Embattled Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah today faced House Committee Hearing over the BMW car scandal.

Here is the Transcript of proceedings from Premium Times:

11:40
The minister has finally arrived at the venue of the hearing, 100 minutes after the hearing was scheduled to kick off. The lawmakers now setting up to start the hearing.

11:56
Stella Oduah, the aviation minister has just taken her seat before the committee. The hearing begins.

12:00
Hearing committee chairperson, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, gives her opening speech, explaining the delay in starting the hearing and that the committee would be just and fair.
Delay was because venue used for hearing on Wednesday had been taken over for a another hearing on Land racketeering.
"This committee is out to get to the bottom of the matter. But committee is not on 'witch-hunting'"
12:06
Onyejeocha quips on the tense mood here. "We are not mourning, there is no aeroplane crash; I want to see everyone smiling," she says. "Feel free and relax."
The minister is about to be called upon to testify. She takes oath to say "nothing but the truth, the whole truth."

12:10
Ms. Oduah starts by apologizing for inability to attend previous hearings. She said said her absence was not out of disrespect and thanks the committee for rescheduling her appearance.

12:17
Ms. Oduah says opportunity to appear will allow her give her side of the story. "For the past week, I have been bashed in the media, many have also risen to my defence."
She said her spokesperson's admission of the alleged purchase, while right on concerns for her safety, was "inaccurate".
She goes ahead to say online publications that she compelled NCAA to purchase cars for her were "false and malicious" allegations. "False in its entirety!"
Says online allegations not substantiated but based on "erroneous" comment of her aide.

12:19
"It is not true, cannot be true that NCAA bought bullet proof vehicles for honourable minister of aviation. My understanding is that what NCAA has done is to plan for its vehicle needs for the next three years under the Medium Term Expenditure Framework," — Stella Oduah
12:34
Oduah: NCAA has real needs for new operational vehicles. Insists armoured cars not meant for her but foreign dignitaries.
"NCAA acted within the ambit of law".
"Nothing in the stated documents mentioned my name. I did not request for any vehicles. All I did was to approve the purchase, subject to the agency doing the needful(following the law). NCAA followed due process as required by law."
"The Federal ministry of aviation under my watch has always ensured we act in a prudent manner and under the ambit of the law"-Stella Oduah
12:40
The aviation minister still rendering her opening remarks.
The "First Bank facility to NCAA to the tune of N643 million mere understanding not an obligation" she daid.
"Nigeria's airspace is now rate among the safest in the world". She adds that allegation about car purchase is meant to discredit her team and give the impression her effort at reforms is not succeeding.
NCAA has not spent any money not appropriated by the National Assembly. The agency has even saved the nation a cost and further embarrassment that may occur in future.

12:51
The minister's initial presentation is over. She is now receiving questions from the lawmakers.

13:08
Minister insists NCAA did not exceed its limit or violate the law.
She is reminded by by Jerry Manwe (Taraba state) that the National Assembly rejected armoured cars in the budget which she is defending, the minister buckles: "NCAA will answer that," she says.
Minister is pressed by Zakari Mohammed(Kwara state) why she exceeded her approval limit, she said her comment on the letter to NCAA was not final but advisory to NCAA to follow the law.
On the said letter, the minister wrote "Approved. Do the needful".
Brief game on semantics here. Minister says "Do the needful" could mean anything". But the lawmakers are not having that. NCAA is called to explain the "needful" it did. And the NCAA director general shirks to the former acting DG who was in charge then.

13:25
Blame briefly leaves the minister to officials of NCAA over "do the needful" directive. For a moment, lawmakers appear to agree with the minister the all-encompassing comment exonerates her. The former acting DG of NCAA is tackled for even initiating a memo to Odua for a purchase out of budget, and beyond approved limit.

13:47
Jerry Manwe (Member) to minister: If the armoured cars were not for you as you claimed, who is using them now?
Former acting DG answers for minister: Any one can use any car in the pool
Manwe: Do you mean a cleaner can use those kind of cars?
Former DG: Anybody can use; but those kind of cars are for VIP movement, including foreign dignitaries, including the minister, and even you honourable member!
Manwe; Thank you. But the law of the country does not allow me to use those cars.

14:14
Attention has left the minister for more than half an hour. Lawmakers again tackle Coscharis over the disparity in chassis numbers of the cars.
A frustrated Chief Executive of Coscharis, Cosmas Maduka,makes it clear his company has nothing to hide as the committee would think. "We are not doing monkey business here," he asserted. Mr Maduka was asked to withdraw the comment and he promptly complied.

14:22
Reps wrapping the hearing. Chairperson Onyejeocha said despite the testimonies from those invited since last week, the committee has received sufficient documents that will inform its report. "We have given everyone fair hearing," she said.
"We assure everyone and all Nigerians we will do justice".

14:25
Hearing Ends. Thanks for following our updates. Do stick around our site for the rest of the day as we will put the proceeding in their correct perspective for you.

Twenty-five students and two teachers of Ogba Junior Grammar School in Ogba, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, were on Thursday evening rushed to a hospital after they inhaled emission from a toxic chemical.
The unconscious students and teachers were immediately rushed to Blue Cross Hospital, located opposite the shopping mall for urgent medical attention. 

A medical doctor at the hospital declined to comment on the condition of the students and teachers. Two of the affected female students whose condition was critical were transferred in a Lagos State Emergency Ambulance marked LA 156 A08 to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, in Ikeja.

About 12 noon, the students and teachers were in the school when they began to feel dizzy and collapsed after inhaling the emission from chemical spread to their school premises by air.

Following the incident, some of the teachers raised an alarm which attracted some members of the public, who immediately called officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency on their toll free lines.

One of the officials said the gas emission was traced to Bizcircuit Colour Laboratory, located within the premises of Ogba Shopping Mall just at the back of the school. According to the official, the chemical in the lab may have expired.

Speaking on the incident, Femi Giwa, Head of Logistics for LASEMA said that it was not an explosive as some members of the public were saying, but an emission, which was immediately traced to the lab, after carrying out an emergency assessment of the entire place.

Security agents comprising the police, NSCDC officials, and LASEMA officials cordoned off the entire area to prevent people from gaining access to the school and the shopping mall.













Source: PM News

Yes tonight is the night for Halloween. Though we do not really celebrate it in this part of the world, but in my area now, NEPA has done what they know how to do best, so I guess you just paint your face and scare the 10 devils out of your neighbour. Or if you are in the University (Private), you may want to scare your potters or your roommates.














NB- Abeg no make them expel you com talk say na JimCaddy talk say make you do Halloween oo.. Loooooool

The President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has been named the most powerful man in Africa and 64th in the world by the Forbes magazine.

Dangote, who Forbes says is by far Africa's richest man with a net worth of $16.1bn as of March 2013, was ranked ahead of the likes of Fifa President, Sepp Blatter (69); Speaker, United States House of Representatives, John Boehner (66); and Founder, Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Mohammed Ibrahim (71).

The 56-year-old, Dangote, whose company is considered one of the most diversified on the list, is currently ranked 43 on the Forbes list of the world's billionaires with his net worth over time said to be on the rise.

In August, the industrialist had announced plans by the Dangote Group to build a $9bn refinery and petrochemical complex in Nigeria, a move which is expected to help the group further diversify its current business model and increase his net worth.

Away from his business interests, mention was also made of his philanthropic efforts in his profile on theForbes website.

It reads in part, "Inspired by fellow billionaires, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, Dangote is making a name for himself on the philanthropic circuit and has given away millions to education, health and social causes in Africa."

Apart from Dangote, Ibrahim is the only other African on the list, which contains 72 people.
Russia's President, Vladimir Putin, topped the list, displacing United States President, Barrack Obama, who dropped to the second spot for the first time in three years.

Chinese President, Xi Jinping, occupies the third spot, while the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, debuts on the list at number four.
Pope Francis, who was elected in March this year, leads 12 other new entrants.


Other notable new names on the list are Samsung Chairman, Lee Kun-Hee (41); Volkswagen's Martin Winterkorn (49); South Korean President, Park Geun-hye (52); and Janet Yellen (72), who has been nominated by President Obama as the next leader of the US Federal Reserves.

The Executive Editor of the New York Times, Jill Abramson (68), makes a return appearance after dropping off the list in years past.

Facebook Founder, Mark Zuckerberg, aged 29, and North Korean leader, Kim Jung-un, aged 30, are the youngest people on the list. Zuckerberg occupies the 24th place, while Kim is ranked 46th.

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, who occupies the eight spot, is the oldest person on the list. He is
89 years old.

The world's richest man, Carlos Slim, is, however, not the most powerful man. The América Móvil honorary chairman occupies the 12th position.

According to Forbes, the Most Powerful People in the World list is an annual snapshot of the heads of state, financiers, philanthropists and entrepreneurs, who truly rule the world.

"It represents the collective wisdom of top Forbes editors, who consider hundreds of nominees before ranking the planet's top 72 power-brokers – one for every 100 million people on earth – based on their scope of influence and their financial resources relative to their peers," the magazine explained.

This year's list features 17 heads of state, who run nations with a combined Gross Domestic Product of some $48tn.

The Nigeria Police has described the photograph which showed a senior police officer in the act of fondling the breast of an unknown lady, as fake. It said the picture, which went viral on the Internet, was deliberately fabricated with the aid of Adobe Photoshop technology to mislead the public.

The alleged amorous scene, the police authorities claimed, did not take place and the officer had nothing to do with the woman.

The police said it arrived at this conclusion after interrogating the policeman, who was seen in the type of uniform worn by officers of the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police.

On the official Facebook page of the police, the affected police officer was quoted as saying, "I don't know this lady. I never took the picture with her."

However, the authorities did not name the police officer nor give the details of the command where he is serving.

The police said that though it does not forbid its rank and file to pose with members of the public for photographs, it would not tolerate any display of affection for the opposite sex in full public glare.

"An image showing one of our officers in a compromising position with a lady has gone viral. Please check the hands in the so-called picture that is in circulation and you will agree that they were photo-shopped.

"Other citizens of this country are encouraged to pose for snapshots with our uniformed officers if they so desire, just as it is done worldwide. What we discourage is public display of affection by our uniformed officers," it said.

After it appeared online, the controversial photograph provoked widespread condemnation from many Nigerians who have described the development as an act of indiscipline.

Claiming to be policemen, some people wrote on the police Facebook page that the phot0graph was the handiwork of mischief makers, who were clearly determined to drag the name of the security agency in mud.

They said that no uniformed officer of the rank of ACP would  be so careless as to pose for a photograph in such a compromising position with a lady.

One Oluwasegun Samuel-Alalade commented on the wall of the Facebook page. "I know it is not real. Even a fresh recruit undergoing training at the Police College will not do such a thing, not to mention a top ranking officer. The Nigeria Police Force should kindly disregard the photograph, " he wrote.

Also Kabiesy Ojeabulu wrote, "Photoshop or no Photoshop, all I have to say is that the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, should always investigate issues before taking actions. It appears that a large section of the general public does not like the police. So they fabricate anything to tarnish our image. God help us all."

Another policeman, Adegbola Olafiyin, stated, "I don't know the offence we committed to deserve this from the public. Imagine here in the state where I am serving, commercial motorcycle riders will not give you a ride despite the fact that you have your money. This whole thing amounts to blackmail."

But some Nigerians have disagreed with the police authorities on the status of the controversial photograph. They insist that it appears more real than fabricated.


On cknnigeria.com, one Lanre Bewaji wrote: "There are many angles to this picture. It is obvious the lady took the picture and the officer consented to it. No matter how awkward the scenario looks, if the lady was his wife or fiancée, would there be an issue? Until we know the real circumstances behind this picture, the matter is neither here nor there!"
In a tweet to the police, Hyke Ekeanyanwu expressed doubt that the photograph was faked.

He said, "I may agree that the hand holding the breast was photo-shopped, but I will not agree that the hand around his (police officer's) neck does not belong to the lady."

Wale Bolanle, also on Facebook, queried,"What do you want us to believe? What else do you want him to say? He must surely deny. Is he not a human being?"

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, presented a budget proposal of N489.690 billion for the 2014 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly for consideration and eventual ratification.

Fashola, however, faulted the recent approval of $200 million World Bank loan by the Federal Government for the state to fund capital projects, saying, "it slowed down the state government activities for two years." The 2014 budget comprises of a recurrent expenditure of N234.665 billion and capital expenditure of N255.025 billion.

While the total personnel cost/total revenue is 19 per cent, total personnel cost/IGR, 27 per cent, and personnel cost, as percentage of recurrent expenditure is 37. The 2014 proposed appropriation is N9.587 billion less than this year's budget, which was said to require a zero deficit financing.

The capital to recurrent ratio is 52:48 for next year as against 58:42 in 2013. Fashola, while presenting the budget before a large audience of stakeholders, party chieftains and captains of industry at the House of Assembly, explained that the drop in the figure was because, "this is the last full year budget that my administration will be implementing.

"It represents a slight reduction in size when compared with the 2013 budget. Its focus will be to complete on-going projects, and consolidate on the gains we have made."

The event was also witnessed by the former Governor, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora, a former speaker and a serving Senator; Joko Pelumi, also an ex-speaker; members of the State Executive Council, the Head of Service, Permanent Secretaries, among others.

Zero deficit The governor noted that the budget would require a zero deficit financing. Fashola, while reading the sectoral allocation of the budget said: "The sector with the largest share is the Economic Affairs which takes N160,046,436,169 representing 32.68 per cent of the total budget.
"It is immediately followed by the General Public Service which received slightly over N100.2billion, representing 20.47 per cent."

Other sectors include: Education, N77,423, 827, 872 or 15.81 per cent, Environmental Protection, N39,727,711,248 (8.11 percent); Recreation, Culture & Religion, N3,482,081,806 ( 0.71 percent); Housing & Community Amenities, N50,537,201,984 (10.32 per cent); Health, N37,812,553,057 (7.72 per cent); Public Order and Safety, N17,977,368,027, (3.67 per cent); Social Protection, N2,466,309,939, (0.50 per cent)Justifying the Economic Affairs' lion share, Fashola said: "This sector consists of implementation of various Independent Power Projects, IPPs, projects, Development of Enterprise Zone in Gberigbe, Ikorodu and Upgrading of Yaba Industrial Park, Advancement of Ten-Lane Lagos-Badagry Expressway/Blue Rail Line Corridor, completion of other on-going road construction projects and pedestrian bridges and Agric-YES, Accelerated Food Expansion Programme: Rice, Animal Husbandry, Root Crops."

"The General Public Service will provide for Pensions, Residents Registration and Issuance of permanent residents' cards by LASRRA, and Implementation of Public Procurement Law." Clarifying further, he said from December 1, 2013, LASRRA Identity Card, ID, would be a requirement in terms of information needed to enable us provide service to Lagosians or process requests from them.

Meanwhile, the governor said that the central government's guaranteed loan for the state, was meant to fund capital projects such as the Light Rail, Adiyan Water Works, among others.

According to him: "While I thank them for finally giving the approval, it is instructive to contextualise the timing of the approval."You might all re-call that in 2010 when I presented the year 2011 budget, I announced that we had negotiated a World Bank loan for $600m to fund a three-year medium term expenditure framework for years 2011, 2012 and 2013 which required Federal Government's approval.

"Although the approval for the loan was given then and the year 2011 first tranche for $200m was released in that year, the year 2012 and 2013 tranches were frustrated by Federal Government agencies.

"It is the year 2012 component and year 2013 component that is now being approved in the last quarter of 2013. "Our state's development was held up and slowed down for two years. The progress on the rail was held back, supply of additional 70 million gallons from Adiyan Water Works was slowed down, progress on Lagos Badagry Expressway was slowed down. Improvement in the quality of life of Lagosians was slowed down.

"But painfully we have had to borrow money at shorter tenures of seven years and higher interest rates of 17 per cent and 14 per cent, instead of one per cent and 40 year tenure which the delayed World Bank loan offered," he said.

The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, in his reaction, noted that the presentation of the budget was a constitutional matter under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in section 121 (1). He observed that members of the legislative arm were saddled with the responsibility to look into the budget presented by the Governor and determine how the state would maximise its benefit to the generality of the people and addressed the issues of poverty and deprivation.

According to him: "We will apply our utmost best within our legislative powers to give this budget proposal the detailed attention it deserves for its transformation into appropriation bill for the benefit, prosperity, growth and development of Lagos State and Lagosians."

Guinness Foreign extra stout is staging one of the biggest concert of our times. It's called the #ColourfulWorldOfMore.

It's taking place on Sunday, 3rd of November, 2013.

Come and witness performances from super stars like Davido, Wizkid, Olamide, D'banj, Burna Boy, Chidinma, P-square, Ice Prince, Waje, Phyno.


You have to be tagged in order to participate.

To get tagged, simply log on to http://www.colorfulworldofmore.com and register for your tickets between the UNIQUE hours of 17.59 and 20.59 daily, and you may just be on your way to experience a #ColourfulWorldOfMore.




I have been tagged and you should too!!





NB- You have to be +18 to be able to participate in the #ColourfulWorldOfMore.












**Guinness is STRICTLY NOT for sale to, or for consumption by persons under the age of 18. Drink responsibly**

The Nigeria Customs Service on Wednesday explained how the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and Coscharis Motors used the waiver granted the firm for the 18th National Sports Festival, hosted by Lagos State, to import the controversial N255m bullet-proof cars.

Lagos had hosted the games, otherwise known as 'EKO 2012′, in November last year.

The NCS told the House Committee on Aviation that no duty was paid on the cars because Coscharis obtained a duty exemption certificate from the Federal Ministry of Finance.

According to the Customs, the government lost N10.1m in revenue due to the waiver, which covered 300 vehicles, including the two BMW cars.

Deputy Comptroller-General (Modernisation and Economic Relations), Mr. Manasa Jatau, who testified before the panel, disclosed that the Ministry of Finance granted the waiver after Coscharis wrote that it was to import 300 assorted vehicles for the EKO games.

He added that the "end beneficiaries" of the cars, including the two bullet-proof cars, was the Lagos State Government.

However, the waiver was later used as cover to import the bullet-proof cars to evade the payment of import duty, adding that there was a third bullet-proof car.

He said the office of the National Security Adviser issued a security clearance for the cars.

Asked whether a waiver, granted for a specific purpose, could be transferred to a different end user, he replied, "To the best of my knowledge, end user certificate is not transferable.

He added, "N10.1m was the duty payable on the 300 vehicles, but no duty was paid because there was an import exemption certificate issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance. The waiver was for a period of one year.

"The waiver showed there were 300 vehicles for the sports festival, hosted from November to December, 2012. Only three of the vehicles were bullet-proof and the NSA gave security certificates for their clearance."

Coscharis Motors was represented at the hearing by its Chairman, Mr. Cosmos Maduka, and the Managing Director, Mr. Josiah Samuel.

Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha, Nigerian football legend threw a lavish 40th birthday party for his wife of 16 years, Nkechi Okocha on Friday October 25th at Civic Centre in Lagos.

Guests at the party were openly estimating that the party & gift must have set back the retired Captain of the Super Eagles by about N28 Million or more.

Some of the artistes that performed at the occasion include Olamide, Kaycee, Flavour Nabania', Wizkid and Banky W.

During the party, Jay Jay Okocha gave his wife a brand new White Mercedez Benz G-Wagon SUV as birthday present.

Nkechi went down on her knees to thank her husband for all his love and support in front of the party guests.












Photo credit: Maestromedia Blog

Officials of the Lagos State Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, HEFAMAA, accompanied by taskforce officials have arrested a 46-year old man who allegedly parades himself as a doctor and operates a hospital in the state.

Led by its Executive Secretary, Dr. Jimmy Asuni, the government officials, acting on a tip off stormed Bucknor Street at Jakande Estate, Isheri-Olofin area of Lagos, southwest Nigeria on Monday and arrested the suspect, Mr. Billy Nkechinyere, who hails from Imo State, southeast Nigeria.


It was alleged that Mr. Nkechinyere was operating a health facility without any identification, where he allegedly employed the services of auxiliary nurses to treat people.

The auxiliary nurses fled when they saw the HEFAMAA officials and taskforce officials approaching, while Nkechinyere was arrested alongside a guard in the house that was converted to a hospital.

The suspects were detained at the taskforce office at Alausa, while the hospital was shut by the government officials.

Nkechinyere was said to have denied the allegations, claiming that he was not a doctor and he was not the one operating the facility.

Taskforce Chairman, Bayo Sulaiman, Chief Superintendent of Police, told P.M.NEWS that the guard that was arrested with the suspect had given useful information that would be used as evidence against the suspect in court.

He said before the taskforce could get to the location of the hospital, the suspect had informed his staff to flee, saying that the man's house was also visited where the police got useful documents to prove that the suspect was operating an illegal hospital.

"His guard has been arrested and he has given us evidence that the man operates an illegal hospital. We went to his house on Tuesday and we got useful documents," he stated.

Sulaiman warned members of the public parading themselves as doctors, when they were not, to desist from such act as the long arm of the law would surely catch up with them.

"They should stop treating people like animals. If they are not qualified doctors, they cannot practice the profession," he said.

Sulaiman said that the suspect would be charged to court as soon as the magistrates resume from their training, adding that he would be arraigned at the Special Offences Court at Alausa, Lagos.

Source: PM News

Nigeria's largest city Lagos is constructing a light rail system under a public private partnership (PPP). The project is sponsored by the Lagos State Government (LSG) and will be developed by Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) on behalf of LSG.

LAMATA has proposed seven lines in the network: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Purple, Brown and Orange.

China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) has been appointed as the contractor for the construction of the first line (Blue). The contract includes the basic design and construction of the rail infrastructure. Detailed design and surveying for the entire project has been completed.

CCECC is constructing the Blue line in two phases. The first phase includes the National Theatre to Mile 2 section and the second phase includes the Mile 2 to Okokomaiko section.

CCECC has completed 90% of the structural work for the line. By the end of 2012, 8km of the Blue line is expected to be completed.

Construction of the Blue line was initially expected to be completed by 2011 but has been delayed to 2015 due to funding issues. CCECC may have to suspend work if funding is not secured.

The first two lines of the urban rail project are estimated to cost $1.4bn. The Red line will be 30km long, and will run between Marina and Agbado. The Blue line will be 27km long, connecting Okokomaiko to Marina.


The Blue line will cost $1.2bn and will be funded entirely by the Lagos State Government (LSG). In May 2012, the Lagos government commenced negotiations with potential investors for the operation and maintenance of the line.

The 30km-long Red line will use the existing Nigeria Railway Corporation corridor. It will be constructed through a concession arrangement.

Discussions with a preferred bidder for construction of the Red line are ongoing.

The concession contract will be for the operation and maintenance of the lines for a 25-year period. The scope of work for the concessionaire will also include design and construction of the infrastructure associated with operation and maintenance of the lines.

The transaction adviser for the Red line is Dar Al-Handasah. CPCS Transcom is the transaction adviser for the Blue line. The two transaction advisers have conducted feasibility studies and conceptual design work for their respective lines.


Red Line: Marina to Iddo


The Red line begins as a double line at Marina and runs through Ebute Ero ending at Iddo. It then runs northwards via a reverse curve to reach Ebute Metta. The line runs straight to Yaba, Mushin and Oshodi before reaching Ikeja.

At the Ikeja station, the Red line is linked to the line from the international and domestic airport terminal. From Ikeja, a single line will run to the airport terminals. The Red line moves as a double line further northwards from Ikeja to pass through Agege, Iju and finally reaches Agbado.

The passenger railway service run by Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) from the north will terminate at the Agbado interchange. Passengers travelling to Marina using NRC services will change train at Agbado and continue their journey on the Red line. Some of the Red line section from Agbado will run on NRC corridor tracks.

The Blue line starts at Marina station and runs along Ebute Ero and Iddo stations - same as the Red line. From Iddo, the Blue line running on an elevated platform moves along the National Theatre station and makes a descent at Iganmu to join the expanded Lagos-Badagry Expressway, an expansion conceived to ease link between Nigeria and neighbouring West African states, Alaba, Mile 2, Festac, Alakija, Trade Fair station, Volkswagen station, LASU and finally reaches the Okokomaiko station where it ends. One of the two bridges being built for the Blue line is at Mile 2.

Island-style platforms

The Red and Blue lines will have 13 stations each. Three stations in the south end of the Red line will be shared with the Blue line. The two lines will therefore comprise 23 stations in total.
The stations will have island-style platforms and commuter payment systems. Public address and electronic information screens will be installed in each station. The Ebute Ero station will also have an escalator.

A number of rail crossings with elevated road structures will be built along the lines. A total of 35 pedestrian bridges will be constructed over the Nigerian Railway Corridor. Cable ducts and walkways, in addition to drainage system with two walls will be built along different sections of the lines.

Between Marina and Iddo stations, a combined 5km viaduct rail over road and cable stay bridge will be built, linking the Red and Blue lines.

Other infrastructure to be built as part of the project include stations; signalling, control and communications (SC&C) systems; supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems; depot and workshop facilities; an operations control centre and a training facility for train drivers.

The Red line is anticipated to operate with 12-car trains. More cars will be added according to demand. The maximum number of cars will, however, be limited to 16 a train. The 16-car trains will be 352m long and the 12-car trains will be 264m long. The cars will accommodate 300 passengers each.

Signalling and communications


The light rail system will employ the latest train authorisation systems, automatic train protection (ATP) and in-cab signalling in all of its lines.

The wayside equipment will be minimised so that the drivers will not exceed the authorised movement limits. The ATP will help to maintain the speed restrictions set on the lines. To ensure that the signalling is available even during power cuts, a backup power system will be fitted.

Source: http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/lagosrailmasstransit/


Photo Credit: Reuters

The Catholic Diocese of Awka has cleared the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra, Sen. Chris Ngige, of allegedly assaulting a priest by slapping him.

The Chancellor of the Diocese, Rev. Fr. Chudi Akaenyi, at a news conference in Awka on Tuesday, said that at no time did Ngige slap any priest of the church.

There have been speculations that Ngige recently slapped a Catholic priest at a funeral ceremony at his hometown, Nanka, in Orumba North Local Government Area.

Akaenyi, flanked by the priest alleged to have been slapped, Rev. Fr. Evaristus Ezekwonna, the Chaplain General of Men of Order (MOD) of the diocese, said that he did not see Ngige slap anyone.

"When I was informed of disorderliness at the entrance gate for the dignitaries in the bishop's house during the burial, I invited the senator to the scene to identify persons who said they were in his entourage,'' Ezekwonna said.

He said that three policemen who later apologised for unruly behaviour had tried to force their way into the bishop's court after Ngige had entered with some people who came with him.


"There was no incident or action of that nature, either by him or anybody. I have told you our own connection. Policemen tried to force the gate open. Ngige came to me and said he did not know them and we shook hands and he left.

"Hearing that anybody slapped a reverend father is matter of serious concern and absolutely unacceptable.

"I have no idea about that, I do not know where they got that story from because no priest would have made any press statement to the media without clearance,'' Akaenyi said.

Earlier, Ngige had told newsmen in his campaign office in Awka that as a Catholic, who attended Catholic schools and a knight for about 10 years, he could not slap or use offensive language on a priest.

"Anybody who is saying I was found to have assaulted a priest was saying so because he or she is 'out of his or her senses'. I am a very strong Catholic and from a Catholic family.

He said that political parties could be behind the rumour and that his party was investigating the matter.

"It is a joke taken too far,'' he said.

Ngige, however, said that his legal team was looking into the issue in order to take appropriate action.

Source: NAN

Could there be a Formula One show in Abuja every Sunday or what?

I hear children of rich people in Abuja use exotic cars to perform stunts every sunday, as people come out to watch them.

I don't know how true this is. I hear they screech tyres and do all sorts.


Well the only good thing about this will be if they monetize it and make plenty money from it. If not, it will be a waste of resources by shortening the lifespan of their car tyres. Lol!

Businessman offered a young model 100,000 yuan ($16,430) to breastfeed him during a group dinner in Jiujiang, China. And, astonishingly, she accepted.

Mo Lulu, a young singer and model, gained nationwide notoriety after circulating a series of "body mooncake" photos online in September, in which she had men eating mooncakes off her nude body.

She grabbed eyeballs again at the Jiujiang automobile show on Friday, standing next to luxury automobiles in alluring poses and scanty underwear.

She then lay on a stage and allowed people to place fruit on her body.

This time, she has gone one step further. China National Radio reported on its website that at a private dinner after the automobile show, Mo breastfed a man who paid her 100,000 yuan ($16,430).

According to the report, the businessman called Mo "mom" every time he took a sip. Other people at the dinner took photos and uploaded them online.

Once again Mo has become a target on Chinese social media.

"WTF, really whoever breastfeeds you is your mother huh?!" a commenter posted on Weibo.
Another wrote, "Your mother is really young, just like your daughter."

While some people condemned Mo for her shameless self promotion, others asked if her behaviour not only violated moral standards but also broke the law.

"Doesn't this count as prostitution in public? What is the police department doing?" a commenter from Zhenzhou wrote on Weibo.

Cui Xinjiang, a lawyer from Henan province said, "This case violates laws regarding acts of prostitution, but it is not a criminal offence.

However, both the businessman and the model should be jailed for 10 to 15 days and fined, according to The Regulations on Administrative Penalties for Public Security."

He also explained that whether the local police took any action depended on the motivation for circulating the photos.

If the aim was only to promote the model and create a sensation, usually the police department wouldn't get involved.

Are Kanye West and Kim Kardashian suing over that leaked proposal video from their engagement?

TMZ reports that West and Kardashian are "pissed off" that someone recorded their Oct. 21 engagement at San Francisco's AT&T Park and leaked it to the press -- and they might sue. The website reports the person who did it signed a confidentiality agreement. "We're told a lawsuit is imminent."

The person who filmed and uploaded the Kimye proposal video was YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley. The 2-and-a-half minute clip was posted to his new collaborative video app, MixBit, and has since gotten more than 1.5 million views.


Although the proposal video wasn't the only footage from the night (the reality star's BFFs Jonathan Cheban and Robin Antin uploaded some Instagram pics), it was, by far, the most intimate look at the lavish proposal dreamed up by Yeezy.

"It seems like Yeezus and Mary were OK with a few Instagrams from their guests, but Hurley's footage went beyond snapshots -- and has racked up almost 1.5 million views since last week," writes ValleyWag's Sam Biddle. "We were wondering why the hell the co-founder of YouTube was at Kanye West's marriage proposal, and now, it seems privacy-craving Kanye is wondering the same thing."

While West does like both privacy and control, it's hard to believe he would actually sue the Silicon Valley honcho. However, there might be an issue if the footage was meant to be a surprise for an upcoming "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" episode or an E! special.

Reps for MixBit and Kardashian could not be immediately reached for comment.














Source: Huffington Post

Former Miss World Rosanna Davison has been signed up as a presenter for Liverpool's official television channel, LFC TV.

The 29-year-old, the daughter of singer Chris de Burgh, is a popular figure in Ireland where she is a model but her job for Liverpool is her first in broadcasting outside of her home country.

Davison has already shot two 30-minute programmes for Liverpool, to document the club's greatest-ever Irish, and international, players. Both are expected to air in 2013.


I really, really enjoyed it, especially considering I'm a long-term Liverpool follower,' Davison said. 'Hopefully this is just the beginning.

Davison followed winning Miss Ireland in 2003 with becoming the 52nd Miss World later that year and the first ever from Ireland.

She is also reported as being in discussions about becoming the first Miss World to appear in the American edition of Playboy, having done so in the German one.

She added: 'I wouldn't be mad about watching any old team play, it would have to be Liverpool.'

Sir Alex Ferguson's memoir has become a record breaker as the fastest-selling non-fiction book.

His eagerly awaited book, called simply My Autobiography, has echoed his managerial success with Manchester United by becoming a champion in the publishing world, selling 115,547 copies in a week.

Fergie's hardback book - which has a cover price of £25 - notched up the biggest first-week sale for a non-fiction title since official records began 15 years ago, according to industry magazine The Bookseller.


The previous record-holder was Delia Smith's How To Cook: Book Two which shifted 112,000 copies in its first week, nearly 14 years ago.

Sir Alex's book was well ahead of many other big name memoirs for their first week on the shelves, including Tony Blair's book A Journey which sold 92,000 copies three years ago and David Beckham's My Side, which achieved 86,000 first-week sales a decade ago.

The ex-United boss created a huge buzz with the publication of his book.

Mesut Ozil, the German summer record signing for Arsenal had to exchange pleasantries with his former Real Madrid manager, Jose Mourinho at full time, despite his club's defeat to Mourinho's new team, Chelsea in the fourth round of the Capital One Cup played at the Emirates Stadium last night.

Ozil gave Mourinho his shirt at full time.


The Arsenal playmaker revealed that Mourinho sent him a 'Welcome to London' message when he completed his move to the Emirates Stadium on transfer deadline day.

**It seems everyone want to be James Bond nowadays**




The Senate has queried Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr George Uriesi, over four bulletproof cars owned by his agency.

This was coming on the heels of the controversies surrounding the purchase of two units of BMW bullet-proof cars for the embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, at the cost of N255 million.

The 45-year-old FAAN MD, on Tuesday, went through a grilling season with the six-man Senate Committee on Aviation.

He is however yet to take delivery the vehicles as they are still with the bankers who financed the transaction.
The committee had queried Uriesi over the purchase of four bullet-proof cars in the custody of FAAN.

Caving in to the grilling session, Uriesi told the Senator Hope Uzodima-led committee that the vehicles included two units of Lexus Limousine cars and two units of Prado Jeeps.

He further told the committee that the two limousines were bought at the cost of N60m each, contrary to the N70m being insinuated.
He said he did not know of the cost of the two Prado Jeeps, adding that the vehicles were still in the custody of the bankers which funded the purchase.

A close source to the Senate committee who made the disclosure also said Uriesi could not account for the person who ordered the purchase and for who they were meant for.

He was said to have revealed that the Aviation Minister approved the purchase of the vehicles, while somebody which he failed to mention, signed on his behalf.


A visibly angry Senator Uzodinma was said to have had lambasted the FAAN boss for receiving approval from the minister instead of the Federal Executive Council.

He therefore ordered the FAAN MD to return to the committee on Monday with details of the transactions and necessary receipts he used to purchase the vehicles.

He was also asked to bring along details of other vehicles which the agency bought for its directors.

South African Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius will face two additional gun-related charges at his trial for the murder of his girlfriend due to start in March next year, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

Reuters reported that Pistorius, who is on bail, says he acted in self defence mistaking his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp for an intruder when he shot and killed her on Valentine's Day at his upmarket home in February.

She was shot in the head, arm and hip.

The additional charges related to incidents prior to the February shooting in which Pistorius was alleged to have fired a gun in a public space. This will form part of the prosecution's overall murder case against Pistorius.

Prosecutors have portrayed Pistorius as a cold-blooded killer and said they were confident that their case, which will have to rely heavily on forensics and witnesses who said they heard shouting before the shots, would stand up to scrutiny.

"The new charges relate to the contravention of the Firearm Control Act, but I cannot go into the details," Nathi Mncube, spokesman for South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority told Reuters. He could not say if the additional charges might delay the existing March 3 start date for the trial.

Pistorius' lawyer Brian Webber confirmed his client would face additional charges but declined to comment further.

The 26-year-old double-amputee known as "Blade Runner" for the prostheses he wears in competition appeared in court in August when his trial date was set for next year. A lesser charge of having 38 rounds of unlicensed ammunition at his home was also presented on that occasion.

South African media have reported one previous incident in which Pistorius allegedly fired a gun at a restaurant and another alleged incident in which he fired shots through a car sunroof while in the company of a former girlfriend.

President Goodluck Jonathan may have placed the embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, on  "tactical suspension," findings by The PUNCH have revealed.

A reliable Presidency source   said Jonathan decided on the  "tactical suspension," hours before the signing of the Bilateral Air Service  Agreement between Nigeria and Israel on Monday.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Mr. George Ossi,  had on October 24 told the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation that Oduah   led a Nigerian delegation to Israel to sign the BASA.

The House committee  is probing the  purchase of  two  bulletproof cars  at  a whopping N255m  price by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority for the minister.

Our source explained that  it was the 'tactical suspension' that made Jonathan to direct the Minister of  State (1) for Foreign Affairs , Prof. Viola Onwuliri, to sign the  agreement instead of  Oduah.

When asked by one of our correspondents what 'tactical suspension' meant, he   said, "Oduah will not be allowed to attend public functions that will have the President in attendance until the three-member  committee  set up to investigate the matter turns in its report."

The source, who said he did not know whether the "tactical suspension" order had  been formally communicated to the minister,  stated that  the step became necessary in order to dissuade Nigerians who hold the opinion that the President  was  shielding  Oduah.

In what seemed a corroboration of the "tactical suspension," the  Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Mr. Ahmed Gulak, insisted that  Jonathan would not associate with or shield anybody found to be corrupt.

He insisted  during an interview with one of our correspondents on Tuesday, that the minister did not travel to Israel on the entourage of the President.

"Did you see them (Jonathan and the minister) together in Israel? The President will not associate or shield anybody found to be corrupt. That is why he set up that panel because he will not want to act based on media reports," Gulak  said.

Shortly before our  source  and Gulak  spoke, the Presidency  said  the BASA  was signed by Onwuliri  because it was a matter bordering on foreign affairs.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati,   in an exclusive telephone interview with one of our correspondents,  argued  that there was no politics involved in Onwuliri signing the agreement on behalf of the government.

He said Nigerians should not reduce the matter to "the politics of political appointees who are all ultimately birds of passage."

The President's spokesman said Oduah did not only attend the signing ceremony but was also involved in framing the technical details of, and in preparing the agreement along with her Israeli counterpart.

He said it was when that was done, that the Foreign Ministries moved in at the level of G2 diplomacy.

Abati added, "The groundwork (for the agreement) was done by the Ministry of Aviation hence the involvement of the Aviation Minister, but this being a country-to-country agreement, more or less a treaty, it had to be signed by the Foreign Affairs Minister.

"It is also the convention in diplomacy to pair ministers. The Israelis brought their Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, so we did the same. There was no politics involved and there is no doubt that it is within the provenance of the Foreign Ministry to sign agreements on behalf of the country.

"Let me add that BASA is about countries entering into an agreement.

"It is not about individuals. We must avoid the ridiculous temptation to reduce something that will promote good relations with a friendly nation to the politics of political appointees who are all ultimately birds of passage."

When asked  if the  embattled minister  was under "tactical suspension,"   Abati replied, "She (Oduah was actually in attendance at the signing of the BASA . As I said, she was involved in framing the technical details of, and in preparing the agreement along with her Israeli counterpart. That done, the Foreign ministries moved in at the level of G2 diplomacy."

Meanwhile,   the  ruling Peoples Democratic Party said on Tuesday that it  was  worried by the  bulletproof car scandal.

Like, Gulak, it assured Nigerians that whoever was  found culpable  would  face the law  because it (PDP) would never condone any form of  graft.

The party, however, wondered why the opposition All Progressives Congress was going into a frenzy over the scandal when  its "governors and leaders   have been involved in bulletproof car deals more scandalous than those  in the Ministry of Aviation."

In a statement by its  National Publicity Secretary, Chief  Olisa Metuh,  the PDP said its  position  on corruption was unambiguous.

A part of the statement reads,   "The position of our great party on corruption is unambiguous and our zero tolerance for corrupt practices abounds in practical examples.

"To us as a party, the accusation of corruption in the Aviation ministry is a big worry. It is for this reason that the President and the leader of our  party has set up a panel to investigate the matter while the National Assembly which we also lead  has stepped in."

It frowned on the ethnic dimension which comments and street actions on the issue had taken and advised   "ethnic lords, jingoists as  well as lynch mobs " to realise that  biased sentiments could hardly achieve an objective basis for establishing the culpability of the public officers involved in the matter."

The party then went for the jugular of the APC ,  saying  it  (APC) was not different from a white washed tomb.

The PDP described the  APC as a stinking sepulchre and  the headquarters of corruption in Nigeria.

It said, "This  is a party whose leaders relish in stinking miasma but artfully turning a blind eye to it.

"They however go megaphonic when other political parties are involved.

"Hardly can you point at any of its leaders without a heavy baggage.

"In fact, the governors and leaders of the APC have been involved in bulletproof car deals more scandalous than those at the Aviation ministry but this is conspicuously missing on the sermon list of these  false evangelists of good governance."

It wondered why  the trial of  the  Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji,   for acts of corruption,  had yet to  be  discussed by the APC leadership.

The PDP further contended that the  stench of corruption oozing from   the concession  of the Lekki Toll Plaza  and its debilitating effects on the electoral fortune  of APC  was the reason the Lagos State Government allegedly retrieved and paid off  the firm that built the  road.

A family is suing Red Bull for $85million following the death of a father-of-one who died from a heart attack after downing the soft drink, Daily Mail reports.

Cory Terry, 33, from Brooklyn, consumed the caffeine-based drink after playing basketball at Stephen Decatur Middle School in Brooklyn on November 8, 2011.

Records show Terry, who was father to a 13-year-old boy, drank the can 45 minutes after playing the sport. He then collapsed and died.

His cause of death was idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy which meant his heart stopped.

Terry's relatives are blaming the company which makes the energy boosting beverage for his death.

His grandmother Patricia Terry said her grandson drank Red Bull all the time.

The complaint is believed to be the first of its kind against the company which makes energy drinks.

Lawyer Ilya Novofastovsky told the New York Daily News that there are 'extra stimulants that make it different than a cup of coffee' which are 'more dangerous than Red Bull lets on'.

Red Bull said it did not comment on individual cases but that health authorities across the world have said it is safe to drink.

His mother has said that Terry, a construction worker from Bedford-Stuyvesant, drank Red Bull all the time.

Novofastovsky said he hoped the lawsuit would raise people's awareness about the potential risks of energy drinks.

In 2008 scientists said just one can of Red Bull could raise the risk of heart attack or a stroke.

The study on university students found that drinking one 250ml can of even the sugar-free version, which has the slogan 'gives you wings', increased the 'stickiness of the blood and raised the risk of life-threatening clots.

Researcher Dr Scott Willoughby said, 'One hour after they drank Red Bull, (their blood systems) were no longer normal.

Willoughby, of the Cardiovascular Research Centre at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, said he was 'alarmed' at the results and would not drink Red Bull himself.

Those with underlying heart or circulatory problems should think twice before buying the caffeine-loaded drink, he said.

Formulated by the marketing director of an Austrian toothpaste company in the 1980s, one can contains 80 mg of caffeine, around the same as a cup of filter coffee, or two cups of instant.

However, cans do carry health warnings advising people not to drink more than two a day.

The 2013 Ballon D'or shortlist for World's Best Player and Coach of the Year has been unveiled.



See the nominees below...


(1) Gareth Bale (Real Madrid/Wales)

(2) Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich/Germany)

(3) Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich/Germany)

(4) Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich/Germany)

(5) Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich/Germany)

(6) Mesut Ozil (Arsenal/Germany)

(7) Robin van Persie (Man United/Netherlands)

(8) Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich/Netherlands)

(9) Edinson Cavani (PSG/Uruguay)

(10) Luis Suarez (Liverpool/Uruguay)

See the rest after the cut...


(11) Andres Iniesta (Barcelona/Spain)

(12) Xavi (Barcelona/Spain)

(13) Neymar (Barcelona/Brazil)

(14) Thiago Silva (PSG/Brazil)

(15) Radamel Falcao (Monaco/Colombia)

(16) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus/Italy)

(17) Frank Ribery (Bayern Munich/France)

(18) Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Portugal)

(19) Eden Hazard (Chelsea/Belgium)

(20) Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG/ Sweden)

(21) Robert Lewandowski (Dortmund/Poland)

(22) Lionel Messi (Barcelona/ Argentina)

(23) Yaya Toure (Manchester City/Ivory Coast)







Coach Of The Year



(1) Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid)

(2) Rafael Benitez (Napoli)

(3) Antonio Conte (Juventus)

(4) Vicente Del Bosque (Spain)

(5) Sir Alex Ferguson (ex-Manchester United)

(6) Jupp Heynckes (ex-Bayern Munich)

(7) Jurgen Klopp (Borussia Dortmund)

(8) Jose Mourinho (Chelsea)

(9) Luiz Felipe Scolari (Brazil)

(10) Arsene Wenger (Arsenal)
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