The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Abuja-Lokoja highway

  • ‘No shooting in Kwali during truck drivers protest’

    The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory, said there was no incident of shooting at Dabi village in Kwali Area Council during protest by truck drivers along Abuja-Lokoja highway.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the protest was sparked by the alleged shooting of the tyres of Dangote truck by some policemen on Wednesday morning at Kwali.

    It was also alleged that policemen shot at one of the truck drivers who had blocked the highway to protest the alleged action of the policemen.

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    However, the command spokesman, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, told NAN that “there was no incident of shooting in the area and nobody was shot at“ during the protest.

    Manzah said that the road had been cleared following the intervention of the Police Area Commander in Gwagwalada and the Kwali Divisional Police Officer.

    “We have been able to clear the road with the intervention of the area commander and the DPO of Kwali,“he said.

    NAN reports that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) had earlier in a statement confirmed the blockade of the Abuja-Lokoja highway at Kwali by the truck drivers.

    The FRSC advised members of the public to always adopt legal and legitimate means to register their protest instead of taking the law into their hands.

  • Downpour causes gridlock on Abuja-Lokoja highway

    Downpour causes gridlock on Abuja-Lokoja highway

    Reminiscent of the hardship brought on motorists by the 2012 flooding, heavy overnight downpour across the Kogi State capital Thursday affected vehicular movement along the busy Abuja-Lokoja highway.

    The rains which lasted several hours led to flooding, and overflowing drainages in areas of the capital.

    Most affected by the logjam were motorists and travelers plying the major highway leading to the nation’s capital, with the near-no movement witnessed from the Jamata Bridge and Nataco sections of the Murtala Mohammed Road.

    It spilled into inner areas of Lokoja, as drivers sourced alternative routes away from the long strech, going as far as Felele, along the Okene section of the inter-states highway.

    Some motorists who spoke with The Nation, expressed dismay over the situation, even as they meandered their way around it.

    Some houses close to the river side were not spared, with the increasing water level of the River Niger encroaching on them.

    As at the time of filing this report, Governor Yahaya Bello was billed to make an on the spot visit to the affected area.

  • Driver killed by unidentified soldier at Kogi-Abuja boundary

    There was a gridlock Friday along the Abuja-Lokoja highway following the killing of an articulated vehicle driver by an unidentified soldier.

    Vehicles coming from the north states and others heading to the south were held for almost five hours as a result of the accident as trailer drivers blocked the boundary road between Kogi and Abuja, in protest.

    Eyewitness account had it that the incident occurred before the Jamata bridge in Koton-Karfi local government, when a trailer conveying cows from the Abuja axis was stopped by the solders at the check point.

    Source further said that an argument between one of the soldiers and the driver resulted into fracas.

    The eyewitnesses said one of the solder shot at the driver, killing him instantly.

    The military men it was gathered evacuated the checkpoint with their vehicle and escaped to avoid attack by the drivers who later barricaded the road with their trailers.

    Meanwhile the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello has described the incident as unfortunate.

    This was contained in press statement issued by the Director General, Media and Publicity to the Governor, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo.

    It reads: “The unfortunate incident is being investigated by the relevant authorities. Let us all wait for the report of the investigations. But one thing is clear: The Kogi State Government will ensure protection of lives and property as every life is important.

    “We urge the people of the area to remain calm and not take the laws into their hands as government will get to the root of the matter.

    “Governor Yahaya Bello is committed to protecting the lives and property of all Kogites and commuters passing through the State”.

    The governor urged residents of Koton-karfe to refrain from jungle justice “as government has enough machinery for investigations and justice dispensation”.

  • SSS arrest kidnappers in military gear

    SSS arrest kidnappers in military gear

    The men of the Department of State Security Service (SSS), Kogi State Command said on Wednesday that it had in the last few weeks arrested at least 10 suspected kidnappers terrorising the state.

    Six of the suspects have been arraigned in court, while four others operating in full military combat uniforms paraded were to be arraigned on Wednesday.

    Mr. Joseph Okpo, the state command director of the command, who disclosed this to newsmen in Lokoja, said that the command last week arrested four members of a six-man gang that had been terrorizing motorists along the Abuja-Lokoja highway.

    According to him, those arrested included Haruna Saleh, Kabiru Shuaibu, Mumuni Adamu and Tukur Shuaibu, saying they specialised in robbery and kidnapping along major roads.

    He said that they confessed to have been involved in some operations on the Maraba-Jos road, Malufashi on the Zaria-Kaduna and Jaji-Zaria roads, in full military uniform.

    He explained that the suspects were apprehended on their way from Kaduna axis to link up with gang members in Obajana where they planned to engage in fresh operations.

    The suspects he said were already giving leads on the source of the military uniforms, adding that the command has liased with the state command of the Nigeria Police to investigate the source.

    He said upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to have been involved in six operations between the Ramadan period and the day they were arrested.

    He said investigation revealed that most of the kidnappers operating in the state were from outside Kogi, lamenting that they were taking advantage of the geographical location and the route structure of the state.

    He however pledged that the command will continue to partner other security agencies to address the security challenges and “take advantage of the renewed zeal” of the state government to fight crime.