The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Driver

  • How task force assaulted me, by driver

    How task force assaulted me, by driver

    A truck driver, Adebayo Fowosere, has alleged that he was beaten up by some Lagos State task force officials on January 15.
    Fowosere, who operates in Sawmill area of Akowonjo, Lagos, said he and Tunde Olatieye, Vice-Chairman of Sawmill, Ona Ara Black Market, were assaulted because his truck broke down on the road side.
    Fowosere told The Nation that he paid N66,000 bail after they spent about seven hours in the Black Maria. He said the officials of the Lagos State Mobile Court (Task Force) also damaged his phone, which he repaired for N15,000.
    He said: “On January 15, I was driving my truck in Road, Pako Bus stop, Sawmill area of Lagos State. I parked the truck because it was over floating; I opened the bonnet and went to get water to pour into the carburettor. The next thing I saw was that the task force officials and the Black Maria parked in front of my truck, and asked why I parked that way. I told them that my truck was over floating, so I had to park to fix it. The next thing was that they slapped me; they said I should bring my car keys, which I did not want to.
    “Olatieye came to the scene and asked them to leave me having explained what happened to the vehicle. They pushed him inside the gutter, slapped and beat him. They also beat me and damaged my phone which I bought for N45,000. I had to fix the broken screen for N15,000. The back cover of the phone which they also broke is yet to be fixed because I don’t have money. They took us inside the Black Maria, released tear gas, beat me again and used their gun to injure my leg. They just threw me inside the Black Maria like a goat and hit my head on the vehicle We were there from 9am to 4pm. I was the one that paid the N66,000. My vice only told them to leave me and they put him in the Black Maria. They removed my number-plate. The beating was too much.
    “While in the Black Maria, they gave me my phone. I called some of my friends to borrow me money. They all gathered the money for our bail. They carried us to the mobile court. They charged me N16,000 and my vice N50,000 for doing nothing. From the mobile court, they took us to the Local Government office at Akowonjo area and later to the task force office in Oshodi. We spent about another N4000 to transport ourselves back to Sawmill and to transport myself to Oshodi the next day to collect my number plate,” he said.

  • Hajj: Buhari’s driver to be rewarded for returning lost items

    Hajj: Buhari’s driver to be rewarded for returning lost items

    The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), on Tuesday in Abuja, promised to reward President Muhammadu Buhari’s driver, Saidu Afaka, who returned lost items during the 2016 Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
    The Executive Chairman, NAHCON, Alhaji Abdullahi Muhammad, made the disclosure while presenting the lost items to Shehu Barwa, Executive Secretary, Niger Pilgrims Welfare Board for onward conveyance to the owner.
    Muhammad said Saidu Afaka, found and returned to the commission a bag containing 400 dollars, N60,370 and 149 Saudi Riyals and a cell phone belonging to Adamu Umar, a Niger State pilgrim.
    According to him, in 2016, a pilgrim from Kaduna State, Saidu Afaka, found a wallet or purse and he brought it to our office in Makkah.
    “And I directed the Audit Department to keep and trace the owner, and from our records it showed that the owner is Umar Adamu, a pilgrim with passport Number A07432103 from Niger.
    “It is my pleasure to handover the content of this lost and found item to the Executive Secretary, Niger State Pilgrims Welfare Board for onward conveyance to the owner,” Muhammad said.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Afaka, who hails from Kaduna State, is a staff sergeant in Nigeria Army and a senior driver to President Muhammadu Buhari.
    The Chairman said the commission would honour him with a slot to travel for the 2017 hajj.
    “The commission will reward the pilgrim, who is a true Nigeria accordingly, and we will make sure he also join us in performing the 2017 hajj,” he said.
    The NAHCON boss, who commended Afaka, urged other faithful to emulate his sincerity and faithfulness which he described as marks of true Muslim. (NAN)

  • Driver pushes colleague into moving vehicle

    A driver, Wakili Ajibola, 32, who allegedly pushed another driver into a moving vehicle, has been remanded at the Ikoyi Prisons.
    An Ebute-Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos ordered the remand, following arraignment of Ajibola on a murder charge.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court did not take the accused plea.
    Chief Magistrate A. O. Salawu said she needed advice from the state’s Director Of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
    She adjourned the case till March 6.
    Earlier, the prosecuting police Inspector, Koti Aodahemba, told the court that the accused committed the offence on December 8 on Orisunbare Street, Ijora Badia.
    He said the accused pushed one Mr Patrick Orilolo, 56, into an oncoming vehicle because he cautioned him for recklessly driving a truck marked FST 444 XE.
    The prosecutor said the accused alighted from his truck to push the deceased into the vehicle which killed him instantly.
    The offence, Aodahemba said, contravened Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

  • ‘Reckless’ driver ‘kills’ boy

    A 49-year-old driver, Kazeem Adesokan, who allegedly knocked down a one-year-old boy, has been brought before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.
    Adesokan, who lives at 10, Jesuwame Street, Shibiri, Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of manslaughter and reckless driving.
    Prosecuting Sergeant Michael Unah told the court that accused committed the offence around 7.30 a.m. on Tinubu Close, Palmgroove, Ilupeju, Lagos.
    “Adesokan drove a Toyota Hilux Pickup van with marked KRD 530 BT in a reckless and dangerous manner.
    “The accused drove the pickup in a reckless manner and caused the death of a one-year-old boy simply identified as Abdulrahaman Alhaji.
    “Adesokan, who reversed his pickup without checking if someone was at the back, knocked down the one-year-old boy.
    “As a result of the accused’s recklessness, the boy died instantly,’’ Unah said.
    He said the offence contravened Sections 18, 19 and 20 of the State Road Traffic Law.
    Magistrate A. O Gbajumo granted the accused N100, 000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.
    Gbajumo said the two sureties must be gainfully employed and should show evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
    She adjourned the case till February 27.

  • Residents, police bicker over driver’s death

    Residents of Omi Adio in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, may have a showdown with the police, following the death of a commercial driver, Tirisimiyu Oladosu, a few metres to a police check point on the Ibadan-Abeokuta Expressway.

    Security has been strengthened around the station to prevent a break down of law and order.

    An eyewitness said the accident occurred about noon on Saturday.

    “The victim was crushed to death by an oncoming commercial bus with registration number Lagos AKD 07 XP.

    “The deceased parked his bus with registration number DGB 620 XA by the road and crossed to meet the policemen at the check point .

    “As he was returning to his vehicle, an oncoming commercial bus knocked him down. He died on the spot.”

    The body was released to the family by the police and has been buried.

    Members of the community are blaming the police for the death.

    But the police have denied the allegation, saying the accident was not caused by officers.

    The spokesperson, Adekunle Ajisebutu, said: “The accident was not caused by the police. The accident happened after a police stop and search point.

    “The victim reportedly parked along the road to check a mechanical fault and was about entering his vehicle when he was knocked down.

    “The police assisted in taking him to the hospital. The other driver has been arrested.”

  • Driver bolts with N1.5m car

    A 49-year-old driver, Uduak Ekong, who allegedly stole a car worth N1.5 million was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.
    The accused is standing trial on a two- count charge of fraud and stealing.
    Ekong, who lives in Adeniji Jones, Ikeja, Lagos, pleaded not guilty.
    Magistrate T. Akanni granted him N250,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum and adjourned the case till February15.
    Prosecuting police Inspector Clifford Ogu said the accused committed the offence last September 4, at Alagbole, Akuta, Ogun State.
    He said the accused stole a Toyota Corrolla valued at N1.5million, property of Mr Sylvester Akpan.
    “The accused collected the complainant’s car under the pretext of using it. He converted the car to his own, without the consent of the complainant and bolted with it to unknown destination.
    “The accused refused to pick the complainant’s calls and after some days, he called to inform him that the car had been stolen.
    “He claimed that he carried a passenger with the car who snatched it from him,” he said.
    The offence contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
    Section 312 prescribe 15 years jail term for the offence.

  • Driver ‘steals’ ex-boss car to fund siblings Xmas expenses

    Driver ‘steals’ ex-boss car to fund siblings Xmas expenses

    A 24–year old driver Abass Ope accused of stealing his ex-boss’ car, Television (TV) sets and a pet dog, has confessed that Christmas needs of his siblings pushed him into the stealing.

    Ope was arrested at Ojuelegba by the Decoy Team of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on Boxing Day.

    He was picked up by the police while trying to sell off his ex-boss’s Toyota Avensis 2013 model with marked AGL 734 AR for N2 million.

    Arrested along with him were three of his friends, Balogun Oluwaseun, 23, Sanni Azeez, 23 and Stephen Ewiele, 22.

    Ope had during  Christmas period stormed his ex-boss Magodo home while he and his family were holidaying in Delta State, with a conspirator to move a 100 inches LCD TV, another 42 inches LCD TV, a dog, a suitcase, two DSTV decoders and a Toyota Avensis, from the home.

    The suspect went to the house after learning that he ex-boss had travelled and that the gatekeeper had also gone to church.

    Te suspect, it was learnt, was aware of where the man usually kept keys to his rooms.

    It was revealed that his ex–boss, Ifoghale Ekinodo on getting report of missing vehicle and property called the suspect on more than two occasions to intimate him of the development but he denied knowledge of the incidence.

    Ekinodo had to cut short his holiday in Delta with his family to report the incident at Magodo Police Station.

    An RRS official later called him to notify him of the recovery of his vehicle.

    RRS quoted Abass as saying: “I took the car because I had no money to take care of myself and younger ones. They had no clothes, no shoes and this is Yuletide season. They looked up to me to take care of these expenses.

    “It was about three months now that I left Mr Ekinodo. I had worked for him for four years before leaving him in August. I left because he had a little challenge and things were pretty tough for him. I left so that he could have himself sorted out.

    “He was a very nice boss to work with. He enrolled me into university but I couldn’t continue the education when I left him. While he had this challenge, he owed me eight months salary; this prompted me to take his property and the vehicle.

    “The auto dealer wanted to pay N2 million for the car but I insisted on N4 Million because I know it is worth more than that. He offered me N1million instantly and that the balance would be ready in about few minutes time, but I decided to ignore the offer hoping that the dealer would call me back for a re-negotiation.

    “I went back to Ojuelegba few hours later in company of three of my friends, that was when RRS operatives arrested us.”

    Ekinodo said: “I am in shock. This is a guy I treated like a son. Apart from my wife, he was the closest person to me. This is a guy that did my shopping for me. Even, before I buy anything for myself, I bought for him first. How can I owe him eight– month salary when he never worked for me in those periods? Did he inform me that I owed him? He was never in my house in the periods he claimed. I called him more than twice when I got the report of the break in. He told me he knew nothing about it. If he had told me he needed money, I would have given him because we were still very close despite the fact that he was no longer working for me.”

    Police spokesperson Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP) urged members of the public to always do a background check of their domestic staff so as not to expose themselves to criminals.

    She said the suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Yaba, for further investigation.

  • Policeman kills driver over N50 in Niger

  • Driver, motor boy die in Lekki accident

    Driver, motor boy die in Lekki accident

    Two persons, Mubarak and Baki died yesterday at an accident in Abidjan bus stop, along LekkiEpe express way.

    The Nation gathered that a trailer conveying iron rods with registration number Lagos AGL 86 XN was on a high speed when it collided with another cement-laden trailer parked on the road side.

    The driver of the iron rod loaded truck, Mubarak and the motor boy, Baki were said to have been trapped inside the wrecked vehicle. They were brought out dead by

    Emergency Response Team (ERT) of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency LASEMA ERT and were handed over to the policemen from Elemoro Police Station.

    The trailers were towed to the same police station for further investigation.

    The operatives of the Agency alongside FRSC and Nigeria Police Force were present at the scene of the incident.

    LASEMA General Manager Mr Adesina Tiamiyu said investigation would be conducted on the incident by the appropriate authorities.

    He urged motorists to adhere to safety precaution while driving and ensure that broken down trucks are properly parked with necessary safety caution.

  • Okada riders injure task force driver

    Okada riders injure task force driver

    Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) surffered a huge loss in the hands of some commercial motorcyclists (okada riders) at the weekend in Apapa.

    The windscreens and headlight of four of its trucks and two Toyota Hilux vans were damaged by the okada riders, while its officials were trying to arrest those who did not participate in Saturday’s environmental sanitation.

    The agency’s driver was wounded on the head.

    Some okada riders were arrested over the incident.

    A statement by the task force’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Taofiq Adebayo, quoted the chairman, Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Superintendent of Police (SP) as saying that the operatives impounded 27 motorcycles and arrested five Okada riders, described as Chadian and Nigerien.

    Egbeyemi urged Apapa residents to cooperate with the agency in sanitising the community.

    Those arrested are Belo Sheu, 17, Ali Don, 20, Aminu Ataru, 22, Musa Yahusa, 15, and Saliu Musa, 30.

    Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni has directed that those arrested be charged to court.

    “During the month of October, the agency arrested 1750 miscreants. 300 were screened out, while the remaining 1450 were charged to courts. 1105 motorcycles plying restricted routes across the state were impounded,” the statement said.