The Nation Newspaper

Tag: block

  • Protesters block Eket-Ibeno Road

    Youths from Eket/Ibeno local governments of Akwa Ibom State yesterday blocked the Eket-Ibeno Road to protest its deplorable state.

    The road is being handled by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    The protesters gave a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government and the NDDC to mobilise workers to the site or risk total closure of the road.

    Speaking on behalf of the youths, the Ahafa Eket President, Emmanuel Sakey, said Governor Godswill Akpabio last year stopped Fountain Construction Company (FCC) from continuing the project, promising that within three months another firm will complete the project.

    Sakey said nothing has been done and no construction company is on the site.

    He said: “We are aggrieved because this is the only link road.

    “The delay in the execution of the project is from the governor and NDDC.

    “In my own assessment, the governor is not fair to us. There is no single road that has been built by the government in Ibeno.

    “Fountain Construction Company (FCC) has been building the road but the governor stopped them last year and nothing has been done since.

    “We are giving the government a two-week ultimatum to mobilise workers to site and if they fail to do that, we will block the road and stop Mobil workers from going to their operational base at Qua Ibom Terminal (QIT).

    “Two weeks from now, there will be no vehicular movement on the Eket-Ibeno road.”

    Commissioner for Information Aniekan Umanah said it was not true that the government neglected Ibeno people.

    He said Akapbio was concerned about the state of the road and would want to see it completed.

    “There is no question of neglect where the government built a new hospital for a local government which had no hospital.

    “Even when the government promised to complete the project, it is necessary for NDDC to hands off for the government to complete the project,” Umanah said.

  • Tanker drivers block Lagos-Ibadan Expressway for 13 hours

    Tanker drivers block Lagos-Ibadan Expressway for 13 hours

    Tanker drivers blocked the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway at Ogere-Remo at 11pm on Wednesday, leaving commuters stranded for about 13 hours.

    They were protesting the alleged unprovoked attack on a tanker by a policeman.

    It was gathered that some policemen shot the three tyres of a tanker, marked JIGAWA XC 405 DUT, which was loaded with fuel.

    Ogun police spokesman Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi said: “We understand that a policeman attached to a VIP shot at the tyres of a fuel tanker. I am telling you authoritatively that the policeman is not from the Ogun Command.

    “In their usual manner, other drivers blocked the road to show solidarity. The police, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abdulkadir, swung into action immediately.

    “We engaged them in negotiations and they have agreed to take their tankers off the road as you can observe now.”

    Adejobi said the command gathered that the policeman and the person he was escorting were coming from Lagos when the incident occurred.

    As at the time of filing this report, the tanker, whose tyres were deflated, was still blocking Lagos-Ibadan lane.

    Other tankers drivers were already removing their trucks from the Ibadan-Lagos lane.

    One of the tanker drivers, who pleaded for anonymity, said: “It will take a lot of time to fix even one tyre, because of the fuel in the tanker.”

    Ogun Sector Commander of the Federal road Safety Corps (FRSC) Mr. Ayobami Omiyale said he had instructed motorists on both axis to make use of alternative routes.

    Ayobami led FRSC officers in controlling traffic when the Ibadan-Lagos lane was opened at about 11:20am.

  • Ajimobi to Fed Govt: block illegal arms importation

    Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has urged the Federal Government to block importation of arms into the country.

    Ajimobi spoke at the opening of the training workshop organised by the 2nd Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army in Ibadan on Wednesday, described the national security challenge currently being faced by the country as a passing phase.

    He said: “It is in the definition of what constitutes our core values as a people that we can find lasting solutions to the separatist inclinations of some of our people who take arms against the country.

    “It is in the lack of identification of our core values that can be found the absence of patriotism among her nationals, to the extent of rising against Nigeria’s national interest,’’ he submitted.

    He also said that Nigerians must be made to undergo courses in security consciousness, adding “the time of innocence for us as a people has gone and security consciousness must take over our innocence.

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, said the theme of the training “Developing Requisite Capabilities by the Nigerian Army for Combating Contemporary Security Challenges’’ was apt in view of the security challenges currently facing the country.

    He was represented by Major –General Mohammed Abubakar, the GOC, 2 Mechanised Division, Ihejirika said that the army was saddled with the leading role of responding to the myriad of security challenges facing the country.