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‘You Lied’ – Group Carpets Delta Govt Over Claim On Ayakoromo Bridge

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The Ijaw People’s Development Initiative (IPDI) has faulted claims by Delta State commissioner for works, Charles Aniagwu about Ayakoromo bridge in Burutu Local Government Area of the state.

The Commissioner, during an interview on national television, Friday, had described the bridge project as an already completed job by the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori led-administration.

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The works commissioner also claimed that the Ayakoromo bridge is a 612km but in reality it is 4km.

In a statement made available to INFO DAILY, president of the IPDI, Comrade Austin Ozobo said that the project has been stalled, with no significant work done recently.

READ ALSO: Teenage Girl Sells 7yr Old Brother In Delta Community

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Ozobo, who noted that the contracting firm, Setraco Nigeria Limited had pulled its equipment out of site due to poor funding, stressed that this contradicts the commissioner’s earlier claims that the project was at the stage of completion.

He described it as embarrassing to the governor and the government, the works commissioner’s 612km claim about the length of the bridge, noting that he is not well informed even as works commissioner.

According to the group, the governor has taken Ijaw people for granted for failing to prioritise the development of Ijaw oil producing and riverine communities,
citing that the successive governors of Delta State from Uduaghan till date were only interested in Ijaw bulk votes during elections.

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The IPDI alleged that the governor had not paid properties and houses demolished in the project site up till now, alleging that it had been over six months when the contracting firm pulled out its equipment and staff from the site.

READ ALSO: PAP: IPDI Tackles Group Over Attack On Otuaro

The group lamented that the affected residents whose houses were demolished in the project site have been rendered homeless and are facing serious hardship.

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The statement reads, “The company left with all its equipment. Ayakoromo bridge is not close to completion after twelve years of being initiated. The Delta State Works commissioner misrepresented facts in his interview.

“No pile cap and top beams have been constructed. Engineers of the first Firm (Zerock) and the second construction company (Setraco) only succeeded in using twelve years to complete pillars across the river. There is no work ongoing on the site as we speak now”.

According to the IPDI, Ayakoromo bridge project is a critical infrastructural project aimed at connecting riverine communities in the state.

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READ ALSO: DESOPADEC Contractors’ Crisis: Oborevwori’s Salience Disappointing -Rights Group

“Its completion is eagerly anticipated by residents, who hope it will improve their access to basic services and economic opportunities,” the statement added.

The group further raised issues of bias in the project allocation, funding and appointment in Oborevwori’s administration, citing that the three flyover bridges he sited in his Uvwie local government area are closed to completion because he is given the jobs total funding which commenced less than a year.

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We expect the governor and its commissioner for works to stop deceiving the general public and provide proper funding for the Ayakoromo bridge project, like the way the governor is committed to funding of the three bridges and other road projects in his two communities, Okpe and Uvwie and his local government area”, they added.

 

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Sanwo-Olu makes U-turn, Unblocks Lawyer Who Sued Him Over Blocking On X

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Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has unblocked human rights lawyer, Festus Ogun, on X after a meeting with him at Lagos House, Marina, on Friday.

The lawyer, who had accused the governor of rights violations, announced the development in a post on his X account on Saturday.

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According to him, Sanwo-Olu personally invited him for a brief meeting to address his complaints.

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has unblocked me on X (Twitter). I met briefly with him yesterday at Lagos House Marina, on his invitation, to amicably resolve my complaint of human rights violations. We will continue to hold authorities accountable, regardless. Aluta continua!” Ogun wrote.

READ ALSO:Lawyer Sues Sanwo-Olu For Blocking Him On X

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Tribune Online reports that Ogun had earlier filed a suit against Sanwo-Olu at a Federal High Court in Lagos, accusing him of violating his fundamental rights by blocking him on his verified X account.

In the suit marked FHC/L/CS/1739/25, which he shared on Facebook, the lawyer claimed the governor blocked him over his 2021 “constructive criticisms” and “demand for accountability” on the October 2020 #EndSARS killings.

In 2021, I noticed that the Governor blocked me on his official X handle @jidesanwoolu owing to my constructive criticisms of his policies and demand for accountability in respect of the October 2020 #EndSARS Massacre.”

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READ ALSO:‘Court Of Corruption’ — Obasanjo Knocks INEC Chairman, Judiciary In New Book

Ogun said the action has prevented him from accessing vital government updates and information.

“Blocking me on X has prevented me from accessing public updates and receiving information about policies and governance in Lagos, which constitutes a violation of my right to receive information without interference,” he said.

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In his originating summons, he asked the court to declare the move unconstitutional, arbitrary, and discriminatory.

 

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Tragedy Deepens As Prime Suspect in Taraba Student’s Death Found Dead

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The investigation into the death of Comfort Jimtop, a 100-level Mass Communication student at Taraba State University, has taken a dramatic turn following the discovery of the lifeless body of Emmanuel Kefas, the prime suspect in the case.

Kefas’s body was discovered on Friday in the Tudiri community, Ardo-Kola Local Government Area, under unclear circumstances, intensifying public concern and adding a tragic dimension to a case that has already gripped the university community and residents across Taraba State.

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Confirming the development on Saturday, the spokesperson for the Taraba State Police Command, James Lashen, said the police received a report from the village head of Tudiri about the discovery.

READ ALSO:Army Kills Notorious Bandit, Babangida, In Kogi

A lifeless body was found in Tudiri, and a Tecno Android phone was recovered beside it,” Lashen stated.

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Upon charging the phone, investigators found a photograph showing the deceased with the late Comfort Jimtop, suggesting they were in a romantic relationship.”

Lashen added that the body has been taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Jalingo for autopsy. At the same time, efforts are ongoing to officially identify the remains through the suspect’s family.

READ ALSO:Four Feared Killed As Gunmen Attack Burial Ceremony In Anambra

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Police have yet to determine whether Kefas’s death was the result of suicide, homicide, or an accident. Investigations into both deaths are continuing.

Comfort Jimtop’s mysterious death had earlier sparked outrage on campus and across the state, with students and rights groups demanding justice. Kefas was named a prime suspect in the case, which remains open.

This latest development has left many unanswered questions and deepened the grief surrounding the case.

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Students, residents, and civil society groups are closely monitoring the situation, calling on authorities to ensure a thorough investigation and bring clarity to the tragic chain of events.

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Ossiomo, Chinese Impasse: This Is Our Story — Management

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The management of Ossiomo Power Plant has cleared the air on the dispute between its Chinese partners and the circumstances surrounding the shutting down of the power plant early this month.

Representative of Ossiomo management, Engineer Festus Evbuomwan, during an interactive session with customers on the impasse between the two partners, said contrary to the rumour making the rounds, the management of Ossiomo Power Plant had paid over ₦2bn to its Chinese partner — Jiangsu Communication Clean Energy Technology (CCETC) — since the power plant started operation.

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Recall that representative of CCETC who identified himself as Mr. ‘W’ had, during a telephone phone interview two weeks ago, claimed that “instruction to shutdown was because we lost lots of money and did not get any return on investment,” adding that “all the $20m investment was done by us including the distribution lines.”

But Evbuomwan during the interactive session, said the management was not aware of the $20m investment the Chinese partner claimed, just as he disclosed that “when they generate power, we sell and pay them.”

READ ALSO:Edo Govt Denies Shares As Ownership Tussle Rocks Ossiomo Power

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He disclosed that after shutting down the power plant, the Chinese partners came up with a request of ₦185m to be paid to two Chinese not known to the management, stressing that this was declined.

According to him, the Chinese partner, having seen how lucrative the business is, “went to some quarters and raised some issues probably thinking they can manoeuvre us with the help of some big persons, so that they can use their machines to generate power and sideline us but this is not possible.”

The Chinese partners also claimed that they borrowed $20m from their native land to invest, we are not aware of such investment, and we do not know where the money was invested up till now.

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“They have been also saying they have not been receiving anything, but I want to tell you unequivocally that first, the partners run a joint account where their investment is going into. More so, The Chinese partners have received over ₦2bn so far for the power they generate with their machines. When they generate the power, we sell and pay them.”

READ ALSO: Five Years After, Edo Govt Reconnects To BEDC As Ossiomo Shut Down

Engr. Evbuomwan, while apologising to customers for the power outage caused by the dispute between the two partners, said Ossiomo had started power generation though not in full capacity, assuring that power generation would be fully restored soon.

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“We have purchased turbines, and one have started working. They are working on the second one, so, by the time our five turbines start working we will be in full capacity. Even with that, those connected to the government may not be reached immediately. This is because the government bought the poles and contracted the wiring, and we cannot force the government to do our bid. Also, we are making efforts to site 33kva transformer along Airport Road and Lagos Road as soon as possible, so that our customers there will get power.”

He said the Edo State government does not have a stake in the company, just as he appealed to the “government to let us supply power to customers in through their Lines. I want to emphasise that Ossiomo is not completely shut down.”

He further urged the “government to encourage the Nigerian citizens to invest and not to work against local investors.”

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