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FG Sets Dec 15 Date to Open Lagos-Ibadan Road Diversions
The Federal Government has said all diversions around construction zones on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will be opened to motorists from December 15.
The Director of the Federal Highways, South-West, Mr Funso Adebiyi, made this known on Monday during his interaction with truck drivers in Ogere, Ogun State.
He said the decision was to ensure free flow of traffic during the Christmas period, adding that work would resume after the season.
“We are going to open the entire road by the time Christmas approaches to enhance traffic flow,” he said.
Adebiyi said about 65 kilometres of the road had been completed; 20 kilometres on Section 1 from the Old Toll Gate to Sagamu interchange being handled by Julius Berger and 45 kilometres on Section 2, from the interchange to Ibadan being handled by the RCC.
The director also ordered truck drivers to either relocate or move backwards by at least 50 metres from the construction zone.
According to him, the activities of the truck drivers have made the reconstruction of some sections of the road almost impossible.
Addressing stakeholders including truck owners/drivers’ associations, law enforcement agencies and traditional rulers, Adebiyi said the appeal to the truck drivers became necessary as the Federal Government believed that it would be more effective than applying force.
“Government can use force but when we relate as brothers, it is better for us,” he said.
He stated that the RCC had suspended work around Ogere due to the presence of articulated vehicles parked illegally on the highway.
He said, “We started work from Ibadan and got to Ogere and your trucks are parked there. We had to suspend work but the truck drivers are there illegally.
“This entire country is like a construction zone right now but if we do not have access to the site to do this work, the South-West loses out because the money will be channelled into other things.”
Adebiyi said the construction around the Ogun/Oyo axis had been challenging due to the recklessness of drivers, adding that two engineers recently lost their lives on one of the sites.
He said the contractor on that section of the road would work on the access road to the truck parks around Ogere to enable drivers to move their vehicles away from the road.
The Ogun Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Clement Oladele, said the corps was ready to apply force if the truck drivers failed to obey the directives.
The Punch
Former governor of Anambra State, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi, has officially defected to the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Obi announced the decision on Tuesday at an event held at the Nike Lake Resort, Enugu.
“We are ending this year with the hope that in 2026 we will begin a rescue journey,” Obi said.
The National Chairman of the ADC, David Mark, was among the attendees.
United States Representative Riley Moors has said further military strikes against Islamic State-linked militants in Nigeria could follow recent operations ordered by President Donald Trump, describing the actions as aimed at improving security and protecting Christian communities facing violence.
Moore made the remarks during a televised interview in which he addressed U.S. military strikes carried out on Christmas Day against militant targets in North-west Nigeria.
The strikes were conducted in coordination with the Nigerian government, according to U.S. and Nigerian officials.
“President Trump is not trying to bring war to Nigeria, he’s bringing peace and security to Nigeria and to the thousands of Christians who face horrific violence and death,” Moore said.
He said the Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State affiliates had provided hope to Christians in Nigeria, particularly in areas affected by repeated attacks during past festive periods.
According to U.S. authorities, the strikes targeted camps used by Islamic State-linked groups operating in parts of north-west Nigeria.
Nigerian officials confirmed that the operation was carried out with intelligence support from Nigerian security agencies as part of ongoing counter-terrorism cooperation between both countries.
The United States Africa Command said the operation was intended to degrade the operational capacity of extremist groups responsible for attacks on civilians and security forces.
Nigerian authorities have described the targeted groups as a threat to national security, noting their involvement in killings, kidnappings and raids on rural communities.
Moore said the strikes marked a shift from previous years in which attacks were carried out against civilians during the Christmas period. He said the U.S. administration was focused on preventing further violence by targeting militant groups before they could launch attacks.
U.S. officials have said the military action was carried out with the consent of the Nigerian government and formed part of broader security cooperation between the two countries. Nigeria has received intelligence, training and logistical support from international partners as it seeks to contain militant activity.
Moore had previously called for stronger international attention to attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria and has urged continued U.S. engagement in addressing extremist violence. He said further action would depend on developments on the ground and continued coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Nigerian officials have maintained that counter-terrorism operations are directed at armed groups threatening civilians, regardless of religion, and have reiterated their commitment to restoring security across affected regions.
World-renowned boxer Anthony Joshua on Monday survived a ghastly road accident in Makun, Ogun State.
Eyewitnesses report that the incident occurred along a busy highway of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
The vehicle carrying Joshua, a Lexus Jeep with the number plate, KRD 850 HN, reportedly collided with a stationary truck under circumstances that are still being investigated.
Joshua reportedly sustained minor injuries, while two persons were said to have died on the spot.
