Here are the stories that drove the conversation today:
The Federal Government has signed a $45 million interim phase agreement with General Electric (GE) for the concession of narrow gauge rail lines in the country.
According to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, “The main agreement which will cost $45million for the interim phase and $2.7billion for the entire project after the whole agreement will be concluded.”
With the interim agreement, GE would commence commercial activities for both cargoes and passengers before October and would be bringing in 10 coaches and 100 wagons while an additional 10 locomotives and coaches would be repaired.
The Senate has summoned the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to appear before it on Wednesday over the rising insecurity in different parts of the country and to brief the lawmakers on the maltreatment of Senator Dino Melaye, who was arrested and arraigned by the police at the Federal High Court Abuja, and at the Magistrate’s Court in Lokoja.
The IG on two occasions had shunned Senate’s summons, and sent the Deputy Inspector General of Operation to represent him but was refused to be admitted into the chambers.
The Senate also summoned security chiefs over the proliferation of arms, which it said is aiding criminality.
A Lagos Division of the Federal High Court has granted a temporary forfeiture of N9.2 billion and $8.4 million linked to a former First Lady, Patience Jonathan.
The funds were said to be in the custody of Skye Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank and First Bank Plc
The judge also directed EFCC to publish the order in a national newspaper within 14 days of this order and that the respondent be served with the order.
Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday, inaugurated the joint ad hoc committee of the National Assembly to investigate the invasion of the Senate chamber and snatching of the mace by suspected thugs on April 18, 2018.
The panel which has members drawn from the Senate and House of Representatives, is to be chaired by the Senate’s Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah.
The Lagos State Government has commenced payment of over N11.8billion as compensation to owners of properties that gave way for construction of roads, flyovers, ramps and other critical infrastructural projects across the State.
The payment is for properties demolished for projects including the Abule Egba road expansion, Epe Road expansion, Lekki International Airport, Pen Cinema flyover, ultra-modern bus terminal in Oyingbo and upgrading of Murtala Mohammed International Airport Road.
Other projects include Mechanic Village, Gbagada Phase1, Ojokoro Specialist Hospital, construction of Freedom Road/Drainage channel, reconstruction of Agri-Ishawo Konu-Arepo Road, among others.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Lands Bureau, Yetunde Onabule disclosed this on Tuesday in Alausa.
And stories from around the world:
Two cases of the Ebola virus disease have been confirmed by the laboratory of the National Institute of Biomedical Research in Equateur Province, northwestern DRC in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a source from the Ministry of Health on Tuesday.
The WHO has described the outbreak as “a public health crisis of international importance”.
It said the first teams of experts, including epidemiologists, biologists and hygiene specialists had been dispatched and were due to arrive in the affected region by Friday or Saturday.
President Donald Trump will today reveal if the United States will abandon the nuclear deal with Iran and reimpose sanctions.
He has been highly critical of the 2015 accord, where Iran limited its nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
A succession of European leaders including the French president, Emmanuel Macron, the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and the British foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, have flown to Washington in recent weeks to warn that tearing up the deal with no alternative strategy to contain Iran’s nuclear programme risks undermining diplomacy and strengthening hardliners in Tehran.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un met in northeast China on Tuesday in an unannounced visit by the North Korean leader ahead of an expected summit with US President Donald Trump.
The visit is Kim’s second visit to China since March, in efforts by the both countries to mend ties that have chilled in the wake of China’s support for UN sanctions over North Korea’s nuclear activities.
Morocco has formally joins the Pan-African Parliament (PAP),
The move was formalised after five Moroccan ministers were sworn in alongside 73 deputies from other African countries at the opening of the sixth ordinary session of the pan-African body in Midrand, South Africa.
This development is coming one year after she rejoined the African Union after 33 years of absence.
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, resigns just hours after accounts of abuse by four women.
The allegations of abuse bother on being slapped and choked, verbal abuse and threats which they claim often happened during what were supposed to be romantic encounters, and the women said the violence was not consensual.
Schneiderman is a Democrat who has held himself out as a champion of women and a liberal foil to President Donald Trump and who has pledged to use his office to hold others accountable for abusing their power.
Temidayo Taiwo-Sidiq is a Journalist, Political Analyst and Satirist with major interest in Nigerian Politics, Governance and Sports.
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