokuta. |
Another report!! The Federal Executive Council yesterday took a major step to ameliorate the transportation challenge in the country as it approved N1.334 billion for the commencement of work on new standard gauge railway lines. Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, who briefed newsmen, alongside the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar and Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen said the contract is for feasibility studies of five fast train lines across the country. He said the fast train lines are for Lagos-Osogbo-Abuja (615km), which could be covered within three hours with five stops; Lagos-Shagamu-Benin (300km); Ajaokuta- Obajana-Abuja (533km); Zaria-Sokoto- Illela (520km) and Benin-Onitsha-Aba (500km). Maku noted that the proposed new standard gauge railway lines will create total job opportunities for 51 professionals and 115 non-professionals. Giving an insight into the approval, Minister of Transport,Senator Umar, said some private investors have already signified interest in the projects as soon as feasibility studies are completed. He said government is desirous to see the project to its conclusion end pointing out that “the idea is to partner with the private sector to develop the high speed train lines. “There is going to be an international advertisement for investors to show interest. There is no question of fear that it’s going to be a white elephant project,” he said. Other approval granted were for the construction of Manyam-Ushongo-Lessel-Kartyo-Oju-Agila-Ongba, an inter-state road linking Benue State with its South Eastern state neighbours on the Enugu-Abakaliki road. The proposed road contract is awarded in favour of Messrs Tilley Gyado & Co, in the sum of N1,035,824,120.10, with a completion period of 14 months will facilitate access to markets, hospitals, schools and generally restore agro-economic and social activities within the host communities. |
asha 80: are you easily carried away?Why d Pessimism? Am sure d projects will be done on PPP! |
Fantastic!! Lagos to aba passing tru benin asaba onitsha owerri to aba!! Imagine lagos to abuja in three hrs!! I can go to abuja and come back d same day. D transport minister seems to be on d Top 3 working ministers in GEJ administration...lots of news coming out of his mininstry everyday |
Abuja – The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved N1.3 billion contracts for the design of five fast train lines across the country. The Minister of Transport, Alhaji Idris Umar, disclosed this after the Council meeting presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo, at the State House, Abuja. Umar said that the Council had approved the contracts to ease the burden of transportation across the country. “Today I brought a memo to Council seeking for the approval to award contract for consultancy services to carry out feasibility studies on five corridors. “The first is Lagos-Abuja. The Lagos-Abuja is intended to usher in the highest speed train system which is a distance of 615km. “It is our hope that the train can ply from Lagos- Abuja within a maximum period of three hours with about five stops. “The total contract sum for the five corridors is N1, 334, 405, 366.74 with a completion period of seven months.’’ The minister said that the light rail, which was conceived to ease transportation problems, would “compete favourably with the air industry’’. The second rail line is Lagos – Benin with a distance of 300km while the third will run from Ajaokuta – Abuja, a distance of 533km. The fourth and fifth, from Zaria – Illela and Benin to Aba covered 520km and 500km respectively. Umar said that government was committed to the resuscitation of the railway system in the country. He said that a double approach adopted included the rehabilitation of the existing narrow gauge rail lines and the resuscitation of the railway in the area of the modernisation. (NAN) www.vanguardngr.com/2012/09/fg-approves-n1-3bn-for-design-of-5-fast-train-lines/ |
Tech - South Africa’s 2go Beats Blackberry Messenger With 12.5 Million Users In Nigeria The South African social media App, 2go, has beaten Blackberry Messenger and dominates the Nigerian market with 12.5 million active users. 2go is a social networking mobile app that gained popularity in Nigeria over the past year. The app is particularly popular among students looking for cheap, non-SMS-based means of chatting with their friends free. 2go allows users to meet and interact with people within their location. “In total, it has over 20 million registered users, of which 3-3.5 million use it on a regular basis. Its biggest market is Nigeria 61 percent of total which has 12.5 m users, followed by South Africa 31 percent with 6.5 million users, followedby Kenya 4 percent and others 4 percent,” Balancing Act, a web analyst site disclosed. “The users are young: 74 percent are 15-24 year olds in South Africa and 60 percent in Nigeria. The gender balance is almost equal in South Africa with 49 percent women, but slightly more male in Nigeria with 64 percent men.” 2go user adoption is growing rapidly at approximately 50,000 new registrations a day. Its mobile currency, GoCredits, enables users to buy content, play games and message each other in chat rooms. In 2010, even with no funding and advertisement, the 2go messenger grew organically and it was the number one most searched term, according to Google search engine. 2go’s success lies in its simple, elegant user interface, nimble and highly scalable platform, and its support for Blackberry (with BIS integration) and over 800 feature phones (whichstill dominate handset penetration in Africa). On the other hand, Blackberry instant messaging is an application that uses a programme called Blackberry Messenger in sending and receiving messages. Blackberry Messenger allows all Blackberry users to send and receive instant messages on their Blackberry device. As at January, 2012, Blackberry has about 2.4 million users in Nigeria, 140 percent increase from the 1 million user number reported by industry analysts last year, Nigerian business news publication, Business Day reveals. According to a non-scientific mobile apps usage poll conducted by Nigeria Technology Guide, as at December, 2011, 2go is actually the top app used for social networking and chat by mobile subscribers in Nigeria. In the NTG survey on Nigeria’s best Instant Messaging (IM) app, 71 percent of the people voted in favour of 2go IM, while only 24 percent voted in favour of Blackberry messenger. The remaining voters chose others. Although 2go chat is popular, it is important to state that its popularity was more pronounced for Symbian smartphones and Nokia Series 40 feature phones. “2go was the second most popular app for both Symbian and Series 40 users. No BlackBerry respondent mentioned 2go, suggesting that Facebook, BlackBerry Messenger and Twitter areenough for BlackBerry subscribers. 2go chat wasalso popular with a few Android users,” NTG said. http://www.africaeagle.com/2012/09/tech-south-africas-2go-beats-blackberry.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+Africaeagle+(AfricaEagle)&m=1 |
The Pessimists have already started rolling in their comments! Kobojunkie is their queen! ![]() |
All those shouting govt shld do something,they should pump out the water...pump out d water go where? How u go pump an ocean of water! Do u guys even listen to urselve b4 u type. It is a natural disaster for crying out loud! The best dat can be done is to close d road direct traffic to alternative route,evcuate people from there and wait for the water to recede! |
White007: Good Job JTF!Guy u dey work for CIA? |
JTF is trouncing BH! But BH are still pulling offside counter attacks to stay relevant! |
Demdem: Where u carry the report go nowSorry I modified it on another post for easy reading with a pic... Seun should put a delete button of topics on nairaland abeg. Its unbelieveable that once u click d send button you can't delete dat post forever again. |
•How spokesman was tracked and killed •Islamist group fights back •Sect’s alleged accountant arrested with N4.5m cash in Zaria This is an exclusive report of how men of the Department of State Service, DSS, and the Joint Task Force, JTF, tracked and killed Abu Qaqa, the dreaded spokesman of the Jamaatu Ahlil Sunna Lidawati wal Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram, last Monday, in a suburb of Kano State, North West Nigeria. Just two days later, the JTF arrested a man alleged to be the sect’s book keeper while in transit to make some money transfers. He was carrying N4.5 million. But it is also the story of how the sect fought back, killing more people to prove that it would not go away just like that. ‘THE ACCOUNTANT’ comes to town The commuters in the bus did not know they were traveling in the company of a high-prize suspect. They also did not know that the suspect was carrying N4.5million in cash. Perhaps had there been a thief with premonition of what the suspect was carrying, the latter may not have made it to the JTF road block. But the money was neatly packed in a sack and the suspect looked just like the commuter sitting next to you in an inter state commuter bus. At the road block, the suspect did not betray any emotions. The bus was just about entering Zaria from Kano. Once the bus was stopped, all the passengers on board were requested to disembark. The JTF men knew their suspect having received information about his mode of dressing, the nature of the bag he was carrying, his height and other descriptive signs. The suspect had moved all the way from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital hours earlier. His first port of call was said to be Kano. Here, he was said to have entered a bank (names withheld) and made some money transfers to quite a number of persons and destinations. These transfers aroused the curiosity of the bank officials. He was in the company of another person. Between the time the bank officials made contact with the police and men of the JTF and a frenzied search commenced, the man alleged to be ‘THE ACCOUNTANT’ of the dreaded the Jamaatu Ahlil Sunna Lidawati wal Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram, had left Kano; but his counterpart, “a fairly younger person”, according to a JTF source, “was apprehended and brought in for questioning. It was during intense interrogation that the man volunteered the information that his friend was actually ‘THE ACCOUNTANT’ of Boko Haram”. Sunday Vanguard was informed by sources in Kano, Zaria and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, that the man in the custody of the JTF was the one who provided information about the description of his counterpart. It was these pieces of information that the JTF men in Zaria relied on to intercept the alleged ‘ACCOUNTANT’ When the vehicle was stopped at the road block, the commuters did not have any inkling of what was to happen next. “Everybody come down”, the JTF officer’s voice thundered. This had become a normal exercise for most commuters traveling in most parts of the affected areas of the North where Boko Haram had shown its presence. The JTF men on duty identified their man and reached for him once he alighted. On him was N4.5million in cash. He was promptly arrested and taken away. He is presently in detention and said to be “making useful statements”, a source said. Every attempt by Sunday Vanguard to get the name of the alleged ‘ACCOUNTANT’ failed. Even a commitment to act strictly confidentially was rebuffed. The name of the bank where the first money transfers were made in Kano and where the transfers were sent was not disclosed by the authorities. “We can not provide those details as the bank may become a target”, the source said. The arrest was carried out mid-day last Wednesday. THE KILLING OF QAQA It may never be known whether he would have done it. For Abu Qaqa, had he known that the care for his wife would lead to his death, the decision to head back to Kano last Monday may have been shelved. Information pieced together from the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, headquarters of the Department of State Service, DSS, Aso Rock Presidential Villa, also in Abuja, and Kano, suggest that Abu Qaqa likely took off from Gombe State. Once information filtered in early that the group’s spokesman had been killed, the mood inside Aso Rock Presidential Villa was one of ecstasy. Qaqa, who had been elusive from the security agents, headed for Kano from Gombe with the intention of getting a “needed medical help for the wife”, a very dependable security source volunteered. Unknown to Qaqa – just like most of the Boko Haram senior commanders – his movement was always being tracked. Mind you, earlier in the year when the DSS made some strategic arrests of some senior members of the sect, it was revealed that some super high-tech tracking devices purchased by the agency had made the tracking and arrests of some of the alleged terror suspects possible. It was these same devices – even more sophisticated ones recently acquired – that aided the Department in last week’s successful operation. Qaqa, his wife and children, along with some members of the sect, proceeded from Gombe to Kano, through Jigawa. The Boko Haram’s spokesman’s wife needed medical attention and he believed that it was only in Kano that he could get the best of medical attention. All attempts by Sunday Vanguard to ascertain the exact form of medical attention that Qaqa’s wife needed, and for which he had to make the long distance movement from Gombe to Kano, proved abortive. And because the JTF operatives were tracking him, they knew exactly where to lay ambush. At Mariri, on the outskirts of Kano, the JTF operatives waited patiently. Relying on the tracking signals, they sighted the vehicle in which Qaqa and his family were traveling and opened fire. It was a risky and daring operation. Some other reports made claims which suggested that Qaqa was not the only adult male in the vehicle; that there were at least two other men who were said to be bodyguards. The operatives, it was revealed, carefully evacuated the woman and the children in the car, while at the same time being mindful of any possibility of a suicide bombing attempt. “The operatives were very careful in taking possession of the woman and the children because she may have been wearing a suicide vest”, a source said. The woman was discovered to be Qaqa’s wife. And whereas she reportedly claimed that she was merely being escorted to Kano, “it was later established that the man killed in the vehicle was the husband and the trace equally established that he was our man”, the source disclosed. This happened last Monday morning. OTHER BREAKTHROUGHS It was gathered that it was during interrogation that the wife made some disclosures abouty locations that would later prove to be very useful to security operatives. For instance, it was during interrogation that the operatives got to know that a raid on the Hotoro area of Kano municipal would yield further breakthroughs. Therefore, a team of the Joint Task Force, JTF, stormed the hideout of the Boko Haram sect in Hotoro area of Kano municipality, Monday night, where one of the commanders of the group was killed, while two other members were arrested during the combat operation. Sunday Vanguard was told that the military action followed intelligence report indicating the presence of high profile sect members, who had been on the wanted list of security agents in the area. Our source further revealed that the daylight operation involving several infantry and counter-terrorism officers was swift and ended within half an hour. Sources, however, refused to divulge the identity of the “top commander” killed during the operation and those taken into custody, pointing out that “what matters at the moment is the success recorded during the military action”. Residents were apprehensive when a military helicopter was seen hovering the skyline of the city indicating a major military operation. But that was not all. THE SAFE HOUSES Sources in Abuja disclosed that the arrest of some commanders of Boko Haram sect during the Hotoro operation also yielded positive intelligence gathering results. It was through the confessions of the sect commanders arrested that the JTF men got to know of the safe houses. Two locations – poles apart and at extreme ends – were revealed as places where the sect’s safe houses were domiciled. One was located at Rimi-Kebe. The other, at Rijiyar’Zaki. Both houses reportedly belonged to Qaqa. The house at Rimi-Kebe was described by a source as very “loaded”. It was there that a cache of communications equipment comprising laptops, computer Central Processing Units, CPS, computer monitors, telephone handsets and the like were recovered. A statement by the spokesman of the JTF in Kano, Lt. Ikediche Iweha, titled, “Update on capture of Boko Haram terrorists on September 17, 2012, said, “Following further operation in the suspects heavily wired IED hideout, the following items were recovered: Two AK 47 rifles, two pump action rifles, one berretta rifle, one smoke discharger, 433 rounds of 7.62 Nato ammunition, 80 rounds of 7.62 special ammunition, 2 AK 47 magazines, 36 prepared IEDs, 13 laptops, two motorcycles, four printers, one photocopier, one 33 slots zenith disc writer, one TG 3900Ez generator set, religious books, large quantity of CD plates, two decoders, two satellite dish, one 21′’ television set, one DVD player, 2 bags of urea fertilizer, one elite dry cell 12v battery, one blue gate UPS, one stabilizer, 10 hand held Motorola radios and 5 battery chargers.” The JTF further said, “This latest encounter with the terrorist group has foiled its planned attack to wreak havoc on the good people of Kano State. It has equally further depleted the capacity of the terrorist group to operate. The JTF would like to use this medium to reiterate its resolve to continue to work assiduously towards the protection of lives and property in the state. The relative peace which Kano enjoys today can be attributed to the collective effort and prayers of the good people of Kano State.” The JTF appealed to the general public to continue to volunteer information while assuring utmost confidentiality in dealing with such information. “Residents are therefore enjoined to go about their normal lawful business activity without any fear as security agents are ready and will respond swiftly to any treat to life and property in any part of the state,” it added. But the victory of the task force, however, came on a day some terrorists, alleged to be Boko Haram members, killed the Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice, Borno State, Mr Zannah Mallam Gana, and a former Comptroller General of the Nigerian Prisons, Alhaji Ibrahim Jarma Katagun, in Bauchi. QAQA WITH MANY LIVES But this would not be the first time that Qaqa would be reported to have been apprehended by security agents. There were indications in mid-April, this year, via speculations, that the group may have silenced its self-styled spokesman and replacement for the arrested Abu Qaqa. Security sources disclosed that “Abu Qaqa” -11 may have been killed on the orders of the sect’s leader, Abubakar Shekau. The leader of the sect came out to deny this vehemently. He may have been proved right with the killing of another top commander of the sect who was, last week, identified as the real Abu Qaqa. The report, which was denied earlier, speculated that a certain Mohammed Anwal Kontagora, who hailed from Kontagora, Niger State, may have also metamorphosed into and was also known as Abu Dardaa, Mohammed Shuaibu, Mohammed Bello, Abu Tiamiya and Abdulrahman Abdullahi. He was reportedly arrested in January this year. He reportedly took the name Abu Qaqa in February after the original Abu Qaqa was alleged to have been arrested. Sources familiar with terrorists’ propaganda machinery however made Sunday Vanguard to understand that the sect may have mastered the art of deception by repeatedly using the generic name Abu Qaqa for its spokes person. “Don’t be surprised if tomorrow the sect comes out to deny that Abu Qaqa was killed; or when another statement is issued by the sect with another Abu Qaqa signing the statement. It is part of the mind games that the sect appears to have mastered. But, increasingly, the security agencies are also doing their bit to contain the dastardly acts of the sect”, one of the sources explained. JTF A very dependable intelligence source whom Sunday Vanguard approached with a view to having access into the inner workings of the JTF simply said “this is not the time to begin to discuss such matters”. The very senior intelligence source said: “When we are satisfied with the level of containment, then we can begin to write the history of who did what, where, when and how. But, for now, all I can tell you is that the JTF is made up of men of the DSS and military men. The DSS operatives provide the Intel after a recon and even, in most cases, make the initial movement into areas of engagement with the military providing the necessary back up – although there are times when the military go solo after being provided with Intel from the men of the DSS”. www.vanguardngr.com/2012/09/war-on-terror-victory-against-boko-haram-in-sight/
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chino24: Nwanne mu are sure somebody has'nt hacked your account. Isn't the same 'billante' I used to know..?Yeah my acct was hacked! I Just killed d idi^t dat hacked it now... ![]() Back to d topic! I just read a press conference address by the igwe of aguleri somewhere on dis forum 2day! I think I hav gotten dat assuring argument that anambra oil well 1 and 2 OPL 916 of the anambra basin is domicile in anambra state! The igwe gave a historical evidence of the well being in aguleri...I think am more confident of anambra winning dis battle after reading dat address than the old childish argument that kogi and enugu folded their hands and didn't invest and now want to reap where they didn't sow even though d wells might be domicile in their land....cause if the case goes to court, the judge will just laugh at anambra and give victory to kogi......because u invested in someones land doesn't make u d landlord. If you ask me I think every interested party is needed on board of orient dream! Not dis our own our own war dat is going on... Lots investment is needed in dat area! Refineries,gas plants,Power plants,oil deports,airport,industries,housing estates,tourism facilities etc... kogi, enugu state and every other investor that is interested can bring funds to be added to d pool of big capital that is needed to maximize the huge potenial lying on dat basin,and everybody will benefit according to what u invested...anambra will benefit more because all orient taxes will be going to anambra beacuse it is an anambra registered company with headquaters at awka |
Chino are you saying there is no way possible the president could be wrongly informed!? N5000 note was just recently stopped after being approved by the national economic council headed by d president....so that argument dnt hold water!! I still haven't gotten a strong point or proof from anambra argument...I think they should come up with some tangible argument. |
You have pipe born water and u dey talk! We wey never see pipe born water for my side since we came to lagos wetin u go call dat one! |
A factory manufacturing component parts for the Abuja Light Railway Project of which work is at an advanced stage
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More pic of the ongoing abuja light rail!
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afam4eva: Isn't this stealing?? How can you sell something that's not yours.My thoughts exactly....what kind of revenue generation pass this one?! Because i violate their so called traffic laws that sometimes is not my fault, cause most of their roads don't have one way sign! And they change the direction of the one way as it pleases them...they will claim ownership of a car I bought 4-5 million and I will loose my car. That stealing in d highest order! What happened to d fine. |
The next thing we will hear is that sanusi has tendered his resignation!! Have a feeling dats wat is going to happen. |
ITbomb: Point of Correction.Hahaha! Dude u funny! |
ak47mann: i didn't even no that anambra is number 3 in highest gas reserve in Nigeria listen to GEJ.. that is a lot of gas in anambra basin.....That's why every interested party is needed on board of orient! Not dis our own our own war dat is going on... Lots investment is needed in dat area! Refineries gas plants,Power plants,oil deports,airport,industries,housing estates,tourism facilities etc... kogi, enugu state and every other investor that is interested can bring funds to be added to d pool of big capital that is needed to maximize the huge potenial lying on dat basin,and everybody will benefit according to what u invested...anambra will benefit more because all orient taxes will be going to anambra beacuse it is an anambra registered company with headquaters at awka. |
usmanyaro17: I don't think he will go back to crime again,his actions are showing a reformed man...Hmmm! Its seems like u know shekau well! Why are u not giving it to JTF |
Since boko haram has not released an email or video denying the killing of abu QaQa since monday! Dat means he was d one actually killed. Good job JTF! It remains abubakar shekua, they should smoke out that beast! Just Hidding somewhere like a rat. |
Zeus I: Barbarian pig! That feigns being an Igbo.Who be dis one?? You are behind ur computer pushing for war dat u no go follow fight! *ignored* |
The military Joint Task Force today further dealt a massive blow to the operational capabilty of the terrorist group Boko Haram following a successful operation launched at the group's command and control center in Kano. Recall that two members of the sect had been captured yesterday after a gun battle with the military and officers of the SSS. One of those captured is believed to be Abu Qada, the group's spokesman and "media coordinator." The JTF in a statement emailed to THEWILL said,"Following further operation in the suspects heavily wired IED hideout, the following items were recovered: Two AK 47 rifles, Two Pump Action Rifles, One Berretta Rifle, One Smoke Discharger, 433 rounds of 7.62 Nato ammunition, 80 rounds of 7.62 special ammunition, 2 AK 47 magazines, 36 Prepared IEDs, 13 Laptops, Two motorcycles, Four Printers,One photocopier, One 33 slots Zenith Disc writer, One TG 3900Ez Generator set, Religious Books, large quantity of CD plates, Two decoders, Two Satellite dish, One 21'' Television set, One DVD player, 2 Bags of Urea fertilizer, One Elite dry cell 12v battery, One blue gate UPS, One stabilizer, 10 Hand held Motorola radios and 5 Battery chargers." The JTF further said, "this latest encounter with the terrorist group have foiled its planned attack to wreck havoc on the good people of Kano state.It has equally further depleted the capacity of the terrorist group to operate. The JTF would like to use this medium to reiterate its resolve to continue to work assiduously towards the protection of lives and property in the state. "The relative peace which Kano enjoys today can be attributed to the collective effort and prayers of the good people of Kano State." The JTF appealed to the general public to continue to volunteer information while assuring the utmost confidentiality in dealing with such information. "Residents are therefore enjoined to go about their normal lawful business activity without any fear as security agents are ready and will respond swiftly to any treat to life and property in any part of the state," the JTF added [img]http://thewillnigeria.com/files.php?file=nab3_357636388.jpg[/img] [img]http://thewillnigeria.com/files.php?file=nab2_568761731.jpg[/img] [img]http://thewillnigeria.com/files.php?file=nab1_292477717.jpg[/img] [img]http://thewillnigeria.com/files.php?file=nab4_447572487.jpg[/img] http://www.thewillnigeria.com/politics/16205-JTF-Takes-Over-Boko-Harams-Command-Control-Center-Confiscate-Gadgets-Guns-Bombs.html |
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chino24: Right on point.. |
strangest: Were you in the same class with one Patience?Buhahahaha abeg help me ask am! The guy wan use english tear my belle here. ![]() |
Mr. Globe:I pity you...I always speak d truth. Whether it benefits me or not |
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