A report from Sahara Reporters says that Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation, Senator Sa’id Ahmed Alkali, diverted a $3 billion railway project from the southeast to the North, in his home state, Gombe, according to sources.
It is said that the $3.02 billion railway project, which was awarded in 2021 to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), has been underway until Senator Alkali, appointed minister of transportation by President Tinubu in August 2023, halted the progress and diverted it to Gombe State.
The railway project was supposed to run through Port Harcourt to Maiduguri, passing 12 states, including Abia State, Enugu, Benue, Bauchi, and Gombe.
- Boko Haram IED Explosion on Borno Road Kills Eight, Wounds Others
- EFCC Opens Probe of 24 Nigerian Young Men Detained in Ghana over Suspected Cybercrimes
- Former CBN Governor Emefiele Attempts To Regain Forfeited Abuja Estate; Court Dismisses the Attempt
- King Sunny Ade’s House Divided as Daughter Alleges he has Been Kidnapped; Other Family Members Deny Claim
- You Can Gather All Governors But If Nigerians Reject You, it is Over — El-Rufai Tells Tinubu
- Woman Leaves Husband after Falling in Love with ChatGPT
The south-eastern phase measures 310 kilometers, that is, from Port Harcourt to Benue State. The network from Port Harcourt to Aba, measuring 62 km, has been completed and handed over to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) in November 2024.
The project was supposed to continue from Aba to Enugu and from Port Harcourt to Onne Port and Port Harcourt Port, so that freight services would be added, the minister had explained.
However, it has been alleged from multiple sources that Sen. Alkali had ordered the contractor to abandon its south-east continuation and jump to the Bauchi-Gombe line for his own political interest.
Sources claim the Minister intends to contest for governorship in Gombe State, hence the diversion of the railway project to his home side as a bargaining tool for support at the poll. Minister of Transport Diverted $3 billion Railway Project from South-East to North.
