News
ECOWAS meets to approve Lagos-Abidjan Highway design
Heads of ECOWAS member states met yesterday to finalise and approve the design of the Lagos-Abidjan Corridor Highway Development Project preparatory to initiating the procurement process at its next meeting.
The meeting which was held in Lagos, was chaired by Nigeria’s Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, discussed the project which is expected to cost 15 billion dollars and deepen regional economic integration.
The project is currently at its study phase, an indication that detailed research, planning, and design are still ongoing.
Highlighting the history and progress of the Lagos-Abidjan Highway Development Project, Umahi mentioned that the project, initiated in 2013, had received significant funding support from the African Development Bank.
He noted that the current meeting aimed to finalise and approve the design of the project, as it was nearing a crucial stage where concrete steps towards implementation could be taken.
He noted that the heads of member states of ECOWAS have met to agree on the project and that various stages of development, including design, environmental impact assessment, and funding mechanisms, had been ongoing for the past 11 years.
“The design of the project, ESIA design, conceptualisation, funding mechanisms have been on in the past 11 years.
“As of today, we are going to listen to the committee of experts in terms of the design and so we believe that we will finalise and approve the design today, and then we set the goal for procurement, probably in our next meeting,” he said.
On his part, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Ghana, Mr Francis Boakye, emphasised the importance of infrastructure, particularly roads, in driving socio-economic development.
He highlighted how highways could facilitate trade, tourism, and economic activities, and cited the example of the United States’ economic boom as evidence of this correlation.
Boakye emphasised the significance of the Lagos-Abidjan highway project in promoting economic integration within West Africa.
He also noted that the depth of Ghana’s involvement in the project demonstrated its commitment to regional economic integration.
Dr Amede Kouakou, Minister of Equipment and Road Maintenance of Cote d’Ivoire, said he, along with the other ministers involved in the Lagos-Abidjan highway development project, were committed to making accelerated progress with the project.
He specifically spoke of his intention to take deliberate steps to ensure that the project became a reality for the citizens of Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria.
The Lagos-Abidjan Corridor Highway, scheduled to begin in 2025, is part of the greater Dakar-Lagos Corridor and one of the flagship priority development programmes of ECOWAS.
The about 1068 kilometers project will cover five ECOWAS member countries , namely – Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin Republic, and Nigeria, and will traverse eight border towns (four country-pair land borders) beginning from Eric Moore and ending in Abidjan.
The project is financed by the African Development Bank.
…as rights lawyer say he took law into his hands
By Gloria Ikibah
The Bauchi State Commissioner for Water Resources, Abdulrazak Zaki, has confirmed that the child he was accused of abducting is in his custody.
While speaking to journalists in Bauchi on Saturday, Zaki admitted that his son and policemen attached to him took the child from her school two weeks ago.
His ex-wife, Ikilima Soro, had earlier petitioned the Inspector General of Police, claiming her child was taken on January 20, 2025, and alleged that masked policemen intercepted the school bus, took the child by force, and drove off in a car with covered license plates.
In response, Zaki stated that Governor Bala Mohammed and the Commissioner of Police Bauchi State, Auwal Mohammed, supported his actions, which he said were based on a Sharia court ruling granting him custody.
However, the Bauchi State High Court had ordered all parties to maintain the status quo until the Sharia Court of Appeal ruled on the matter. Despite this, Zaki admitted to enrolling the 8-year-old child in a boarding school in Gombe State, in defiance of the high court’s ruling, which had granted temporary custody to the mother.
Reacting to the situation, human rights lawyer and public interest attorney, Marshall Abubakar criticized the Commissioner’s action, and said that he took the law into his own hands. He also pointed out that the Terrorism Prevention Act 2010 criminalizes forcefully seizing a person or intercepting transportation.
Abubakar further stressed that the Bauchi State High Court has superior jurisdiction over the Sharia court, meaning its ruling should take precedence.
By Gloria Ikibah
Abuja’s entertainment scene witnessed a dazzling start to 2025 as nightlife entrepreneur Adewumi Segun Gabriels, better known as Theapilifestyle, hosted an exclusive All-White Party to welcome the New Year in grand style.
The event brought together some of the biggest names in entertainment, with stars like Timini Egbuson, Efetommy, Nimi Briggs, Fantana, Ilebaye, and Ice Prince gracing the occasion.
As the CEO of Tokyo Nightlife and the brain behind Apitainment and Apitix, Adewumi has been instrumental in shaping Abuja’s premium nightlife culture.
In his speech, he appreciated his supporters, business partners, and associates for their loyalty throughout 2024, and also highlighted key milestones, including The Capital Picnic, Young Jonn Live in Abuja, AWG Fest, and Rema Live in Abuja—all of which have cemented Tokyo Nightlife’s reputation as the city’s go-to luxury entertainment hub.
Hosted by the ever-energetic Chuks D’ General, the night exuded pure elegance, with guests turning up in stunning white outfits. Attendees enjoyed electrifying performances, including a special set by Ice Prince and an engaging live band session that kept the energy levels high. To top it all off, a selection of gourmet dishes added a touch of culinary excellence to the night’s festivities.
Beyond just a party, Theapilifestyle’s All-White event set the pace for an exciting year ahead, reinforcing his commitment to delivering top-tier entertainment experiences and making 2025 a year to remember for Abuja’s nightlife lovers.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Barely 72hours after American airlines collided with military helicopter in the US, a medical transport jet carrying a child patient, her mother, and four crew members cr+shed into a Philadelphia neighborhood shortly after takeoff Friday evening, igniting a massive fir£ that engulfed several homes.
The Learjet 55, operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, exploded upon impact, sending a fireball into the sky. Officials have not confirmed any survivors or reported whether there were casualties on the ground. All six passengers were from Mexico, and the child was returning home after receiving treatment in Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro described the cr+sh as an “awful aviation disaster” and said fatalities were expected.
The plane took off at 6:06 p.m. from Northeast Philadelphia Airport, disappearing from radar minutes later at 1,600 feet (487 meters). A doorbell camera captured the moment it plummeted and exploded near Roosevelt Mall in the Rhawnhurst neighborhood.
Witnesses described a deafening roar followed by an orange fireball and thick black smoke.
Jet Rescue, based in Mexico, provides global air ambulance services and previously transported baseball legend David Ortiz after he was shot in the Dominican Republic. This marks the company’s second fatal cr+sh in 15 months; in 2023, five crew members d+ed when one of its planes cr+shed in Mexico.
The cr+sh came just days after another deadly U.S. aviation acc+dent, when an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter collided over Washington, D.C., k+lling all on board.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating, with officials set to arrive at the crash site Saturday.
Bauchi Commissioner Zaki, Confirms Custody of Alleged Abducted Child
Abuja’s Nightlife Boss, Kicks Off 2025 with Exclusive All-White Party
SAD! Another air disaster in US as medical plane crashes k!lling all on board
Just in: Terrorists ambush military truck, kill all soldiers on board
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