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FG to spend N17bn on Lagos bridge damaged by fire 5th July 2025

The Federal Government has negotiated the cost of the Iddo Bridge rehabilitation from an initial N27bn to N17bn.

The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, made this known to journalists during an inspection of the bridge on Friday in Lagos.

He said, “Julius Berger quoted, I think, N27 billion or thereabout, but after much negotiation and discussion, we now arrived at N17 billion.”

Umahi commended Julius Berger Nig. Plc. for demonstrating a sense of cooperation under its new leadership.

He described the company as a “born-again Berger”, attributing the breakthrough in negotiation to the understanding and openness of its new managing director.

The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to prudent spending, insisting that all contractors must align with the ministry’s standards and directives.

Umahi noted that the project had been reviewed from mere rehabilitation of the burnt section to a major work.

He expressed concern over the poor condition of the bridge, blaming it on years of neglect and human abuse, including illegal occupation and collisions by heavy-duty trucks.

He said that three spans of the bridge were severely damaged by fire, which he attributed to activities of illegal occupants who had built makeshift homes under the bridge.

“They brought in chemicals, built block walls and set up homes. Then, they set up fire that burnt the bridge and damaged three spans. Now we are going to fix the bridge completely,” Umahi said.

The minister said the Iddo Bridge, now with a headroom of about 4.5 metres, had suffered significant structural damage due to continuous hits from trucks and illegal structures beneath it.

He announced that the ministry would be creating a headroom of at least 5.6 metres.

He said that the Federal Ministry of Works was committed to restoring the bridge for the safety of all Nigerians and ensuring such incidents would not occur again.

On the issue of displaced persons, the minister said that no one would be allowed to return under the bridge.

“Nobody will stay under Iddo Bridge again as long as I remain the Minister of Works.

“The lives of the people are more important,” he said.

He warned that the government would no longer tolerate any abuse of national infrastructure.

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“It’s over: Trump cuts ties with Musk, threatens ‘serious consequences’

Donald Trump said on Saturday that his relationship with his billionaire donor Elon Musk is over and warned there would be “serious consequences” if Musk funds U.S. Democrats running against Republicans who vote for the president’s sweeping tax and spending bill.

In a telephone interview with NBC News, Trump declined to say what those consequences would be, and went on to add that he had not had discussions about whether to investigate Musk.

Asked if he thought his relationship with the Tesla and SpaceX CEO was over, Trump said, “I would assume so, yeah.”

“No,” Trump told NBC when asked if he had any desire to repair his relationship with Musk.

“I have no intention of speaking to him,” Trump said.

However, Trump said he had not thought about terminating U.S. government contracts with Musk’s StarLink satellite internet or SpaceX rocket launch companies.

Musk and Trump began exchanging insults this week, as Musk denounced Trump’s bill as a “disgusting abomination”.

Musk’s opposition to the measure complicated efforts to pass the legislation in Congress, where Republicans hold only slim majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate.

The bill narrowly passed the House last month and is now before the Senate, where Trump’s fellow Republicans are considering making changes.

Nonpartisan analysts estimate the measure would add $2.4 trillion to the $36.2 trillion U.S. debt over 10 years, which worries many lawmakers, including some Republicans who are fiscal hawks.

Musk also declared it was time for a new political party in the United States “to represent the 80 per cent in the middle!”

Trump said on Saturday he is confident the bill would get passed by the U.S. July 4 Independence Day holiday.

“In fact, yeah, people that were, were going to vote for it are now enthusiastically going to vote for it, and we expect it to pass,” Trump told NBC.

Republicans have strongly backed Trump’s initiatives since he began his second term as president on Jan. 20.

While some Republican lawmakers have made comments to the news media expressing concern about some of Trump’s choices, they have yet to vote down any of his policies or nominations.

Musk has deleted some social media posts critical of Trump, including one that signaled support for impeaching the president, appearing to seek a de-escalation of their public feud which exploded on Thursday.

During his first term as president, the House, then controlled by Democrats, twice voted to impeach Trump but the Senate both times acquitted him.

The White House and Musk did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Saturday on the deleted posts.

People who have spoken to Musk said his anger has begun to recede and they thought he would want to repair his relationship with Trump.

One of the X posts that Musk appeared to have deleted was a response to another user posting: “President vs Elon. Who wins? My money’s on Elon. Trump should be impeached and (Vice President) JD Vance should replace him.” Musk had written “yes.”

On Theo Von’s “This Past Weekend” podcast – recorded on Thursday as the feud between Trump and Musk unfolded and released on Saturday – Vance called Musk’s criticism of Trump a “huge mistake.”

“I’m always going to be loyal to the president, and I hope that eventually Elon kind of comes back into the fold. Maybe that’s not possible now because he’s gone so nuclear.

But I hope it is,” said Vance, describing Musk as an “incredible entrepreneur.”

Trump is due to attend an Ultimate Fighting Championship fight card on Saturday in New Jersey.

Since his second election win, he has attended two previous UFC mixed martial arts fight cards with Musk. Musk is not expected to attend on Saturday.

Musk, the world’s richest man, bankrolled a large part of Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, spending nearly 300 million dollars in last year’s U.S. elections and taking credit for Republicans retaining a majority of seats in the House and retaking a majority in the Senate.

Trump named Musk to head an effort to downsize the federal workforce and slash spending, lauding him at the White House only about a week ago for his work as head of the Department of Government Efficiency.

Musk cut only about half of one per cent of total spending, far short of his brash plans to axe two trillion dollars from the federal budget.

Adeleke urges S’West to embrace renewable energy

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has called for the adoption of renewable energy sources to provide electricity across the six states of Nigeria’s South-West region.

Represented by his deputy, Mr Kola Adewusi, Adeleke made the remarks in Osogbo on Tuesday while officially opening the South-West Post-Conference Stakeholders’ Roundtable on Renewable Energy.

The governor stressed that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a pressing daily reality, and highlighted energy poverty as a fundamental human rights issue requiring urgent attention from all stakeholders.

“In this region, richly endowed with sunlight, wind, and innovation, it is deeply concerning that many communities still remain in darkness.

“The time for waiting has passed; localised action is imperative. We must power the South-West sustainably. In Osun State, we are embracing bold, evidence-based, and people-centred solutions.

“Today, we unveil our Climate-Smart Investment Portfolio, a strategic roadmap designed to attract responsible capital into renewable energy, sustainable infrastructure, and the circular economy,” Adeleke stated.

The governor also outlined plans to soon present the Draft Osun State Renewable Energy Policy, aimed at establishing a robust legislative and institutional framework for an inclusive energy transition at the subnational level.

Additionally, he revealed intentions to launch the Draft Osun State Climate Action Plan, developed in consultation with experts, grassroots communities, and development partners.

He added, “We are equally proud to introduce the IMOLE Solar Lantern Project, a practical and symbolic initiative for last-mile energy access. ‘One Child, One Lantern’ is our promise. Every child deserves light to study, dream, and grow, regardless of location or background.”

Earlier, the Lead Technical Consultant on Climate Change and Renewable Energy to the Osun State Governor, Professor Chinwe Obuaku, described the roundtable as a forum for honest dialogue, technical exchange, and legislative clarity.

“We will listen, challenge each other, and leave with a shared understanding of what it takes to enact sub-national renewable energy frameworks that are ambitious, bankable, and just,” Obuaku said.

She stressed that the roundtable marks a critical turning point.

“Following the momentum of the Renewable Energy Conference, we must ask: What next? How do we translate shared vision into state-backed action? How do we ensure national policies, from the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy (NREEEP) to the Climate Change Act, become tangible instruments for job creation, clean energy access, and inclusive growth in Osun and the wider South-West?

“As Lead Consultant, I have engaged deeply with diverse actors — from lawmakers to community stakeholders, private sector pioneers to youth advocates. The truth is clear: we are ready. We have the intellect, infrastructure, and institutional awareness that renewable energy is not a luxury but a necessity.”

Enugu orders disco to refund 20,000 customers for over-billing

The Enugu State Electricity Regulatory Commission has directed MainPower Electricity Distribution Company to refund over 20,000 customers who were overbilled in April 2025.

In a statement signed and released by EERC Chairman, Chijioke Okonkwo, and the Commissioner in charge of Market Operations, Reuben Okoye on Monday, the commission said the order followed a thorough investigation into the company’s billing practices, which revealed a significant increase in estimated billing violations.

“The commission has issued an Order to MainPower to refund the affected customers the overbilled units for energy consumed in April 2025,” the EERC notice reads.

It was stated that the list of affected customers has been published on the commission’s website, and MainPower has until the July 2025 billing cycle to complete the refunds.

It warned that failure to comply with the order will attract a fine of N500,000 for each day of non-compliance, as stipulated in the Enugu State Electricity Law 2023.

The commission made it known that it has been monitoring the disco’s billing practices since October 2024, and had issued several letters to the company, highlighting its concerns.

Despite this, EERC claimed the company failed to adequately address the issues, which prompted the commission to take enforcement action.

“The commission recently reviewed MainPower’s April 2025 estimated report, and observed that the degree of violation of the caps on estimated billing by MainPower had further deteriorated from the 24 percent observed in February and March 2025, to 34 per cent in April, 2025,” EERC stated.

The commission, however, advised affected customers who did not receive their refunds by the deadline to contact them via email at info@eerc.en.gov.ng or call 09122642755 for assistance.

Adron Homes Launches Grand Ileya Promo with Massive Discounts, Star Appearances & Festive Gifts

Adron Homes Launches Grand Ileya Promo with Massive Discounts, Star Appearances & Festive Gift

As the Ileya (Sallah) season approaches, Adron Homes, Nigeria’s leading real estate company, is again giving Nigerians a reason to celebrate beyond the festivities with the launch of its highly anticipated ILEYA/SALLAH PROMO!

This year’s celebration blends culture, community, and homeownership into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for families and individuals looking to secure their future through real estate.

With over 40 estate locations nationwide, spanning Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Abuja, Nasarawa, Niger, Jos, and Ekiti, Adron Homes is offering a generous 30% discount on all land purchases. Even better, customers can enjoy convenient payment plans spread over 24 months, making land ownership more affordable than ever.

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To mark the season of giving, Adron Homes is rolling out exciting gift rewards for customers based on their commitment levels:

• ₦100,000 Payment – 10kg Bag of Rice or Aso Oke or Ankara

• ₦200,000 Payment – 10kg Rice with Aso Oke or 2 Ankara

• ₦500,000 Payment – Goat or 50kg Rice with Aso Oke or 2 Ankara

• ₦1,000,000 Payment – Ram with Aso Oke or 2 Ankara or 50kg Rice + Goat

(Valid for lands worth ₦3M and above)

• ₦3,000,000 Payment – 3 Rams with Aso Oke or 2 Ankara

(Valid for lands worth ₦8M and above)

This campaign is also being celebrated with the support of star brand ambassadors; Lateef Adedimeji, Ibrahim Chatta, and Femi Branch, who embody the spirit of culture, excellence, and family that Adron Homes stands for.

With a proven track record of delivering value and properties in strategic locations, Adron Homes is committed to making the dream of property ownership a reality for every Nigerian regardless of income level.

This Ileya season, the company is inviting all Nigerians to invest not just in land, but in a lifetime of security, prosperity, and generational wealth.

Visit any Adron Homes office nationwide or connect with us through our online platforms:

Website:adronhomesproperties.com

Reps seek reintegration plan for IDPs nationwide

The House of Representatives on Wednesday called on relevant agencies of the Federal Government to carry out a reintegration plan for Internally Displaced Persons across the country.

The decision of the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion on notice during Wednesday’s plenary, sponsored by the member representing Eleme/Oyigbo/Tai Federal Constituency, Rivers State, Mr Felix Nwaeke.

Speaking on the substance of the motion, the Rivers lawmaker noted that as of April 2024, the internally displaced persons in Nigeria were estimated at 3.3m persons living in over 300 camps across Benue, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, and Zamfara States.

He said, “The visitations by humanitarian organisations and government agencies to these camps are immersed with calls for improved welfare, feeding, and security of the displaced persons in these over 300 camps.

“There has to be a plan on how to prepare these persons who had been forced out of their homes and subjected to living conditions lower than they are used to psychologically, emotionally, and physically to reintegrate them back to a normal standard of living.

“If the displaced persons, most of whom are women and children, are returned home after relative peace is restored in their communities without a structured reintegration plan that would be providing cash assistance, food and clothing, and psychological and emotional counseling and support; it would amount to insensitivity to their plight and, at most, abandonment.”

Following the adoption of the motion, the House urged the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction and the National Emergency Management Agency to conduct an assessment of the situation in the IDP camps across the country and draw up a reintegration plan for IDPs.

It also mandated its Committee on Emergency and Disaster Management to ensure compliance.

Ground rent hike is coming, says Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has revealed that his administration is considering an increase in ground rent payments, while describing the refusal to pay ground rent and other taxes as his greatest challenge in office.

The PUNCH reports that the FCT administration began sealing properties belonging to ground rent defaulters on Monday. These included the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party, the National Agency for Trafficking in Persons, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, a branch of Access Bank, and a TotalEnergies filling station.

The leadership of the PDP and the FIRS criticised the actions of the Wike-led FCTA, describing them as unprofessional and an affront to the country’s democracy.

President Bola Tinubu intervened, granting a 14-day ultimatum for the payment of the owed sums, as well as penalties ranging between N2 million and N3 million, depending on locations within the FCT.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday after inspecting ongoing projects in Abuja, Wike lamented that while residents demand infrastructure in the FCT, they fail to support the government by paying their taxes.

He noted that many debtors owe as much as 20 years’ worth of ground rent, despite the fact that the ground rent has remained unchanged for many years.

“My greatest challenge is the refusal of people to pay what they owe. I will elaborate on this in the next media chat. People want facilities, they want infrastructure, but nobody asks where the funds come from. Abuja is not an oil-producing city; we rely solely on taxes. These are not new taxes; they have been in place for years.

“It is unfortunate that many elites own houses overseas. They understand the consequences of not paying taxes abroad — such properties can be forfeited. Yet, when it comes to their own country, they refuse to comply simply because they believe there are no sanctions.

“Look at the arrears — 20, 30 years. And how much is it? We have not increased the ground rent, but we are working towards that, and I can assure you we will do so. The President has granted a two-week waiver. Let no one think that blackmail or intimidation will deter us; we will do what is necessary,” he stated.

The minister also disclosed that he had recently signed over 1,500 Certificates of Occupancy and Deeds of Assignment, while again urging residents to pay their taxes and ground rents to support development in the FCT.

“If you pay your taxes, you will see the difference it makes. That is what we are striving to achieve,” he added.

Emefiele appeals final forfeiture order of 753 housing units estate

Former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has petitioned the Court of Appeal in Abuja to overturn a judgment granting the government full control of a substantial estate in Abuja comprising 753 housing units.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had earlier obtained a court order to seize the estate, situated in the Lokogoma district of Abuja.

Initially, the estate was linked to another unnamed former government official. However, Emefiele, through his legal representative A.M. Kotoye, contends that he ought to have been involved in the proceedings, as he holds an interest in the property. He is now seeking the Appeal Court’s reversal of the lower court’s ruling.

“I was unaware of the forfeiture,” Emefiele asserts.

He informed the court that the EFCC published the interim forfeiture notice in an obscure section of a newspaper, making it difficult to detect.

Additionally, Emefiele explained that he was simultaneously managing three criminal cases in both Abuja and Lagos, which hindered his ability to notice the publication.

He further accused the EFCC of deliberately concealing the forfeiture case from him, despite their ongoing engagement with him on other charges.

The trial court, however, dismissed his claim, ruling that the EFCC had followed due process and that the newspaper notice was sufficient.

The judge declared that the notice “could not reasonably be described as hidden.”

Dissatisfied, Emefiele lodged an appeal on April 30, 2025, requesting the Court of Appeal to: reverse the judgment delivered on April 28, 2025; annul the interim and final forfeiture orders dated November 1 and 2 December 2024 respectively; and grant his application filed on January 28, 2025.

He argued that the trial court had misconstrued his application and erroneously dismissed it without proper consideration of critical facts, asserting that the orders were founded on “hearsay, suspicion, and no proper evidence.”

Emefiele also maintained that he possessed both legal and equitable interests in the estate, despite the court’s assertion that he failed to provide proof of ownership.

“The entire ruling is a miscarriage of justice,” Emefiele declared.

He added, “The failure of the trial judge to properly evaluate the affidavit and documents before him is perverse and has caused a miscarriage of justice.

“The orders were made in breach of the 1999 Constitution and are therefore null and void.”

Meanwhile, Emefiele’s legal team has written to the Minister of Housing, urging the government to halt all plans to sell the estate until the appeal is resolved.

“We are aware that the properties may soon be sold to the public. We have already served the EFCC with a notice of appeal and an injunction,” the letter stated.

The federal government had recently announced intentions to auction the estate to low- and middle-income Nigerians.

Gateway Games: Participants stranded as Ogun athletes protest unpaid allowances

Athletes representing hosts Ogun State at the 22nd National Sports Festival on Wednesday, left other athletes and officials stranded at the Games Village at Babcock University, as they protested the non-payment of their allowances with two days to the end of the Gateway Games 2024, PUNCH Online reports.

In videos and pictures circulated by officials at the games village, buses conveying athletes to different venues of events were stranded as athletes in Ogun tracksuits were seen blocking the gate.

It was said that the situation began as early as 5.30am.

Ogun athletes blocking buses at the Gateway Games 2024 event venue in protest over unpaid allowance. Photo: Abiodun Adewale

One of the athletes representing Ogun State also confirmed to PUNCH Online that they had held a meeting over the protest last night and proceeded with their plans this morning.

According to him, they were yet to be paid and do not know how much the state would pay them in terms of allowances.

Before the start of the sports festival, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, pledged a cash reward of N2.5m for every gold medallist from the state, N1.5m for silver and N1m for bronze medallists.

The state is third on the medals table with 48 gold, 38 silver and 47 bronze medals.

PUNCH Online is still awaiting the reaction of the Ogun State Commissioner of Sports, Wasiu Isiaka, as of the time of filing this story.

LagRide drivers lament app failures, poor services

The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria has decried the non-fulfilment of commitments by LagRide and Choice International Group Motors Ltd.

The Public Relations Officer, AUATON, Lagos Chapter, Steven Iwindoye, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.

Iwindoye said that after undergoing a mandatory four-day training programme, most commitments made during the period had not been honoured.

He said app-based transporters could not make consistent progress as the LagRide app had failed to function optimally.

Iwindoye said the drivers were faced with persistent frustrations and operational challenges across various parts of Lagos State.

“Captains in areas such as Ikorodu, Badagry; Igando; Abule Egba; Alagbado; Epe; and other outskirts are often unable to receive trip requests, especially in the mornings or even during the day, unless they relocate to the Island, Ikeja, or central parts of Lagos.

“Many commuters in these areas have already turned to alternative modes of transportation, due to the inefficiencies that have existed since the service’s inception.

“It is deeply concerning that a project of this scale was launched without comprehensive market research, advertisement, or visibility studies.

The ongoing struggles suggest a lack of understanding of the gig economy and the realities of the e-hailing industry.

“Instead of addressing these systemic issues, undue blame continues to be placed on hardworking captains, who are striving to meet asset repayment obligations and support their families.

“Expecting captains to remain exclusively on the LagRide app without receiving trip requests for hours, while providing no incentives or meaningful improvements, is unsustainable,” he said.

Iwindoye noted that Promised features such as daily remittance visibility and in-app asset repayment tracking remained unfulfilled.

He said the app’s limited visibility across Lagos had compounded issues, hence, urging the team to initiate a comprehensive, state-wide public awareness and advertising campaign.

According to him, without this, low user engagement will persist, not due to lack of interest, but due to inadequate reach and public awareness.

He said the captains had borne the costs of vehicle repairs, maintenance, and insurance for over two years, in spite having paid these fees to Ibile Holdings.

Iwindoye said in the event of accidents, there had been no access to the insurance they consistently paid for.

“We are also concerned about the app’s current data and user policy framework, which seems to reflect principles of China’s Cybersecurity Law.

“This approach mandates extensive identity collection and surveillance practices that do not align with Nigeria’s labour and data protection standards.

“As a sovereign nation, Nigeria is governed by the NIMC Act and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, which provide distinct legal protections.

“Enforcing foreign data frameworks on Nigerian workers constitutes a breach of our sovereignty and undermines our national legal structures.

“We respectfully call on the CIG and LagRide management to review and revise the app’s data and user policy to reflect Nigerian Labour laws and data protection regulations, not foreign cybersecurity policies incompatible with our national framework.

“The management should ensure that the LagRide app operates efficiently across all regions of Lagos, and launch a sustained and robust advertising campaign to improve service visibility and adoption,” he said.

He enjoined LagRide management to implement previously promised incentives to the drivers, to encourage continued participation and improve service delivery.

He urged that there should be full transparency and access to insurance, vehicle maintenance, and asset repayment tracking through the app.

“We respectfully call on LagRide management to immediately switch to daily payments as originally agreed, instead of the current twice-weekly disbursements, which violate the agreement made with the NLC/AUATON.

“Given the gravity of these issues, we strongly recommend a collaborative return to the drawing board.

“Let us redesign this initiative together, to truly serve the needs of both captains and the broader public, ensuring the long-term sustainability and success of the LagRide scheme,” Iwindoye said.