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FG to charge N3,000 on average per Toll gate on Lagos-Calabar coastal highway

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The Federal Government has hinted that it will likely charge an average of N3,000 per toll gate for vehicles using the Lagos-Calabar coastal road upon its completion.

The figure was confirmed by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, when he featured on a Channels Television programme, The Morning Brief, on Thursday, April 11, 2024.

While dismissing insinuations that the budgeted cost for the project was high, the minister said the money invested will be made back in 15 years.

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Umahi said, “Let me leave out the infrastructure along the corridor. Let me just concentrate on the tolls and I put 50,000 vehicles as an average passage on these toll points per day,” Umahi said on the breakfast show.


“I put N3,000 as an average cost. N3,000 because the cars could be like N1,500, and the big trucks could be like N5,000,” he said. “So, we put an average”.


“In 15 years, you make back the money,” he said, dismissing calls that the cost budgeted for the road project was high.
The minister noted that there will be security at the toll gates and also some facilities like filling stations.

He said, “At every point of tolling, we also have toll station where we have a kind of relief activities: the restaurants, filling stations, parking lots, and so on and so forth.’’
“So, people will now have confidence. In these sections, we intend to put CCTV all through.”

Meanwhile, the minister said the Lagos-Calabar coastal road construction will take 8 years and cost N4 billion per kilometre.

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When asked the duration of the project Umahi said,

“We are looking at eight years in the life tenure of Mr President [Bola Tinubu].’’
The minister said each kilometre of the coastal road would cost N4 billion, adding that the government’s prudence made that possible.

He said, “You know, there are other projects not awarded by me that are also going for about N4 billion per kilometre.
“So, I will pride myself, to the glory of God, that this project is the most prudent project that I’m starting. Other projects I made, we are reviewing, we are fighting, and we’re trying to review, the cost.
“Well, I cannot sign my signature on that because it can come down, it can go up.’’

Umahi, had on September 23, 2023, unveiled plans for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar highway.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had earlier approved the construction of phase one of the 700-kilometer Lagos – Calabar Coastal highway to Hitech Construction Company Ltd. Phase one of the superhighway project stretches to 47.47 kilometres, starting from Lagos.


The 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project is designed to connect Lagos to Cross River, passing through the coastal states of Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom, before culminating in Cross River.


The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar, had questioned the Tinubu administration’s decision to award the contract to Gilbert Chagoury’s Hitech without competitive bidding, daring the president to disclose the full cost of the Lagos-Calabar highway project.


However, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had, in a statement, told Atiku to get his facts right about the project.

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Umahi, had also in response to Atiku said the total cost and breakdown of the ongoing Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project will be made available to the public on Friday.
He explained that despite the soaring costs of materials in the construction industry due to commodity price inflation and supply chain disruptions, the ministry is committed to prudence, cost-effectiveness, promptness, and quality delivery of road projects remains unmatched.


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Abia State

2027: Prepare Your Will If You Plan to Write Election Results in Abia — Governor Alex Otti Warns

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Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, warns politicians planning to manipulate the 2027 elections to “write their wills” first, reaffirming his stance on transparency, governance, and development in Abia State.
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Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has cautioned individuals plotting to manipulate the 2027 governorship election results to first “write their wills” before embarking on such a dangerous mission.

Speaking during his monthly media chat in Umuahia, the governor emphasized that his statement was not a threat but a caution informed by intelligence reports suggesting that some displaced politicians are boasting about plans to “write” election results in 2027.

“This is not a threat but a warning. If you are planning to write election results in Abia, please write your will first,” Otti declared.

He dismissed remarks attributed to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, noting that power ultimately belongs to God.

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“I do not have the anointing to speak about what will happen in 2027 in 2025. But I know that power belongs to God, and He gives it to whom He wants. We should not speak when the Lord has not spoken,” he said.

Governor Otti advised Kalu to focus on his duties at the National Assembly, adding that there was no animosity between them despite the Deputy Speaker’s repeated public criticisms.

“My relationship with the Deputy Speaker didn’t start with politics. This is the second time he has publicly attacked my administration. I forgive him, but I think he suffers from what I call ‘Information Deficiency Syndrome.’”

He further clarified that according to the Protocol Act of 2000, the sixth position in Nigeria’s political hierarchy belongs to the Deputy Senate President, not the Deputy Speaker.

On Governance and Infrastructure

Governor Otti commended the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) for its consistent efforts in maintaining a cleaner environment across Aba, Umuahia, and Ohafia.

“We are now moving to the next phase of waste management — recycling and turning waste into wealth,” he said, disclosing ongoing engagements with investors and institutions to actualize the plan.

The governor also announced progress in reviving key moribund industries, including Star Paper Mill, Aba Textile Mill, and Modern Ceramics, through collaborations with the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and other stakeholders.

“Government is an enabler. Our goal is to revive these industries, hand them to professionals to run as private entities, and create jobs for our people,” Otti stated.

Education and Health

Governor Otti reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transforming the education sector, revealing that over 5,395 new teachers have been deployed across the state, with plans to recruit an additional 4,000 due to rising enrollment.

He also highlighted improvements in healthcare delivery, including the reconstruction of general hospitals and recruitment of over 774 healthcare professionals, with applicants coming even from other African countries.

“We are building a health system powered by renewable energy to ensure every community has access to quality healthcare,” he said.

Power and Infrastructure Expansion

Governor Otti announced the installation of nearly 8,000 solar-powered streetlights across the state and ongoing projects aimed at achieving steady electricity supply in Aba, Umuahia, Bende, and Ohafia.

“When Aba Power reaches its full capacity of 188 megawatts, excess power will be distributed to Umuahia and other parts of the state. Light brings development, and darkness disappears where there is light,” he said.

He disclosed that President Bola Tinubu’s representative, Senator Dave Umahi, recently commissioned eight newly completed roads in Abia, with more infrastructure projects including the 25km Umuahia–Ikot Ekpene Road and Ihechiowa Ring Road set to begin soon.

On Defection Rumours

Governor Otti debunked speculations about plans to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that he remains committed to his principles.

You don’t take decisions simply because others are taking them. We are not people who follow the crowd,” he affirmed.

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American Accuses Reno Omokri of Deception, Calls Him “Pathological Liar” as Omokri Dismisses Christian Genocide Claims

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American Accuses Reno Omokri of Deception, Calls Him Pathological Liar as Omokri Denies Christian Genocide in Nigeria
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A former Texas Mayor, Mike Arnold, has accused former Nigerian presidential aide Reno Omokri of deception and manipulation, describing him as a “pathological liar” who thrives on calculated deceit.

In a viral post on X (formerly Twitter), Arnold said he had witnessed Omokri’s alleged dishonesty firsthand during personal and professional encounters both in the United States and Nigeria.

“The truth about Reno Omokri is sad. I’ve seen it up close. Reno doesn’t lie like most liars. He lies calm, cool, constant. Up close, he’s reptilian. Chilling. Soulless. Yet so charming,” Arnold wrote.

Arnold, who claimed to have hosted Omokri in Texas and attended his birthday safari in Kenya, accused the former presidential aide of falsifying events, exaggerating connections, and fabricating ownership of luxury assets.

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He recounted an incident where Omokri allegedly showcased luxury cars online, falsely claiming ownership of two vehicles belonging to Arnold’s friend.

Arnold also alleged that during a fact-finding mission to Nigeria on Christian persecution, Omokri promised high-level meetings with President Bola Tinubu, NSA Nuhu Ribadu, and the Sultan of Sokoto, none of which materialized.

“Looking back, those promises were props for his narrative for clout and manipulation,” he wrote.

Arnold further accused Omokri of misrepresenting him on Nigerian television, falsely introducing him as the current mayor of Blanco, Texas, and a close associate of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz.

“On live TV, he called me a Republican mayor—we don’t even have partisan municipal elections. He also said I’m a personal friend of Ted Cruz. False,” Arnold stated.

Quoting Psalm 101:7, Arnold said Omokri’s actions were “soulless” and “evil,” adding that “lying to cover up the Christian genocide raging in Nigeria is a bridge too far.”

“People must know Reno Omokri is a pathological, habitual, calculating, self-serving liar from someone who knows him personally so they won’t trust his sleazy attempts to bury the blood of tens of thousands of Nigerian martyrs with the manure spewing from his mouth,” Arnold wrote.

He also accused Omokri of harboring political ambitions, claiming that he plans to run for vice president under National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

Omokri, however, recently appeared on Arise News Night, dismissing reports of a Christian genocide in Nigeria as “ludicrous,” insisting that both Christians and Muslims are victims of insecurity across the country.

“Killings happen equally to Christians and Muslims,” Omokri said, urging Nigerians not to allow Western narratives to sow religious division.

The exchange has since sparked intense debate online, with many Nigerians weighing in on the authenticity of Arnold’s claims and Omokri’s controversial statements on religious persecution.

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Biafra

BREAKING: Nnamdi Kanu’s Ailment Not Life-Threatening – Court Adopts NMA Findings

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The Federal High Court in Abuja has adopted a medical report by a panel set up by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), which found that the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, is not suffering from any life-threatening ailment.

The NMA panel, constituted by the association’s president on the order of Justice James Omotosho, was tasked with determining Kanu’s actual health condition following conflicting claims from medical experts representing both the prosecution and the defence.

According to the report submitted to the court on October 13 by the prosecution team led by Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), and partly read in open court on Thursday, the panel concluded that Kanu’s condition is not life-threatening and that he is fit to stand trial.

Justice Omotosho, citing the report and noting no objections from either side, ruled that the trial would proceed.

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The judge subsequently granted the defence six consecutive days — from October 23 to October 28 — to open and close its case.

Additionally, the court approved an oral application by defence counsel, Kanu Agabi (SAN), requesting that Kanu’s legal team be allowed to hold private consultations with him outside the Department of State Services (DSS) facility to ensure confidentiality.

Justice Omotosho ruled that the private meeting will take place in the courtroom between 9 a.m. and 12 noon on October 22, with only Kanu and his lawyers present.

The court further ordered that Kanu should continue receiving medical care at the DSS medical facility pending further proceedings.

One of Kanu’s lawyers, Aloy Ejimakor, confirmed the development after Thursday’s sitting.

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Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri Resigns from PDP with 23 Assembly Members

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Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri Resigns from PDP with 23 Assembly Members

Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri announced his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on Wednesday during a state executive council meeting in Yenagoa, accompanied by 23 members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, including Speaker Abraham Ngobere and Deputy Speaker Faithful Ebi.

His Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, confirmed the move, attributing it to ‘obvious reasons’ without specifics, while Diri thanked PDP supporters and reaffirmed his dedication to Bayelsa’s progress.

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Today, I have formally resigned my membership from PDP for obvious reasons.” – Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri.

The defection ends the PDP’s control of the state since 1999 and hints at a potential shift to the All Progressives Congress before the 2027 elections.

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Davido Announces 5IVE Alive Tour in Five Cities in Nigeria

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Nigerian Afrobeats star Davido has revealed the Nigerian dates for his 5IVE Alive Tour, linked to his fifth studio album released in April 2025, following a successful North American run.

The tour kicks off on October 26 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, and includes stops in Yola, Enugu, Ibadan, culminating on December 25 in Lagos.

Tickets are now available starting at ₦5,000 for most venues, with fans urged to purchase quickly amid high demand.


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