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INSECURITY: Nigerians Are Wailing, We Must Help Them — NSA To Reps Panel

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Babagana Monguno, the national security adviser (NSA), says Nigerians are suffering and they need help.

 

Monguno spoke on Thursday when he appeared before the house of representatives committee on national security and intelligence to defend his agency’s 2023 budget.

 

The NSA told the lawmakers that President Muhammadu Buhari desires to hand over a safer Nigeria to his successor.

 

“I must say that the type of insecurity that confronts us is not peculiar just to Nigeria, but it’s a global thing. And in today’s context, we can only overcome this problem when we recognise the importance of intelligence as being the driver against insecurity,” he said.

 

“It is important that all the problems I present are taken into consideration by this very important committee. We hinge all our hope and aspirations on whatever actions your [committee] will take in solving the myriads of problems that confront us, and I want to assure you that the problems are quite enormous.

 

“Please, honourable members, I want you to set aside whatever other competing considerations there are. President Muhammadu Buhari has the desire to hand over to whoever is going to inherit what he is working on right now — a safer Nigeria. It is true and I have to be very honest with you.

 

“I am also happy to inform you that at the recently concluded ministerial retreat which was organised by the office of the secretary to the government to the federation on behalf of the president — the senate president and the honourable speaker of the house of representatives were there — I highlighted briefly some of the problems confronting us and they have all agreed to help us solve them.

 

“I am appealing to your conscience. All of you represent different parts of this country and I know you have the interest of Nigeria at heart. Our people are suffering; they are weeping; they are wailing; they are moaning; they are gnashing their teeth. We must help them.

 

“We have our own limitations as intelligence agencies. The rest can only be done through the legislative drive.”

 

The NSA said the successes in the fight against insecurity have been possible because of the intelligence-driven activities of the agencies.

 

“The successes we have been recording so far in overcoming the security challenges, especially in the last four to five months, are basically rooted in the efforts of the Department of State Services (DSS), National Intelligence Agency, Defence Intelligence Agency, having been able to provide timely intelligence to the operational elements,” he said.

 

“I want to commend their effort, and I also want to, by extension, commend the effort of the operational sphere.

 

“Overcoming a symmetric problem is completely different from what we experienced in the last century. Everything revolves around intelligence. And the intelligence we are dealing with is a broad spectrum which goes all the way down to the local level.

 

“We deal with human beings, and if we are not supported in the right way, no matter how emotionally and psychologically we are prepared, we cannot overcome these problems without legislative support.”

 

In his remarks, Sha’aban Sharada, chairman of the committee, said lawmakers have appealed to the budget office to “consider the removal of the agencies in the intelligence community from the envelope budgeting system” to strengthen their operational capacity.

 

He said the intelligence agencies “put more efforts at ensuring a secure Nigeria especially before, during and after the forthcoming elections”.

 

Yusuf Bichi, director-general of the Department of State Service (DSS), was among the heads of intelligence agencies present at the budget defence.

BIG STORY

Lagos State Government To Concession Red And Blue Line Rails For Sustainability, Loan Repayment

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The Lagos State Government has announced plans to concession the operations of the Red and Blue Line rail systems to the private sector in order to ensure their sustainability and repay loans taken for the rail projects.

This announcement was made by the Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, during a recent TVC News interview, where he discussed the measures being implemented to ensure the continued viability of the state’s rail systems.

Osiyemi explained that the concessioning process would involve transferring the operations of the rail systems to private sector players for a defined period. This approach is intended to ensure the continued operation and effective management of the rail projects.

“The ultimate game is for all our rail systems we’ve done—that is, the Red Line and Blue Line—there is going to be some concessionairing with the private sector for a period of time to ensure sustainability and continuity,” he stated.

He added, “The concessioning would help pay back the loans taken for the rail projects.”

The commissioner emphasized that the concessioning strategy aims to ensure efficient operations and long-term financial sustainability, in line with the state’s vision for a world-class transportation network.

  • More Insight

Osiyemi further highlighted the substantial financial and technical challenges involved in operating rail systems, describing them as capital-intensive projects that require significant resources and specialized expertise.

To tackle these challenges and build local capacity, he noted that the Lagos State Government has enlisted foreign partners to temporarily manage the operations of the trains.

These partners are expected to not only ensure smooth operations during their tenure but also transfer critical skills to Nigerian personnel. The plan includes a structured training program lasting one to two years, after which the management of the rail systems will be fully handed over to local operators.

“What we have done is we have consulted foreign partners who, of course, would run these trains for a particular period of time and train our people—that is, transfer of skills.”

“They will train our people for one to two years, then hand over for our own management,” Osiyemi explained.

  • Things You Should Know

The Lagos State Government, under its Lagos Strategic Transport Master Plan, has set out an ambitious vision to develop a network of rail systems across the state.

Currently, only the first phases of the Red Line and Blue Line rail systems have been completed, with passenger services already in operation.

The Blue Line is a 27km electric rail line designed for sustainable operations. Its first phase, covering 13km from Lagos Marina to Mile 2, was completed in 2023 and began commercial operations in September, carrying over 2 million passengers to date.

The Red Line, spanning 37km from Agbado in Ogun State to Oyingbo in Lagos, operates on diesel. Its first phase, a 27km stretch, includes eight strategically located stations: Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, and Oyingbo.

The construction of the second phases of both the Red Line and Blue Line rail systems is being managed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), which also oversees the operation of the trains.

Beyond the Red and Blue Lines, the state has plans for additional rail systems, including the 68km Green Line (Lekki Free Trade Zone to Marina), the 85.7km Purple Line (Redemption Camp to Ojo), the 48km Orange Line (Ikeja CBD to Agbowa), and the Yellow Line, all aimed at enhancing the state’s transportation network.

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BIG STORY

Lagos Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab Condoles With Families Of Epe Accident Victims

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Condolence Message from the Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Lagos State, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab.

I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident that occurred in our community, Epe, claiming the lives of two promising young adults, a dedicated tricycle driver, and leaving several other people injured. This heartbreaking accident has left our hearts heavy, as we mourn the loss of these young souls who were full of hope and dreams, and an industrious individual who worked tirelessly for his livelihood.

As a member of this community, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families and friends affected by this terrible loss. I can only imagine the pain you must feel, and I want you to know that you are not alone in this moment of grief.

Let us honor the memories of these individuals by advocating for safety and awareness on our roads. As we move forward, may we find comfort in community and strength in one another. May their souls rest in peace, and may their families find solace and healing in the days to come.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.

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BIG STORY

JUST IN: Monday Okpebholo Sworn In As Edo State Governor

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Monday Okpebholo, a serving senator, has been sworn in as the governor of Edo State.

Okpebholo took his oath of office at about 1pm on Tuesday during the inauguration ceremony in Benin, the state capital.

As the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okpebholo won the September 21 off-cycle governorship election in the state.

He polled 291,667 votes to defeat Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who came second with 247,274 votes.

Olumide Akpata, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), came third with 22,763 votes.

Dennis Idahosa was also sworn in as the deputy governor of Edo.

Dignitaries, including Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, chair of the governors’ forum; Philip Shaibu, reinstated deputy governor of Edo; and other governors from the party, were present as Okpebholo took the oath of office.

The new governor later rode in an open-top van around the stadium, acknowledging cheers from supporters.

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