Benin to Asaba Bypass Abandoned road . What happened to N14 billion ?

Dave Umahi should black list this man’s two companies Setraco and Hartland . He cannot claim that he is not aware that the same man owns both companies and EFCC should investigate him . How can Dave Umahi pay his company Hartland N14 billion when both his companies have a track record of failed road or construction projects in recent past ? . EFCC where are you ?

Chief (Dr.) Abu Inu-Umoru is a prominent Nigerian billionaire, business mogul, and philanthropist who serves as the Executive Chairman and CEO of Setraco Nigeria Limited, one of the country’s leading indigenous civil engineering and construction giants.

He inherited and vastly expanded a massive corporate empire originally established by his late father, the legendary philanthropist Alhaji Chief Inu Umoru.

Profile Overview

• Born: May 9, 1963 (turned 60 in 2023). [
• Origin: Warrake, Owan East Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria.
• Education:
  • Associate’s Degree from the College of Alameda, California (1986).
  • B.Sc. in Business Administration from Central Connecticut State University (1989).
  • Alumnus of the Harvard Business School (Owner/President Management Course, 2013).

Business Conglomerate
While best known for steering Setraco Nigeria Limited, Chief Abu Inu-Umoru has diversified interests across multiple sectors:

• Infrastructure: Chairman of Hartland Engineering and Construction Company.
• Mining: Chairman of Petra Quarries Ltd.
• Agriculture: Owner of Aerotek Agro-Allied Company Ltd, a major mechanized farm estate in Edo State.
• Hospitality & Leisure: Owner of Presto Hotels Ltd and Beer Barn Ltd

While Chief Abu Inu-Umoru’s firms have some history of successful infrastructure delivery, they face intense public scrutiny regarding critical delayed, slow-paced, and partially incomplete projects.

The companies’ key major projects experiencing friction, abandonment allegations, or warnings from the Federal Ministry of Works are:

1. Asaba-Onitsha Expressway Project (Hartland Nigeria Limited)

• The Issue: Severe project abandonment and delays.
• The Details: In August 2026, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, issued an order for the immediate arrest of the Managing Director of Hartland Nigeria Limited. Despite the Federal Government paying the firm ₦14 billion to execute an 11-kilometer section from Summit Junction (Asaba) to the Head Bridge (Onitsha), the firm completed only about 40% of the scope. The site was left largely stalled, prompting deterioration of the road and vandalization of nearby bridge components.

2. East-West Road Dualization, Ahoada Section (Setraco)

• The Issue: Critical warnings over sluggish execution.
• The Details: In early 2025, the Minister of Works publicly criticized Setraco during a field inspection of the Ahoada section of the East-West road in Rivers State. The minister accused the firm of not being serious, executing work at a poor pace, and “playing politics” with the construction timeline despite receiving mobilizing payments.

3. Zaria–Funtua–Gusau–Sokoto Highway (Setraco Section)

• The Issue: Uneven progress and slow execution.
• The Details: Setraco was awarded the Gusau-to-Sheme section of this expansive multi-state northern transit highway corridor. Ministry evaluations flagged parts of the corridor for slow implementation, though recent structural pushback from the ministry has forced the company to pick up the speed of groundwork and asphalt laying on its designated Tsafe–Gusau bypass axis.

4. Warrake to Ivbiaro Road, Edo State (Setraco)

• The Issue: Local incomplete project allegations.
• The Details: Investigations into localized constituency infrastructure pointed out that the ₦200 million ERGP project for the construction of the Warrake to Ivbiaro road within Owan East LGA remained incomplete despite heavy local disbursements.

5. Historic Niger Delta Disruption (Setraco)

• The Issue: Force Majeure abandonment.
• The Details: Historically, Setraco had to completely freeze and temporarily abandon a massive batch of Niger Delta regional contracts valued at ₦64.1 billion. This specific stoppage was triggered by acute militant youth restiveness and insecurity in the host communities rather than corporate negligence. [

This man and his companies have been disbursed close to N90 billion according to information available in public source and Dave Umahi still paid N14 billion for an 11 km road to his companies.

EFCC do your job . Dave Umahi please blackist both Setraco and Harland , no more contracts until they complete the ones they have .

What happened to the N14 billion ?/Francis Van Lere

---

Dear Readers, Good and credible news reportage is tedious task and requires huge finances.

We are soliciting your Noble support for as low as N1,000 your support would go a long way in assisting us to continue to guarantee our readers quality news.
Bank transfers can be made to:
Account Name: Harvest and Commercial
Bank: Sterling Bank
Account Number: 0078627735