Three soldiers of 14 Brigade Headquarters of the Nigerian Army, Ohafia, attached to the 144 Battalion have been feared killed in Aba, the commercial nerve of Abia State.

The troops were slain at the army station in the Aba North local government area, which is situated near the well-known Obikabia intersection off of Umuola.

The soldiers were caught off guard by the masked shooters who arrived in a black SUV.

It was said that the assailants also stole the soldiers’ firearms. Before they left, they set the outpost and their patrol van on fire.

As of the time of filing the report, military aircraft was sighted hovering around the city centre.

More to come…

• Says conversion program will be initiated in Lagos, Kwara, the FCT, and Rivers States

The countrywide Mass Transit Conversion Programme has officially begun, according to a joint announcement from Rolling Energy and the Presidential Compress Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI).

The declaration was made on Wednesday during the PCNGI conversion and refuelling site launch in Ilorin.

According to a PCNGI statement, the initiative’s goal is to switch public transport vehicles to cleaner energy sources, which will drastically cut emissions and advance environmental sustainability.

The administration of President Bola Tinubu is promoting clean energy alternatives throughout Nigeria through the PCNGI programme.

PCNGI seeks to lessen its negative environmental effects and assist the transportation industry’s shift to sustainable energy sources through cooperative collaborations and creative projects.

The initial phase of the conversion program will be initiated in Lagos, Kwara, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Rivers States. This phase will be executed in partnership with major transport unions, including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO).

To ensure the success of the program, PCNGI said the rollout will commence in eight of over 120 designated conversion workshop sites, after which the key union partners, will have the opportunity to observe, evaluate the conversion process, and provide valuable feedback as the initiative plans to scale up operations across 15 states over the next 45 days.

The rollout, it said, will be backed by a 50 per cent discount on equipment and kit costs, and support to qualified union members for installation cost.

It said, “PCNGI and Rolling Energy are committed to driving Nigeria towards a more sustainable future. Establishing the Ilorin site and the nationwide conversion program are pivotal steps in reducing our carbon footprint and enhancing the efficiency of mass transit systems”.

Interested public members are to visit Femadec, FixIt45, and Portland in Lagos, NITT, Nipco in Abuja, Total Support and Femadec in Abuja, and Rolling Energy in Ilorin for conversion.

The development comes after the Presidency said it would launch 2,700 CNG-powered buses and tricycles before May 29 when President Tinubu turns one year in office.

It said FG would deliver 100 conversion workshops and 60 refuelling sites spread across 18 states before the end of 2024.

Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring Nigeria’s progress while fostering inclusivity.

President Tinubu stated this on Thursday, May 30, during the opening of the overhead bridge that connects Wuye District to Wuse District in Abuja and the provision of engineering infrastructure to Wuye District.

He, however stressed that achieving the desired progress will demand the hard work and dedication of all citizens.

He said: “Whatever anybody might say, it should be that Nigeria will definitely make progress and prosperity, the hope and achievement is in our hands. We will build a nation where no one is excluded.”

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, President Tinubu highlighted some of the advantages of the project, which he said included easy access to the Wuye axis and fast improvement in traffic flow within the district.

“We celebrate not just the infrastructure, but also the empowerment of the Wuse and Wuye as a community and the fulfilment of promises made several years back. As they always say experts acknowledge the fact that government is a continuum.

“The best way to achieve greatness is to look forward, aspire for great results and not look at obstacles. See opportunities from the obstacles and grab them.

“We are investing in essential services such as water supply, electricity, and road network, we are laying the groundwork for economic growth and prosperity, social progress and improvement in the quality of life for all residents of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

“With the completion of this project, we will witness a fast improvement in traffic flow within the district and the adjoining districts”, he said.

The President lauded the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, for providing leadership to the federal capital, noting that the minister and his team had, through hard work, led the way to true democracy, which is translated into making the people the centre of governance.

“I extend, once again, my heartfelt appreciation to the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, for making this a realizable dream for all of us and the country as a whole. The completion of this facility brings the security of life close to our people.

“Making the people the central focus of our development is the way democracy should work. Our determination to succeed and extend happiness to our teeming population, bringing about prosperity and value of immense proportion to our people, is the goal of the government. Thank you for making a dream a reality”, he said.