The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has ordered the arrest of the Managing Director of Hartland Nigeria Limited over the company’s alleged failure to deliver an 11-kilometre section of the Benin-Onitsha Expressway.
The directive reportedly followed concerns over the progress of the road project and the company’s alleged failure to execute the contract despite receiving about ₦14 billion.
Umahi is said to have expressed dissatisfaction with the contractor’s performance during an inspection of the project, questioning why the assigned section of the major highway had not been completed despite the substantial funds allegedly released.
The minister subsequently directed security agencies to arrest the Managing Director of Hartland Nigeria Limited in connection with the matter.
The Benin-Onitsha Expressway is a major transport corridor linking Edo and Anambra states and serves as an important route for the movement of people and goods between the South-South and South-East regions.
The development comes amid the Federal Government’s renewed efforts to ensure that contractors handling major road projects deliver according to agreed specifications and timelines.
The ministry is expected to provide further details on the circumstances surrounding the project and the next steps following the minister’s directive.