Headline

Ondo, Ekiti Residents Groan Over Deplorable Akure/Ado Highway

Published

4 years ago

October 2, 2021

…Berate FG, Ondo, Ekiti Govts For Lip Service

Residents of Ondo and Ekiti states have berated both the Federal Government and the governments of both states over the deplorable condition of the highway linking both states.

According to motorists and other road users of the highway, the governments had been paying lip service to the reconstruction of the road with nothing significant happening.

The highway, which has continued to give motorists and residents nightmares, connects the capital city of both states, Akure and Ado-Ekiti.

Both Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti and his Ondo State counterpart, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, had severally assured that the road, which had for long been in a bad shape, had been marked for dualization with both governors inspecting the road a few months back, a development which raised the hope of everyone.

DAILY POST had reported a few months ago, how the residents moved against the alleged lackadaisical attitude of the contractor towards the project 15 months after mobilization was said to have been paid by the government for the dualization of the road.

Speaking on the state of the road, motorists lamented that the journey between Akure which used to be a 30-minute trip had become a journey of close to two hours.

According to the motorist who gave his name as Bamidele, sometimes, passengers would have to come down at some portions of the road before the vehicle can move.

“Only God knows the kind of politics going on with this road. All these years, we were told that it would be fixed but it now seems like an eternity.

“Like me, I work in Ado and live in Akure and I ply the road every weekend. You can imagine the agony I go through every day. The trip used to be just 30 minutes drive but now it ranges between one hour 30 minutes to two hours depending on the weather.

“Almost every month, we do see all these government officials inspecting but their actions have not shown anything meaningful.”

Another road user living at Isinigbo emphasised that it was always a herculean task for residents of the community to make it to Akure and back.

The road user, Titilayo Ogendengbe, stressed that taxis always tried to avoid plying the axis because of the road while the few ones doing it increased the fare.

“For us in this part of Akure North Local Government, we have resigned to our fate.

“To me, it is a mystery that a road in the state capital would be left unattended to like this. This is an eyesore, to say the least,” she said.

“You won’t even believe that anytime Governor Fayemi wants to use the Akure Airport, he will take the Igbara-Odo, Igbara-Oke route to link Akure from Ado, a route that is much longer. They know that the road is gone.

“Anytime we want to go to town or come back home, it is always a huge concern. We just hope something is done fast, we are just tired.”

Headline

Again, Russia Claims Another Village In Ukraine’s Region

Published

18 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Russian army Monday claimed to have captured another village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, moving deeper into Ukrainian territory as peace efforts stall.

Russian forces are slowly but steadily gaining ground in costly battles for largely devastated areas in eastern and central Ukraine, normally with few inhabitants or intact buildings left.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had seized the settlement of Zaporizke in the region, which Russian troops recently advanced into for the first time in the three-and-a-half-year offensive.

Kyiv denies that Russian troops have gained a foothold in the Dnipropetrovsk region, an important industrial hub.

After another push by US President Donald Trump to broker a Ukraine-Russia summit, hopes for peace dimmed when Russia last week ruled out any immediate meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

The central region of Dnipropetrovsk has previously been largely spared from fighting that has ravaged swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, until Russia said its forces broke through in July.

Dnipropetrovsk is not one of the five Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea — that Moscow has publicly claimed as Russian territory.

Ukraine said Russia had launched over 100 drones Monday, killing a 37-year old civilian driver and wounding two people in the northeastern Sumy region.

Moscow said Kyiv had launched about two dozen drones targeting western Russia

Headline

US Comedian Reggie Carroll Shot Dead In Mississippi

Published

18 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

A United States comedian, Reginald “Reggie” Carroll, has been shot dead in Southaven, Mississippi.

The 52-year-old Carroll, widely known as the Knockout King of Comedy, was reportedly killed on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.

The Southaven Police Department confirmed the incident in a Facebook statement on Saturday.

“Southaven officers located one male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

“The officers and medical personnel provided life saving techniques but the individual succumbed to his injuries,” the statement partly read.

The victim was later identified as Carroll, a Baltimore native.

Police said one suspect was arrested and charged with his murder.

“One male is in custody and has been charged with the murder of Reginald Carroll.

“Our thoughts are with the family of Mr. Carroll.

“Thank you to the community for their patience and understanding,” the department added.

The police further assured that there was no ongoing threat to residents, describing the case as “an isolated shooting.”

Carroll, who built his career in stand-up comedy, gained national recognition touring with Katt Williams and headlining his own showcase, Knockout Kings of Comedy.

He also featured in the 2000 edition of Showtime at the Apollo, appeared on the UPN sitcom The Parkers alongside Mo’Nique and Countess Vaughn, and starred in the 2022 television film Rent & Go.

In 2023, he produced the stand-up special Knockout Kings of Comedy.

The Southaven Police Department disclosed that an investigation into his death is ongoing.

Headline

US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants

Published

18 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria on Monday reaffirmed that the safety and security of the United States remain the cornerstone of its visa application and decision-making process.

The US said this following its directive last week that mandates Nigerians to disclose all social media usernames and handles used over the past five years as part of the visa application process.

US Mission said Nigerian visa applicants must provide a comprehensive list of their social media profiles on the DS-160 visa application form, and warned that omitting the information could lead to visa denials.

Reacting to the development, the Federal Government said US citizens intending to visit Nigeria will be subjected to the same measures.

“The best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action. Some people from the US might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures,” spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said last Monday.

However, in a statement released Monday on X, the US Mission said prospective visa applicants undergo careful vetting to maintain a safe and welcoming environment in the US.

It said, “The safety and security of the United States is at the heart of every #USVisa application and decision process.

“That’s why prospective applicants undergo careful screening to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

The Mission added, “These measures help protect American citizens and communities while supporting secure and responsible travel.”