…As CAN rejects FG plans to recruit ex-Boko Haram terrorists into Army, Police***

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, yesterday, said  Nigeria’s rail line would  cover Western corridor of the country traversing nine states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja spanning a total of 1,402 kilometres.

Amaechi at the Forum of China-Africa Transportation Convention in Beijing, China entitled, ‘Better Transportation, Better World,’ yesterday, said the project would  be completed in 36 months as soon as the loan agreement was reached between Nigeria and China.

The minister said: “This railline, a total of 1,402Km, which covers the Western corridor of Nigeria traverses nine states of our federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and is expected to be completed within three years if the expected loan agreement with China EXIM Bank for co-financing is reached as expected.”

On the Lagos-Kano railway project awarded to China Civil Engineering and Construction Company, CCECC, and co-financed by China EXIM Bank, Amaechi said the project will serve as an important distribution corridor between the major sea port of Lagos and the hinterlands. He noted that the investment and partnering were imperative in our cooperation with the Peoples Republic of China to strengthen Nigeria’s transport infrastructure and contribute towards building a competitive economy. “Nigeria is also partnering  other private sector investors, foreign and domestic, including the consortium led by the United States General Electric. “The successful realization of these projects and their operations will result in attainment of high level of intermodal transport system,” he said.

The Ministry of Transportation recently signed the commercial contract for the remaining 901 Km Ibadan – Kano stretch and the associated branch lines from Oshogbo to Ado Ekiti, South West Nigeria following the completion of the first segment of the line, Abuja – Kaduna railway project of 186.5Km. Amaechi said that the completion of the Abuja-Kaduna project had tremendously improved citizen’s mobility between the important Northern commercial city of Kaduna and the Federal Capital, Abuja, adding that the project had been completed and commercial train operation has commenced since July, 2016 conveying close to a million passengers.

While the construction of the second segment which is 162Km Lagos – Ibadan double track rail line is ongoing, Amaechi said that Nigerian Government and other African Governments had put effort at sourcing financiers for development of critical infrastructure especially its transport infrastructure – railways and ports.
In the meantime, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has opposed reported moves by the Federal Government directing the Nigerian Army and Police to recruit some former members of Boko Haram terrorists who recently underwent deradicalisation programme.

The President of CAN, Dr Samson Olasupo Ayokunle, said on Tuesday that if it is true, it is condemnable as it is capable of undermining the nation’s security system.

“CAN is visibly disturbed at reports that the Federal Government has allegedly directed the Nigerian Army and Police to recruit some former members of Boko Haram terrorists who recently underwent deradicalisation programme.

“If it is true, CAN condemns such a policy in strong terms and ask the Federal Government, especially security agencies, to withdraw that directive which is capable of compromising the nation’s security system,” Ayokunle said in the statement signed by his spokesman, Pastor Adebayo Oladeji.

He also urged the Federal Government to caution the Adamawa State Government against hasty implementation of the death sentence passed on five Christian youths alleged to have killed a Fulani herdsman.

He cited reports that Justice Abdul-Azeez Waziri of a High Court in Adamawa State recently sentenced Alex Amos, Alheri Phanuel, Holy Boniface, Jerry Gideon and Jari Sabagi to death for culpable homicide.

The convicts were said to have allegedly on June 1, 2017, at Kadamun village in Demsa Local Government Area ‘willfully and intentionally conspired and attacked three herdsmen rearing cattle, killing one of them, Adamu Buba, whose body they threw into a river and also maimed several cows.’

“While CAN is not supporting jungle justice or any criminality, we note with regret how hundreds of our members in Southern Kaduna, Benue, Taraba, Plateau states in the North-central, and a state like Enugu in the South, have been killed and are still being killed daily by some criminals parading themselves as Fulani herdsmen, but are yet to be apprehended.

“While citizens stood helpless at the massacre of their peaceful fellow Nigerians, the international community watched in anguish how government security agencies could not bring perpetrators of these heinous killings to book,” he said.

While urging President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the death sentence passed on the Christian youths in Adamawa, he said the association’s legal team will secure and study the text of the judgement to prevent a miscarriage of justice and a future re-occurrence.

Vanguard with additional report from The Citizen