₦airaland Forum

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos office, on Thursday, December 6, 2018, arraigned Adewale Dalmeida, Ibrahim Lawal and Lukman Adam, who are employees of Dangote Cement, Ibese, Ogun State, and one Afeez Olaniba before Justice O. J. Bamgbose of the High Court of Ogun State, Abeokuta on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing to the tune of N15m (Fifteen Million Naira). This is according to a statement released by the anti-graft agency. Read part of the statement below.

The complainant, Dangote Cement, alleged that Dalmeida, a Fleet Analyst; Lawal, Chief Driver; Adam, a Ghanaian driver and Olaniba, who is an agent of a contractor to the company, diverted nine trucks carrying 800 bags of cement each valued at over N15m.

The defendants were said to have diverted the trucks carrying the bags of cement, which were meant for the company's customers in Togo, using fake identification cards and number plates.

Count one reads: " That you, Adewale Dalmeida, Ibrahim Lawal, Afeez Olaniba and Lukman Adam, between May and August, 2018 at Ibese, within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, conspired amongst yourselves to commit felony, to wit: stealing of the sum of N15, 940, 800.00 00 (Fifteen Million, Nine Hundred and Forty Thousand, Eight Hundred Naira) property of Dangote Cement Place".

The suspects pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them.

In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Idris Mohammed, asked the court for a trial date and also prayed that the defendants be remanded in prison custody.

The prosecution counsel also told the court that the defendants had not filed any application for bail before the court.

Consequently, counsels to the defendants prayed the court to move oral application for bail on behalf of their clients, arguing that “they have been in the EFCC custody since September.”

The defence counsels further urged the court to remand the defendants in the EFCC custody pending the hearing of their bail applications.

However, the prosecution counsel opposed the prayers of the defence counsels to remand the defendants in the EFCC custody

Justice Bamgbose remanded the defendants in Ibara Prison custody, Abeokuta, Ogun State and adjourned till December 17, 2018 for hearing of the bail applications and commencement of trial.

Football legend, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé has stated that he is out of the league of five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi and there is no basis for comparison.
Pele said, Lionel Messi “only has one skill”, and even his fellow Argentine Diego Maradona was “much better” than him, reports Goal.com.
Pele suggested that the 31-year-old is one-dimensional and too reliant on his left foot to be compared to other iconic figures at the top of the football game.
A man, who netted over 1000 goals in his career and won the World Cup on three occasions told Brazillian media, Folha de Sao Paulo, “How can you make a comparison between a guy who heads the ball well, shoots with the left, shoots with the right and another who only shoots with one leg, only has one skill and doesn’t head the ball well?”
“How can you compare? To compare with Pele, it has to be someone who shoots well with the left, shoots well with the right, and scores headers.”
Pele added, “As far as I’m concerned, Maradona was one of the best players ever. If you ask me, ‘Was he better than Messi?’ Yes, he was. Much better.
“[Franz] Beckenbauer, [Johan] Cruyff were also excellent players.”

“I don’t share any booty from any government. I have a clear conscience. I am dangerously wealthy. I am rich, whatever I want, comes. That’s what they call wealth,” the Bishop said.

“It is not something that we organise; it is by the hand of God. You can be upset, it won’t change anything,” he said

A mother and her child were on Tuesday burnt to death in a lone accident that involved a white Mazda bus at Onigari axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, the Public Relations Officer, Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abeokuta.

Akinbiyi said the accident was caused by a tyre that burst while the vehicle was in motion which resulted in the vehicle falling on its side before catching fire.


“The lone accident occurred around 2:50pm and it involved a white Mazda bus with registration number EKY 616 XW.

“The rear tyre of the vehicle burst while in motion, and it fell on its side and caught fire.

“We learnt the bus was coming from Iwo Road Ibadan, heading towards Lagos when the accident occurred at Onigari axis of the Expressway.

“15 people were involved in the accident, 9 were injured while a woman and her child were burnt to death in the accident,” he said.

The TRACE spokesman explained that the two dead victims were taken to Ade-Oyo Hospital Morgue, Ibadan, while the injured were taken to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu.

"Assalam yan uwa da abokai, wannan yarinyar sunanta Asma'u (Uwani) kanwata ce, ta bata yau sati biyu sanadiyar matsalar iska (Jin) sun dauketa a gidan mijinta don Allah wanda Allah yasa yaga wannan fuskar a wani guri da ya taimaka ya kira wannan layi 08146323422 a kuma tayamu addua Allah ya bayyana muna ita cikin koshin lafiya da aminci.
Nagode

Hello everyone The photos above is my immediate sister, her name is Asmau (Uwani) we lost her today marked 2 weeks exactly due to Sprit problem (Jin), they took her away from her husband's house after she finished cooking for him, Please if any one see her around please endvor to call me on +2348146323422 Otherwise please please solitite her in your prayers may Allah help her out of this and make it easy 4 us to find her whereabout. Thank you"

A Nigerian man, Mike Obioma, has shared the heartbreaking video showing the moment a Nigerian couple lost their child in a government-owned hospital because they had no money to pay doctors for them to commence treatment.

Obioma who says he has gone as a spy to several hospitals with a camera planted on him, shared the video on his Facebook page and wrote

''Imagine a country where little babies die helplessly.

So I went undercover to some government hospitals, planted camera on myself to show you the level of corruption and ineptitude in our Nigerian hospitals. In the past months have travelled to more than 10 government hospitals in Abuja, Nasarawa, Benue and Plateau State NorthCentral Nigeria.
This shocking Live Video is one of the numerous babies I watched die right there in a government funded hospital. Infact this particular hospital this was the 3rd baby that died within 8 hours of my stay there.

This man Mr Christopher had rushed his baby boy to the hospital that day. He was showing signs of severe illness. One doctor attended to him and told him to go buy card the baby needs to be placed on oxygen. Mr Christopher after buying the card pleaded that he didn't have enough money but he will call his relatives in a bit that treatment should commence immediately to save his boy's life. All those fell on deaf ears he was abandoned there like an animal until his son passed away right inside the hospital. I was the one who gave Christopher 500 naira to go home with his profusely weeping wife and bury his child. I have been calling him since then I have his phone number. I feel deeply sorry for this man.

Rice importation into Nigeria would end by 2020, the Policy Adviser of the John Kufuor Foundation (JKF), Hon. Abraham Dwuma, has said.

He also said that Africa Rice Advocacy Platform (ARAP) under the JKF was also focused to achieve zero importation of rice on the continent.

Dwuma told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin that the Africa Rice Advocacy Platform (ARAP) had created a rice value chain to achieve this.

”Two years from now, Nigeria should have no business importing rice because I have travelled the length and breadth of the country and I know the potentials.

”Kebbi State alone can produce all the rice Nigeria needS; talk more of Sokoto and even Kwara.

“‘For, example, in Akwa Ibom, they have one of the best lands for rice production.

”When we came to Nigeria, farmers were doing 1.5 tonnes per hectare, now they are doing six tonnes per hectare two times in a year.

”We believe that with this platform, we will get there,” Dwuma said.

He said the foundation was borne out of the desire of former Ghanaian President, John Kufuor, to ensure that African farmers earn a living from rice production.

”When Kufuor won the World Food Prize, he said he realised that African farmers need a voice, then, if they need a voice, we have to bring them together.

”So, there was a need to do what we call the advocacy platform in four chosen countries; Ghana, Burkina Faso, Tanzania and Nigeria.

”Through this platform, we are not only talking to the government but to the farmers to improve their quality, their quantity and their work,” Dwuma said.

He, however, noted that for the value chain to be sustainable, it should be supported by business modules.

”What we are doing now is that we are creating the rice value chain and for this value chain to be sustainable, we need to be supported by business modules at all levels of the cabin.

”We are creating what we call business modules. For instance, if someone is an input dealer, he will be able to bring the right input to farmers and the farmers are being educated to do it well,” he said.

Also speaking, Secretary General of ARAP, Alhaji Abdulrauf Lawal, said the platform had made rice production easy in order to halt importation.

”It is a pity that we spend over a billion naira per day to import rice, that is N365 billion per year which can be used to venture into other things like youth employment and improvement of social amenities.

”We are using this much to import when we can plant rice in Nigeria; we have various types of rice; swamp rice and irrigated rice that will start growing with good water and climate.

“With the value chain that we are creating now from production, processing to marketing and consumption, it will get better,” he said.

Lawal, who doubles as the Deputy National Vice President of Nigeria Rice Advocacy Platform, however, noted that the platform was collaborating with the state chapters of the platform to support them.

“The platform was established in 2013 and it comprises of the seed producers, the mechanisation providers, the financial institutions, the processors and the farmers.

”We give the state chapters’ technology, seedlings and inputs for them to produce well because if the input isn’t good, the products won’t be good.

”We are also making their job easier by mechanising them to remove drudgery in rice farming,” Lawal said.

He, however, appealed for sponsorship for the platform to achieve its aim.

”Our major source of funding is Kufuor, but it is not enough, we need more people like him, most especially within Nigeria.

“ If Nigeria develops, the West Africa sub-region will develop; we will be a net exporter of rice,” Lawal said.

‘I have plans for all Nigerians. I am not a male chauvinist. If I’m a chauvinist will I give the Finance Ministry to women?’’ .

‘Those in the North East will tell you that in spite of the recent setbacks, there is a difference between the time we came and before. We are not doing badly on security, economy and agriculture. We have virtually stopped the importation of food especially rice and we are saving a lot of money. We now have food security and that has come with fiscal security because a lot of young educated people have not regretted going back to the farms and earning a respectable living. I am afraid, this is not receiving good publicity… but a lot of people in the rural areas are enjoying the benefits of our interventions in agriculture,’’ he said.

THE Sarkin Fulani of Lagos State, Alhaji Mohammed Bambado has urged the governorship candidate of the All progressive Congress, APC, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to remember the Arewa community in Lagos State if God assists him to become governor next year.

The Fulani monarch made the request while welcoming Sanwo-Olu, who paid a courtesy visit to his palace in Surulere for royal blessings towards the next February general elections. According to Bambado, many a times, various candidates visited the palace with a lot of promises but at the end, the Arewa Community was forgotten after they have been able to achieve their aims. However, the monarch sai that, “with Babajide Sanwo-Olu and people around him, the Arewa Community will see changes and to achieve that, the Arewa Community should be part of the Government, not minding being minority but we are an important stakeholders and we contribute to the economic development of Lagos State.” In his response, Mr Sanwo-Olu commended theleadership of Alhaji Bambado the Sarkin Fulani of Lagos for the peaceful atmosphere in his domain and the firm control of his subjects.

The Nigerian Army on Thursday said its troops killed four Boko Haram terrorists when they attempted to attack 118 Battalion location at Arege village in Borno.

The army said in its twitter handles that on Nov. 28, the troops successfully repelled the terrorists’ attack, killed several of them and recovered high caliber weapons.

It disclosed that the terrorists suffered heavy casualties and fled in disarray leaving behind four dead bodies of their members.

“Boko Haram met their waterloo and suffered heavy casualties yesterday evening Nov. 28, 2018; when they attempted to infiltrate 118 Battalion location at Arege in Abadam Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno.

“The terrorists were completely routed by the troops, neutralising many of them while others fled in disarray due to superior firepower. As a result, they hastily evacuated most of their corpses under the cover of darkness.

“However, during exploitation of the general area at dawn, the gallant troops discovered four Boko Haram terrorists’ corpses and recovered the following weapons- one Anti Aircraft Gun, four AK 47 rifles and one Light Machine Gun,’’ the army said.

It added that other items recovered included 100 Anti Aircraft rounds, 185 Light Machine Gun rounds, four AK47 magazines, 54 AK47 rounds, and one MOWAG Propeller.

About six youth age 16 to 23 years parked their wheelbarrows containing peeled bundles of sugarcanes along Katako Junction in Jos North local government area of Plateau state.
That’s their usual place of assemblage after they come back from sugarcane market in Farin Gada before they disperse to hawk the cane from street to street in the city of Jos.

On the wheelbarrows the sugarcane cut to size are arranged on the plank and tighten with black rubber bands in order to keep them together when the wheelbarrow was in motion. Each piece is sold for between N20 to N100, defending on the size.
The sugarcane sellers are all over the placwe along major roads, football fields, viewing centres and recreational centres among others places in the city.
Sugarcane is a source of sugar, which is obtained from its sweet sap.
These sellers as Daily Trust confirmed came to Jos for sugarcane business from neighbouring Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano and Jigawa states.
According to them one can start selling sugarcane in Jos if he has a minimum capital of N1, 400 after he gets wheelbarrow, plank to place on the wheelbarrow, rubber bands, bottle for spraying water on the sugarcane to prevent it from drying and a big white nylon for covering the sugarcane from flies.
The sellers mostly farmers are in the business to enable them get money to buy farm inputs for the next farming season, while others engage in the business to cater for their immediate needs.
Source noticed that the sugarcane sellers who usually arrive in Jos after harvesting their crops have now been experiencing a sales boom.
Daily Trust reporter, who visited the sugarcane market at Farin Gada and Kwanar Shagari both in Jos North Local Government Area observed that the dealers are making brisk business.
The Chairman of the sugarcane dealers in Farin Gada Market, Zaharaddeen Sani said the trade has provided a source of livelihood to hundreds of youths.
“Though it is seasonal, but the business is indeed a good and profitable venture because I make a living out of it,” he said.
Sani sold between 10 and 20 bundles of sugarcane daily, selling each bundle at the cost N1, 700.
Yusuf Ado, 17 who came from Wudil town of Kano state started the business last two years, but was able to take care of his needs and even went home with the sum of N100, 000 last year.
“I like the sugarcane business,” Ado said, “it is profitable, like today I bought one bundle of sugarcane at the sum of N1, 500, but out of it I can make extra N1, 600 as profit, last year I went home with sum of N100, 000, this excluding feeding and my transport fares,” he said.
Another sugarcane seller, Rilwanu Danyaya, 18, from Jigawa state was attracted to venture after he realized that the business is lucrative.
“The business is lucrative, if you are not lazy you would make a lot of money, like me on a normal day I do make N1, 300 or even more,” he said.
Danyaya who, after finishing primary school didn’t further his education, averagely makes a profit of N1, 000 and above from sugarcane sales daily.
He said, “My parents are poor and I cannot afford to go to school. I told myself I wouldn’t beg, now I can take care of my immediate needs and even help my parents.
“But if I would get a sponsor I want to further my education, I have a dream of becoming a medical doctor,” he said.
Magaji Hassan, 22 from Kaduna state, who started the sugarcane business three years ago, learnt the business from his elder brother who now abandoned the business to drive a taxi after he was able to save money and buy Vectra car.
“I started the business after I finished secondary school education, my elder brother introduced me to the business, he gave me his wheelbarrow and other things, and I am now enjoying the business.”
Press also gathered that most of the sugarcane traders are either out of school or have abandoned school as result of poverty. Many say they would go back to school they raise enough money or find sponsors

On Facebook, the schools' Student Union no longer use "women". Their posts feature words like "womxn’s yoga" and "womxn’s events". King's College now refer to their women physics club as "KCL Womxn in Physics" club.
The word has also been included in the Urban Dictionary. It describes the term womxn as:
a spelling of “women” that is a more progressive term that not only sheds light on the prejudice, discrimination, and institutional barriers womxn have faced, but to also show that womxn are not the extension of men (as hinted by the classic Bible story of ) but their own free and separate entities. More intersectional than because it includes trans-women and women of colour.
In the 1970s, the word "womyn" was used to delete the term man and the theory that Eve came from the body of Adam in the Bible. However that proved controversial because it was seen as being associated with white, cisgender feminism.
Many people have complained about the word "womxn" and, adding that they do not know how to say it.
Back in October, the Wellcome Institute apologised after advertising a four-day event aimed at "womxn". But Goldsmiths has no plan to stop using "womxn".
A spokeswoman for the Goldsmiths Student Union said:
Womxn is used to demonstrate our commitment to inclusiveness. No student has complained about its use.
The universities and the unions are separately governed and the universities say they have no plans to scrap the words.

Late Mrs. Anthonia Aniemene was married to late Elder Emma Aniemene in 1981 prior to that she came from Umejizu in Umuriabo Eziagulu Out Aguleri. Her husband is from Umunnoke Ivite Aguleri.
Her husband late Emma Aniemene has a landed property along Idigo Road, Amaeze Aguleri with five buildings, one decked building and four bungalows, they said land was a gift that the late Igwe Aguleri gave to his father, as a reward for his service to him.
That the late Elder Emma Aniemene has an Elder brother, from a different mother, whose name is late Mr. John Aniemene who when their father died sold the said property throwing both Elder Emma and his mother out in homelessness.

That the late Emma and his mother together with one Rev. Father contributed money paid the man that bought the said land double of what he bought the land, thereby reclaiming the land.

That late Emma Aniemene single handedly developed the property and later called back his elder brother who was now on self-exile and gave him one bedroom apartment since he was now homeless.

That the late John Aniemene had an only son, Chimezie Aniemene, who practically was trained in school by Emma and wife but because he being not too intelligent was asked to learn a trade in the Onitsha main market, then after learning the trade, he was duly settled by his master, but he spent all his fortunes in revelings and riotous living and soon began to be in want.

That Chimezie at this time got married and because he couldn’t feed his family left Onitsha to Aguleri to start dragging house rent with Mrs. Anthonia in her husband’s property.

Chimezie and wife at countless number of times had beaten Anthonia, destroyed her house and economic trees and emotional trauma on her, because they felt she had no child.

That because of these torture and oppression Anthonia Anieme became hypertensive, diabetic and depressed and that this sickness was known to all Aniemene family member yet no one came to her rescue.
That this matter of land tussle had been brought before the larger family and he had been asked severally to leave the woman and her husband’s property alone, yet he refused.

That on the 2nd of January, I personally went to see Mrs Anthonia Aniemene who happens to be my Aunt and foster mother, she asked me to drop her off at Ivite Aguleri, that the Aniemene’s have put a meeting to reconcile the issue, only for her to get there one Mr. Joe Aniemene, ,Chibuzor Aniemene, and Chukwudi Aniemene bundle her in a waiting vehicle to an unknown destination. They bought a juju priest, who mixed a substance and asked her to drink it, she refused, telling them that it is against her faith, meanwhile they had already torn her clothes, her bra and undies and made her naked. They tortured her beat her and forced her to drink the concoction (attached are the photos and videos of what they did to her). Not taking into cognizance that she was under hypertensive and diabetic management, everything about her health took a downward turn from that moment till she died.
That we went to Out-ocha Divisional Police to make entry and they gave us officers to go with us, the Animene family beat up both the people and the officers that went.
(attached is Mr. Chukwudi Aniemene’s confession on facebook, boasting that they really beat up the police officers).
That since that day they gave her the substance that her health deteriorated and there was no medical solution, I have taken her to at least five hospital that gave up on her case, till she died.
That, that to prove that her husband people are complicit in her death that up till now they have not asked and they have not visited us. That all the emissaries we sent to inform them of her death were ignored.

MY PRAYERS

That the killers of my Aunt, namely, Chimezie Aninmene and wife, Joe Aniemene, Chibuzoe Aniemene ,Chukwudi Aniemene and others be brought to book and tried
That Chimezie be arrested and family be made to exit the said property indefinitely so as to allow us conduct proper burial for our sister.
That they write undertaking concerning the safety of both me and my family (Attached is the pacebook death threat Chukwudi Aniemene sent to me).



See photos and Facebook comments between the said Chukwudi Aniemene and the poster Agozie Ofuonye below.

Ecobank branch in Omu-Aran, Kwara, closed since May, 2013, following a robbery attack has begun skeletal services, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
A News Agency of Nigeria correspondent reports that, although the bank had yet to throw its gate open to customers, the bank’s Automated Teller Machines (ATM) had been activated and functioning.
Scores of customers were seen queuing up to make transactions on the ATM’s when News Agency of Nigeria visited the bank’s premises along Aperan Way in the metropolis on Tuesday morning.
The bank was among two other banks attacked by armed bandits many years ago, resulting in the killing of three persons and an undisclosed amount of cash carted away in the process.
Prior to the re-opening of the bank’s main branch in the town, the bank only maintained a cash centre inside the premises of Landmark University, specifically for the students.
First Bank began skeletal operations in 2017 three years after the robbery attack, following intense pressure from the people of the community.
The community in its bid to woo the banks back to business, few months after the incident, bought two Hilux security vehicles for the police in order to enhance its patrol and surveillance operations.
The management of Ecobank had commenced renovation of the bank’s building in a bid to join First bank around April but was forced to abandon the plan following another robbery attack in Offa
The residents, especially banks’ customers in separate interviews with News Agency of Nigeria, described the re-opening as “heartwarming, unprecedented and a welcome development’’.
“We are gradually going back to the good old days as far as banking is concerned in Omu-Aran. This re-opening of another bank is a big relief to us and we are happy,’’ Azeez Abiodun, a civil servant, said.
Mrs Esther Omobolanle, a trader, said she had been anxiously looking forward to the re-opening of the bank’s branch in order to continue her transactions with the bank.
“I was forced to open another account with First Bank when the bank refused to open after the robbery attack but I am the happiest person today as the bank has showed its commitment to fully start operation, ‘’ she said.
Mr Muyiwa Oladipo, the Chairman of Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara, praised the bank’s management for acceding to the yearnings and aspirations of its teeming customers in the area.
He pledged its administration’s unrelenting support toward ensuring adequate protection that would enhance safe banking operations for bank customers and generality of the people.
Chief Bisi Adeyemi, President, Omu-Aran Development Association (ODA), on his part, expressed the community’s appreciation to the management of the bank for its magnanimity in re-opening the bank’s branch.
An official of the bank, who preferred anonymity, told News Agency of Nigeria that the bank was already in the process of mobilising its staff in order to commence full banking transactions in the branch.

The former governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja is currently testifying at the Federal High Court, Lagos.

Ladoja is standing trial on an 8 count charge alongside Waheed Akanbi, who served under him as the Oyo State Commissioner for Finance. In the charges, Ladoja and Akanbi were accused of converting a sum of N1,932,940,032.48 belonging to Oyo State to their personal own, using a Guaranty Trust Bank account of a company, Heritage Apartments Limited.

The EFCC claimed that they retained the money sometime in 2007, despite their knowledge that it was proceeds of a criminal conduct. In another instance, Ladoja was accused of removing a sum of £600,000 from the state coffers in 2007 and sent it to Bimpe Ladoja, who was at the time in London.

The former governor was also accused of converting a sum of N42m belonging to the state to his own and subsequently used it to purchase an armoured Land Cruiser jeep. He was also accused of converting a sum of N728,600,000 and another N77,850,000 at separate times in 2007 to his own.

The EFCC claimed that Ladoja transferred the N77, 850,000 to one Bistrum Investments, which he nominated to help him purchase a property named Quarter 361, Ibadan, Oyo State. The EFCC told the court that Ladoja and Akanbi acted contrary to sections 17(a) and18 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 and were liable to be punished under sections 14(1), 16(a) (b) and 18(2) of the same Act.

It’s only God that will help we foreigners in South Africa, most especially we Nigerians. They’ll use us and take advantage as if that is not enough, now she wants to poison their drinks. Just imagine nonsense, something they cannot do to their own South African men. That’s how my baby mama send people to come rob me. As for me I would have beaten her and remove her front teeth’s before handling her over to the cops. Please y’all should be careful!!

President Muhammadu Buhari has extended his condolences over the passing of former Military Governor of the defunct North Central State, retired Brig.-Gen. Abba Kyari.

President Buhari’s condolence message is contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Sunday evening.

The president also condoled with the government and people of Kaduna, Katsina and Borno states over the demise of the elder statesman.

He said: “We are extremely saddened by the news of Gen. Abba Kyari’s passing away, an officer and a gentleman for whom we have a lot respect.’’

President Buhari prayed to God to accept his soul, and grant fortitude to the family and friends he left behind to bear the loss.

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has approved the rehabilitation of failed portions of federal roads in Edo State ahead of the festive season.
Engineer Oke Owhe, the Federal Controller of Works in Edo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Benin that the effort was to make the roads safe and motorable during the festive season.
“The minister has just approved ember months operations on roads across the state. What this means is that all roads leading into and out of the state would be rehabilitated.
“As we speak, contractors are on site along the Benin – Auchi road. The Ekpoma portion of the road has also been approved for rehabilitation,” he said.
According to him, the Federal Government is committed to ensuring that the roads were safe during and after the yuletide.
Owhe said government had prioritised highway projects across the country, adding that contractors had been mobilised for the rehabilitation and construction of the various roads.