The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Driver

  • Four RRS men, cab driver injured in road crash

    Four RRS men, cab driver injured in road crash

    Four Rapid Response Squad (RRS) operatives were injured yesterday when a private taxi cab hit their stationary squad van.

    The accident occurred around 12:06am when the policemen were inspecting the street light on the Ogudu – Alapere axis.

    The Nation learnt that the Rio model taxi cab belonging to a car hire service operator rammed into the rear of the police van near Ogudu Bus Stop, knocking it into a ditch.

    The driver was said to be over speeding.

    An eyewitness conveyed the injured to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in Ikeja.

    “The RRS vehicle was going slowly on the road because the policemen were monitoring the Light up Lagos Project facilities when the KIA Rio on top speed from Lagos Island towards Alapere rammed into the RRS Ford car with number-plate RRS 068 LA, thereby bundling it and the officers into a nearby ditch. Four officers of the RRS were seriously injured including the driver of the Rio,” he said.

    A statement by the RRS said three of the operatives have been discharged from hospital; the fourth and the cab driver were being expected to be dischargedat press time.

    It was learnt that the driver started work at the car hire firm last Friday after leaving a truck driving firm.

    The street light cables are often vandalised before their inauguration.

    In April, Lucky Udeagwu was arrested with a 35-metre long cable meant for the project in Ogudu.

    Last month, RRS operatives arrested Obaji Christopher for allegedly cutting the cable in the same area. This informed the regular monitoring of the area by the RRS operatives, particularly at night.

  • Driver arraigned for ‘stealing’ cartons of beer

    A 39-year old driver, Ademola Adesanya, yesterday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for alleged stealing of carton of beer valued at N240,000 .

    Adesanya is being tried for stealing.

    Prosecuting Inspector George Nwosu said the accused committed the offence on May 14 at Oko-Oba, Agege, Lagos.

    He alleged that the accused stole cartoons of big stout and satzenbrau beer valued at N240, 000, property of Cryslad Nigeria Ltd.

    “The accused stole his employer’s goods,” he said.

    Nwosu told the court that the accused allegedly loaded assorted kinds of Guinness products to deliver to a customer in Sapele in Delta.

    “But on his way, he sold those products and converted the money to his personal use,” he said.

    The prosecutor said that all efforts made by the company to get the money from the accused were unsuccessful.

    “The accused had been on the run; he refused to show up in the office and refused to pick the company’s calls to him until he was arrested,” he said.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    The court granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Magistrate A.A Adesanya adjourned the case till June 20.

  • Govt okays five-year period for driver’s licence

    Govt okays five-year period for driver’s licence

    The Federal Government has approved the production of another driving licence that will have a five-year expiry period, the Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, has said.

    Oyeyemi, who spoke at a press briefing in Lagos on Saturday, said the decision to have the five-year driving licence was taken by the Joint Tax Board at its 134th meeting held recently in Kano, which was presided over by the Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler.

    Before now, the driving licence had a three year terminal date after which motorists were expected to renew the document.

    Oyeyemi, however, said the three-year driving licence would not be jettisoned, adding that it would exist side by side with the new one.

    He said, with the new five-year driving licence, motorists would have the option of going for that or the three-year licence.

    Quoting from a communiqué issued by the JTB, after the meeting, the corps marshal said, “The board has approved an optional validity period for driving licence of three and five years at different costs to provide more efficient an effective service delivery to its customers.”

    According to him, while the three-year licence will cost N6,000, motorists are to pay N10,000 for the five-year document, stressing that the cost has not been increased.

    The FRSC CEO stressed that any new applicant for any of the two driving licences would have to go to an approved driving school for training to qualify for a licence to drive.

    One other decision taken at the JTB meeting was the production period for vehicle number plate, which the FRSC would henceforth complete in five working days.

    Oyeyemi also cleared the air on the recent court pronouncement on the speed limiter, noting that it only declared that the corps should not fix the gadget’s price or market it but it could enforce the use of device in commercial vehicles.

    “I’ve never spoken about prices and marketing since the speed limiting device campaign started. We’re not involved in that. Ours is the enforcement of the device. We’re only concerned about what can bring down road crashes,” he said.

    He expressed satisfaction with the success so far attained with the speed limiting device, commending various transport groups and firms that had bought into the idea.

    For instances, he said, a number transport companies had purchased vehicles affixed with the speed limiting device now being deployed in long distance routes.

  • Assault: Police arrest fleeing danfo driver

    Assault: Police arrest fleeing danfo driver

    The police have caught the danfo driver, who along with two others, allegedly rough handled a passenger, Miss Kafayat Rabiu, at Abule Egba, Lagos, and fled about 12 days ago.

    The Nation learnt that Sadiq Olowolagba was handed over to the police on Saturday by the bus owner.

    Lagos police spokesperson Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP), told The Nation yesterday that the bus was tracked down on Friday and the owner produced Olowolagba on Saturday.

    “I told you every machine was set in motion for his arrest. Sadiq Olowolagba will be charged to court tomorrow (today) for assault,” she said.

    To facilitate Olowolagba’s arrest, the police sent his bus’ number plate to their men on traffic duty at Alakuko on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) officials.

    Last Tuesday, Miss Rabiu took her quest for justice to the Governor’s office in Alausa, Ikeja.

    Yesterday, an elated Miss Rabiu said the police had called to tell her of the driver’s arrest.

    She said: “I received a call from the police this morning (yesterday) that the driver has been arrested. They want me to come to the station, but I am outside Lagos. I hope to return to Lagos and go to the station.”

    Coordinator of Al-Muminaat Social Advocacy Project Mrs Sherifah Yusuf-Ajibade, who led Miss Rabiu to the governor’s office said: “The swift intervention of the Lagos State Government into has once again demonstrated the resolve of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to protect all citizens irrespective of their creed, region and social status from all forms of crimes and maltreatment

    “As a Muslim women human rights advocacy organisation, it gladdens our hearts that the assault case of a sister in hijab can get the attention of the governor. Indeed, this singular swift intervention of the government gives much hope to the ordinary man on the street that their rights can no longer be infringed upon with impunity.”

  • Driver, conductor mobbed in Edo

    A tipper driver and his conductor, whose identities could not be established last night, have been burnt to death by a mob after the duo allegedly crushed three persons at Osholo village in Estako East Local Government of Edo State.

    Among the three victims was an expectant mother.

    Eyewitnesses said the tipper was heading towards Weppa community when it ran into a crowd, killing the three persons and injuring others.

    The witnesses said the driver and his conductor attempted to take the injured to a nearby hospital and carry the dead when residents mobbed them.

    The driver and the conductor were killed and thrown into their tipper, which the mob set ablaze.

    Peeved by the action of Osholo residents, people from Weppa, where the driver and conductor hail from, invaded Osholo and set some houses ablaze.

    Intervention by security agencies prevented the crisis from degenerating into a communal clash.

    Police Commissioner Chris Ejike, who confirmed the incident, said five persons died in the incident.

    He said a police team was drafted to the area to stop further destruction of property.

    Ejike described the killing of the driver and conductor as barbaric, adding that investigation into the incident was on.

  • Dangerous driving: Driver gets 12 months sentence

    Dangerous driving: Driver gets 12 months sentence

    For driving dangerously on the Calabar – Itu Federal Highway and attempting to escape with a Federal Road safety Commission (FRSC) official, a truck driver, Mr Joshua Gabriel-39, was Tuesday in Akwa Ibom State sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour.

    Magistrate Glory Udonna, said the driver contravene Section 21 of Federal Road safety Commission Act 2007, for driving dangerously on the federal high way.

    The magistrate said that the driver would also pay N10, 000 fine to the owner of Jetta Saloon car with registration no. Cross River AE 393 BRA damaged in the course of his dangerous driving.
    She added that Gabriel would pay another fine of N10, 000 for the repair of a motor cycle he damaged through his dangerous driving.

    The driver who was flagged by road safety officials, who were on routine patrol with mobile court session at Mbak Itam in Itu Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom  refused to stop.

    Mrs. Cecilia Aloa, Sector Commander said the driver, dangerously drove his Mack Truck with registration No Lagos FK 562XH from Mbak Itam in Itu to Ikono Local Government Area before he was apprehended.

    Alao said that the command had prosecuted 33 road traffic offenders in the mobile court session.

    She explained that 32 of them were sentenced with options of fines while one who drove dangerously was sentenced to jail without any option of fine.

    She said that the truck driver attempted to run away with one of the road safety operatives who flagged him to stop.

    The Sector Commander said the exercise was done as part of the commission’s aim to actualise one of their strategic objectives to improve enforcement and improve public education.

    “We want to make sure that people obey traffic regulations because it is only the living that celebrates.

    “And that is why we are having this mobile court today, to apprehend the offenders and for them to be tried immediately.

    “This is not a normal procedure where we give them tickets and they go to the bank to pay; this one is being presided over by a magistrate.

    “Any offenders we are going we apprehend today will be tried according to the rule of law.

    “So far we have 33 offenders that have been apprehended today and they have been prosecuted in the magistrate court.

    “We have 10 trucks, but one of the 10 trucks is likely to go to jail today.

    “Why I am saying this is because instead of the truck driver to stop when he was flagged down, he attempted to run away with one of our operatives,” Alao said.

    Speaking to the convict, (Gabriel) said the mistake had already been done, adding that he did not know what happened to him.

    He said, “I don’t have much to say but the mistake had been made; they have taken their decision.

    “In life there is something that will happen and you do not know what cause it.

    “Something that happened now, I don’t know what caused it.

    “Since I have been plying this road, I have been a good user of this road, but I was just coming from burial yesterday I do not know what is the real cause.

     

  • Driver ‘kidnaps’ police Sergeant

    The Ikoyi Division of the Nigerian Police, Lagos has arrested a 32-year-old taxi driver for allegedly kidnapping a police man.
    Chidi Nwanu Igwe from Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, came to Lagos in 2005 and worked as a labourer but now drives a Daewoo Saloon Car with Reg. No.: EKY 282 BK as a private taxi or Kabu kabu.
    On March 4 at about 10am, Igwe was stopped along Falomo Road in Ikoyi, by a police Sergeant Mr. Babashola Afolayan for allegedly picking a passenger illegally.
    Afolayan identified himself, boarded the vehicle and ordered Igwe to drive to the station but the driver allegedly refused and sped off towards Waterside in Ikoyi.
    He drove all around Ikoyi and eventually stopped near Alagbon Close where he removed the car’s battery and key and went away.
    Igwe was later arrested and arraigned Monday before Mrs. A. G. Omoyele at a Lagos State Magistrates’ Court in Igbosere.
    He is standing trial on a four-count charge bordering on unlawful capture and detention, driving without a driver’s licence, causing obstruction on the highway and reckless driving.
    Prosecuting Sergeant Cyriacus Osuji told the court that the defendant willingly committed the offences.
    He added that the offences contravene Section 269 (1) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Section 45 of the Road Traffic Act Laws of the Fedration of Nigeria (LFN) and Section 18 (1) of the Lacos State Road Traffic Laws 2012.
    Section 269 (1) provides for a prison term of 10 years for kidnapping.
    Igwe denied the charges and his lawyer, Daniel Abbey, asked for his bail on liberal terms.
    Magistrate Omoyele granted him bail in the sum of N20,000 with one surety in the like sum and adjourned till April 5 for mention.

  • Driver to sweep court premises for traffic offence

    An Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos yesterday ordered a commercial bus driver, Ajanwola Abiodun, 38, to sweep its premises and cut grasses for five days.

    The court gave the order after Abiodun pleaded guilty to driving a bus, marked KRD 884 XL, without a valid certificate from the Ministry of Transportation (MOT).

    Abiodun is facing a four-count of no valid MOT certificate, no fire extinguisher, no driver’s licence and neglecting traffic direction.

    The Magistrate, O. Sule Amzat, also ordered Abiodun to pay N5, 000 on each of the charges to the Lagos State government.

    Amzat said the convict’s vehicle should be released to him after completing his two-hour daily community service.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Ihiehie Lucky told the court that the bus driver committed the offence on February 23 on Ikorodu Road.

    The prosecutor said Abiodun had no driver’s licence and valid vehicle particulars.

    “The driver neglected the traffic direction of the traffic warden and blocked other road users.

    ‘’He also didn’t have a valid road worthiness document and a fire extinguisher in his vehicle when he was arrested,” Lucky said.

  • Kaduna: Commercial driver suffers epilepsy on wheel, kills pedestrian

    Kaduna: Commercial driver suffers epilepsy on wheel, kills pedestrian

    Multiple deaths of passengers and pedestrians in Kaduna city was averted Friday as a commercial driver of an intra-city bus services lost control as a result of epilepsy attack while conveying passengers from the popular Central Market towards Kakuri end of the metropolis.

    However, an eyewitness account said, the driver killed one of the pedestrians who was identified as a female street beggar.

    It was gathered that the said epileptic driver lost control from Jos road side of Ahmadu Bello Way onto Gwandu road, about 500 metres apart, with loud noise from the wobbling vehicle.

    Several passersby were said to have sustained injuries, and were rushed to different hospitals in the metropolis by Good Samaritans.

    According to an eye witness, Ibrahim Ali “We were sitting in front of this shop, all of a sudden, we saw a bus skidding off Ahmadu Bello Way, from Jos road area to as far to Gwandu road area, before Katsina roundabout.

    “The driver was foaming at the mouth as soon as he was brought out of the vehicle, and from all indications, he was suffering from epilepsy, and some people rushed him to hospital.

    “One female beggar by the road side was killed by the driver, and many people were injured, and taken to hospitals,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) claimed ignorance of the accident, saying that the Commission did not have record of such accident.

    Efforts to get the Kaduna State Police Command Spokesman; DSP Abubakar Zubairu to respond on the accident was fruitless as he did not pick his phone as at the time of filing this report.

     

  • Driver remanded for abducting girl for eight years

    Driver remanded for abducting girl for eight years

    A driver, Timelyim Okulola, 28, on Thursday appeared in a Lugbe Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, for alleged abduction of Sarah Sule for eight years.

    Okulola, who resides at Sauka Village, Airport Road, Abuja, was arraigned on two-count charge of abduction and adultery.

    Okulola pleaded not guilty to the charge and the judge, Mr Garba Ogbede, ordered that he should be remanded in prison custody till Feb. 10 for hearing.

    The Prosecutor, Mrs Ndidi Ukaoha, had told the court that Moses Sule of Idain, Kogi, reported the matter on Jan. 7 at the Iddo Police Station.

    Ukaoha said that Sule claimed that Sarah had been missing for eight years now and all effort to trace and bring her home proved abortive.

    “Not until sometime in December, 2015 that Sule discover that Okulola was harbouring Sarah since that eight years,’’ she said.

    She said that the Okulola got Sarah pregnant two times and she had two children for him without the consent of her family.

    The prosecutor also informs the court that during police investigation, the accused made a confessional statement.

    Ukaoha said the offence contravened Sections 272 and 387 of the Penal Code.