President MuhammAdu Buhari has approved July 26 for the flag-off of Abuja-Kaduna rail line’s commercial operations. Making this announcement in Abuja, yesterday, the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi said the rail line would come into full commercial operations after the Presidential flag-off next week Tuesday.

ABUJA—Trial Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, granted bail to the Managing Director of Almond Projects Limited, Gbenga Obadina to the tune of N500million. Obadina is answering to an eight-count criminal charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, preferred against him.

PORT HARCOURT— Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State, yesterday, said it had uncovered an alleged plot to arrest some of its leaders in the state ahead of the July 30 rescheduled re-run elections. Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Mr Sam Wonosike, who disclosed this in Port Harcourt, said the move was part of an alleged game plan to rig the elections, warning that his party will resist any move that will run contrary to the Electoral Act and the constitution during the polls.

BENIN—A cooking gas explosion in Benin, Edo State capital, in the early hours of yesterday left three persons dead, with 12 others lying critically ill at a medical facility in the state.

SUSPECTED militants in a twin attack, yesterday, bombed two oil installations belonging to an oil exploration company, near Batan community in Delta State.