News
Flood: Kogi Govt Opens Alternative Route in Ganaja To Avert Congestion
The Kogi State Government has opened up a 5km alternate route in Nyamanyama Village along Ganaja – Ajaokuta road, to serve as a by-pass incase the original Ganaja road becomes impassable due to flooding.
This proactive step was taken by the Kogi State Flood Disaster Response Team to ameliorate possible hardship should the main Ganaja road be obstructed by flood as the waters approach the danger threshold.
The State Governor, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo, had earlier directed the Flood Disaster Response Team, to immediately open up an alternate road to ensure that motorists do not suffer from the hardship of possible blockage of the main road by the increasing level of flood waters in the area.
The Governor reiterated his Administration’s commitment to ensuring that motorists and passengers were not subjected to hellish experience on the road.
The Chairman of the Flood Disaster Response Team and the Deputy Governor of the State, Comrade Joel Salifu Oyibo, said the Response Team, had responded swiftly to the directive of the Governor to quickly open up an alternate road in the area.
The State’s Commissioner for Works and a member of the Flood Disaster Response Team, Engr Mohammed Yusuf, expressed satisfaction with the progress of work on the road.
The popular Ganaja -Ajaokuta road remained the gateway to the Southeast and South-South Nigeria, and it is used by hundreds of thousands of commuters every day.
He stressed that the measure had shown “responsive governance” on the part of the Governor”.
The State’s Commissioner for Information and Communications and a member of the Team, Kingsley Fanwo, spoke to newsmen after he had inspected the work on Sunday.
Fanwo said that the flood had reached a devastating stage at the moment.
He noted that the popular Ganaja -Ajaokuta road remained the gateway to the South- East and South -South Nigeria, and it is used by hundreds of thousands of commuters everyday.
“Over the years, commuters went through hell on that road in flood periods. But this measure is no doubt, a savior.
“The flood is already devastating. Properties worth billions have already been lost. Houses , farmlands and other valuables have been washed away. “Only 25 per cent of Ibaji Local Government is above water level right now.
The remaining 75 per cent are under the water. “Also, the entire Kupa District has been submerged. Ajaokuta, Gegu, Edeha and many other communities are already counting their losses.
“The Federal Government should come to the rescue of Kogi State. Our resources are stretched as we strive to save the situation”, Fanwo said.
Finnish prosecutors on Friday said they had charged a man with inciting terrorism online who a media report identified as Nigerian separatist leader Simon Ekpa.
According to the prosecution authority, the accused remained in custody and denied the charges.
AFP reports that Finland’s National Prosecution Authority said in a statement that it had charged “a Finnish individual in a case involving suspected public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent and participation in the activities of a terrorist group.”
It added that the alleged crimes had been committed in the city of Lahti between 2021 and 2024 and were related to the suspect’s efforts to establish Nigeria’s Biafra region as an independent state.
The prosecution authority did not name the accused but Finnish public broadcaster YLE identified him as separatist leader Simon Ekpa.Ekpa — who claims to lead the Biafra Republic’s government in exile — was detained in November.
According to the prosecution authority, the accused remained in custody and denied the charges.
News
Tinubu to attend Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration May 18
The inauguration marks the formal beginning of the Pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Bishop of Rome.”
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday for Rome, Italy, to attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV as the new head of the Roman Catholic Church.
The President will be accompanied by a delegation that includes the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja; Archbishop Alfred Martins of Lagos; and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, confirmed in a statement via X.
‘Tinubu is travelling at the invitation of the Vatican and will lead Nigeria’s delegation to the solemn installation mass scheduled for Sunday, May 18, at St. Peter’s Square.
The inauguration marks the formal beginning of the Pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, the 267th Bishop of Rome.”
A fire broke out on Thursday at the General Hospital in Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos, engulfing parts of the three-storey building and causing panic among residents and patients.
Videos from the scene showed thick smoke pouring from the hospital building as onlookers gathered in distress. Firefighters later arrived to battle the blaze.
An eyewitness, Modinat Melemuku, who shared footage of the incident on Facebook, called for urgent help.
She said: “Happening now at General Hospital Ifako-Ijaiye, College Road. Please repost.
Help is needed,” she wrote.
An eyewitness also told reporters the fire began in one part of the hospital before spreading to other sections.
“The fire then spread to the prenatal and postnatal rooms, after which it affected the pediatric ward,” the eyewitness said.
There were concerns that nursing mothers and infants might have been trapped inside, although no casualties were confirmed as of the time of filing this report.
Emergency responders were still on the ground trying to bring the situation under control.
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