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Election: Knight of Saint Mulumba cautions against vote buying, selling
Popular Catholic religious group, the Knight of Saint Mulumba Nigeria (KSM) has advised all registered voters to reject the lure of selling and buying of their votes by selfish politicians as doing so will be tantamount to mortgaging their destinies and those of their Children.
It also urged voters not to allow themselves to be used as political thugs or agents of destabilization.
KSM in a statement in Lagos signed by its Supreme Knight, Brother Diamond Ovueraye said Nigerians should not exchange good governance for filthy lucre.
“Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong. Therefore, we urged all Nigerians, to register and obtain their voters cards, think wisely before you vote, shun any form of inducement, be an active participant in the affairs of your communities, engage your representatives defend your votes and be unceasing in your prayers for Nigeria,” he said.
Ovueraye encouraged registered voters to choose their leaders with wisdom and forethought noting “If you register to vote, you automatically have power in your hands to vote out any corrupt, insensitive and underperforming government”.
He also urged the media, as part of its civic role to create and shape public opinion, educate and strengthen society, to act against the injustice, oppression, misdeeds and partiality in the society.
Ephasizing the role of religious leaders in the 2019 elections, Ovueraye stated that aside religious leaders acting as moral compasses in shaping attitudes, opinions and behaviours of their members who hold them in high esteem, are not only leaders of their own faiths communities but they are also interlocutors between the leaders and followers of other faith. In other words, they must thus acquire a deeper and sympathetic understanding of other faiths. This will without doubt tone down the religio-political challenges in out polity.”
Ovueraye urged Nigerians to live the ideals of patriotism. “Patriotism, as Theodore Roosevelt notes, means to stand by your country. It doesn’t mean to stand by the president, governor, senator or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise, he fails in his duty to stand by the country,” he added.
Expressing the concerns of KSM for the 2019 elections, Ovueraye explained: “KSM is a Catholic religious organization, guided by the cherished values of working towards a high sense of order and discipline, are very concerned about the tone of politics, as we have seen a decline in civility and bipartisanship and a rapid increase in hostility between those who have differing opinions. We think this has led to the alienation of the public in governance which jeopardizes democratic participation.
“We know that progress comes from the intelligent use of experience and this experience tells us that the countries that have the best economic growth are those that have good governance, freedom of speech and a good education system. Good governance comes from freedom of communication where leaders break down beaurocratic barriers enabling the led to embrace their vision, initiative, or assignment in a way that the citizens feel a sense of purpose, ownership, personal engagement and common cause.
“But first we have to win the fight against poverty. Second, we must improve moral standards in government and in society to provide a strong foundation for good governance. Third, we must change the character of our politics to promote fertile ground for reforms.”
He expressed reservations over people’s unpleasant attitudes towards the general election, saying the inept leadership over the years has made people to develop apathy.
“It is worrying that on account of our rather unsavoury democratic experience, people are already aloof as our democracy has become a license to indulge individual whims and proclivities. But aren’t we all guilty of one or more of the short-comings in our polity, like; – cash for votes, shunning the democratic process/abstaining from voting, intolerance of opposing views, not registering for voters’ cards, not speaking out and condemning injustice, any form of electoral malpractice, oppression and repression in whatever guise”, Ovueraye stated.
At least 23 people were killed in a series of suspected suicide bombings, police in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri said on Tuesday.
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More than 100 other people were injured in the blasts that took place on Monday evening in the capital of Nigeria’s restive Borno state.
No group has claimed responsibility for the suspected attacks.
The deadly blasts come after a military post was attacked overnight Sunday to Monday, which authorities blamed on suspected Islamist militants.
This sad incident is coming barely two weeks after Primate Elijah Ayodele, the Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church specifically warned against attacks in some states. He mentioned these states while calling on security operatives to pay close attention to them.
These were his words:
“Another attack is coming up in these following states where the military must watch carefully and intelligently; Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Borno, Kwara and Kogi state. They want to do a deadly attack, it’s preventable but it depends on how they will handle it. I have told you about the danger coming up.”
@primateayodele
Unfortunately, some of our military agencies don’t believe spiritual intelligence can save the country from so much danger hence, their neglect of this prophetic warning but now, it has been fulfilled with the miliary losing credibility by the day while Primate Ayodele continues to gain momentum.
Likewise, At least 26 passengers and crew sustained varying degrees of injuries on Monday following an accident involving the Kaduna–Abuja train, according to the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC).
Opeifa explained that the train departed Rigasa in Kaduna at 7:15 a.m. and was approaching Asham station around 9:16 a.m. when a loud bang was heard after the power car and trailing locomotive collided with one of the passenger coaches.
In July 2025, Primate Ayodele asked nigerians to pray not to see train mishap on the Kaduna-Abuja route.
@primateayodele #nigeriantiktok🇳🇬 #fulfillment #train #abuja #primateayodele
“Let’s pray not to see train mishap in Abuja-Kaduna, Kaduna-Abuja route.”
This has also been fulfilled.
The project ends decades search for investors, boosts Nigeria’s blue economy
By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare
Nigeria’s maritime sector is set for a major transformation following a landmark agreement involving the world’s largest container shipping company, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), which has secured a 45-year concession to build, manage and operate a modern container terminal at Snake Island Port in Lagos.
The project, to be developed in partnership with Nigerdock, marks one of the most significant private sector investments in Nigeria’s port infrastructure in recent decades and is expected to strengthen the country’s role as a major maritime gateway in West and Central Africa.
For Nigeria, the agreement brings to close decades of efforts to attract large-scale investors to develop Snake Island Port, a strategically located maritime asset in Lagos.
Long-standing concession history
Snake Island’s maritime facilities date back several decades. In 1992, the Federal Government granted a 99-year concession for the island’s port and industrial facilities to Nigerdock, a major maritime engineering and logistics company.
Nigerdock was later privatised and is currently operated by the Jagal Group owned by Nigerian industrialist Maher Jarmakani.
Over the years, the Island Container Terminal fell into disrepair, requiring major rehabilitation and modernization to meet modern global shipping standards.
The new partnership with MSC is expected to transform the port into a state-of-the-art container handling facility capable of attracting larger vessels and increasing Nigeria’s cargo throughput capacity.
Buhari administration approved the project.
The investment framework for the Snake Island development was approved in May 2023 by the Federal Executive Council under then President Muhammadu Buhari.
The approval authorised total private investment of approximately $974.1 million for the project under a Public-Private Partnership structure, including the 45-year concession period.
At the same time, the Federal Government also approved two other major maritime infrastructure projects:
• Development of the Ondo Multipurpose Port in Ilaje, Ondo State, with $1.48 billion in private investment and a 50-year concession.
• Expansion and development of the Burutu Sea Port in Delta State, involving $1.2 billion in private investment and a 40-year concession.
These projects form part of Nigeria’s broader effort to develop its blue economy and expand maritime trade capacity.
Construction partners
Engineering and construction of the Snake Island container terminal will be handled by:
• ITB Nigeria Limited
• DEME Group
ITB Nigeria Limited is part of the Chagoury Group and owned by the Chagoury family, while DEME Group is a globally recognised Belgian marine engineering and dredging company with extensive experience in port construction.
MSC profile
Founded in 1970 by Italian shipping entrepreneur Gianluigi Aponte and his wife Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, MSC has grown from a single cargo vessel into the largest container shipping company in the world.
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the company operates in more than 155 countries and serves over 500 ports worldwide, with a fleet of roughly 900 container ships and over 200,000 employees globally.
The MSC Group also operates major logistics and maritime businesses including inland logistics through Medlog, cruise tourism through MSC Cruises, and port terminal operations across several continents.
According to Forbes, the estimated net worth of MSC founder Gianluigi Aponte is about $43.9 billion as of February 2026, placing him among the world’s richest shipping magnates. The company remains privately owned by the Aponte family, with both founders holding equal ownership stakes.
Management comments
Speaking on the development, MSC Group President Diego Aponte said the company is committed to strengthening its operations in Nigeria and across Africa.
“We are proud to expand our presence in Nigeria through this important infrastructure project. The Snake Island terminal will enhance service delivery and improve port efficiency for our customers and partners in the region,”
Chief Executive Officer of Nigerdock, Maher Jarmakani, described the agreement as a major milestone for the Nigerian maritime sector.
“We are delighted to partner with MSC in developing a world-class container terminal that will enhance Nigeria’s logistics capabilities and support economic growth,” he said.
Economic impact
Industry analysts say the project could significantly strengthen Nigeria’s maritime economy by expanding cargo handling capacity, reducing congestion at Lagos ports and attracting additional international shipping traffic.
The development is also expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs across maritime operations, logistics, transport services and port-related commercial activities.
Infrastructure expansion
Beyond the port development, plans are also underway for Nigeria’s first underwater tunnel, linking Ahmadu Bello Way in Victoria Island through Snake Island and connecting the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway with the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway corridor through Badagry.
The tunnel project is expected to significantly improve freight movement and road connectivity between Lagos ports and national transport networks.
Strategic milestone
With the entry of MSC into the Snake Island development, industry observers say Nigeria is taking a significant step toward modernizing its maritime infrastructure and positioning itself as a regional hub for global shipping and trade.
For a project that has waited for decades for major international investors, the Snake Island concession represents a turning point in Nigeria’s port development strategy and a strong signal of global confidence in the country’s maritime future.
By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare
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