The Nation Newspaper

Tag: mechanic

  • Mechanic arraigned in court over missing phone

    Mechanic arraigned in court over missing phone

    The Police on Monday arraigned a 46-year-old mechanic, Ismaila Shehu, in whose pocket an allegedly stolen phone rang when its owner dialled it on discovering it was missing.

    Shehu who resides at Aso B Mararaba, Nasarawa State is facing a two-count charge of criminal conspiracy and theft at a Mararaba Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada.

    The Prosecutor, Agabi Auta, told the court that the matter was reported at the Aso Police Station by one Muniru Mohammed of Aso Pada, Mararaba on Aug. 11.

    Auta said that the defendant and one Adamu Musa, now at large, on the same date at about 10.00 am, came to the complainant’s shop located at Mararaba to charge a phone.

    He said that the defendant gave his phone to the complainant to charge, while also conspiring with Adamu to steal the complainant’s phone valued at N64,000, which was also being charged.

    The prosecutor said that the complainant noticed his phone was missing as the defendant was about leaving, and immediately used another customer’s phone to dial his number.

    He said that the complainant’s phone rang from the defendant’s pocket.

    Auta said that the defendant was handed over to the police while Adamu escaped.

    According to him, the offence contravened Sections 289 and 97 of the Penal Code.

    The defendant denied committing the offence and the Judge, Mr Albert Maga, granted him a N100, 000 bail and one surety in like sum.

    He said the surety must be a resident of the court’s jurisdiction and must submit two recent passport photographs, a National Identity Card or a driver’s licence.

    The Judge also said the surety must write an undertaking that the defendant would be of good behaviour throughout the period of his trial.

    Maga adjourned the case till Aug. 31 for hearing.

  • Mechanic charged with colleague’s death

    A 28-year-old mechanic, Taiwo Adeyemi was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja High Court for allegedly killing his colleague, Isikiru Oladeinde. He was said to have committed the act with a nail studded wood.

    The incident was said to have occurred in 2014 at Ashade market in Agege.

    Oladeinde was arraigned before Justice Hakeem Oshodi on a one count charge of manslaughter.

    Testifying before the court, the deceased’s brother Kehinde Oladiende, recalled his widow called him at night to notify him of the incident.

    “My late younger brother’s wife called me around 11pm on the day of the incident that he was in serious pains as a result of the injury he sustained during the fight.

    “I rushed there the next day and found my brother in serious pains. His arm was swollen up to his neck. We rushed him to Ota General Hospital where he was admitted for a day.

    “When his condition worsened, we were referred to the Federal Medical Centre in Ota, where he later gave up at midnight.

    “Being Muslims, my brother was buried immediately. His wife also died few weeks later because of the trauma. The four children they left behind were distributed among our family members,” he told the court.

     

  • Xenophobia: Nigerian auto mechanic loses N240.6m

    Mr Simon Adeoye, a 42 year old South African based Nigerian automobile mechanic, said on Tuesday that he lost N240.6 million (R10m) to the Xenophobic attack on his workshop on Saturday.

    Adeoye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone from Pretoria, South Africa, that he got a call on the day of the incident that his workshop had been set ablaze and rushed to the place.

    “ By the time I got there, 29 cars of different make, some Nigerian passports, documents of the workshop, money and other personal effects had been destroyed by fire.

    “ I was helpless and could not do anything,” he said.

    Adeoye said that some of the cars belonged to South Africans while others were being repaired for sale.

    “ I appeal to the Federal Government to assist me get back to business. Officials of the Nigerian mission have visited the workshop to do an assessment and we are yet to hear from them,” he said.

    According to him, the mission should provide replacement for the passports gutted by fire to enable affected Nigerians have documents.

    Adeoye stated that officials of Nigeria Union had visited and commiserated with him on the unfortunate incident.

    “ At the moment, I have lost everything I have. I need urgent help to re-start my business. This will also assist me pay my workers who have families to cater for,” he said. (NAN)

  • Female Edo street sweepers opt for mechanic apprenticeship

    Mrs. Osayemwenre Catherine is 50. She is employed under the Edo State Employment and Expenditure for Result (SEEFOR) as a street sweeper. Her duty is to wake up early and sweep any major street in Benin City that has been assigned to her. Under the SEEFOR arrangement, Mrs. Osayemwenre and others are to be disengaged after one year.

    Mrs. Osayemwenre’s recent posting was to sweep the Government House. It was on her second week at the Government House that she saw some women working as mechanic at the Government House workshop. After several days, Mrs. Osayemwenre and 20 other SEEFOR workers stormed the workshop and demanded to be trained as a mechanic, driver or automobile electrician.

    She told our reporter that she wanted to train as a mechanic because she does not want to return to petty trading after the one year with SEEFOR.

    Mrs. Osayemwenre said: “ I still feel very strong to learn a skill. As we are sweeping government house, we saw that only women are working in this workshop so we decided to inquire from them. They told us they are doing mechanic work. This is an opportunity for me to learn a skill. This SEEFOR job is just for one year but I want to learn more to be independent.”

    Another SEEFOR worker, Mrs. Suzy Osadolor, who said she is 49, said she came to the workshop to learn how to become either a mechanic of a  commercial driver.

    Her words: “I want to be like these girls. We are under Edo SEEFOR and we saw the way these girls are working. I know I can still make it even though I am 49 years old. I can learn  to become a female driver.”

    36 years old Vivian Okurefe said she has not been herself since the day she saw women working as mechanic.

    “I decided to join them. If I am taken, I will be grateful. I like to join them so that I can feed my children.”

    Governor Godwin Obaseki recently engaged female mechanics under the leadership of Sandra Aguebor of the Lady Mechanic Initiative to take over repair and maintenance of government vehicles. The engagement of female mechanics was part Edo State governor’s wife, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, initiative to empower women in the state.

    Mrs. Aguebor said she was shocked when she saw the women at the workshop and demanded to be registered as an apprentice.

    According to her, “We were here doing our work when we saw a lot of women trooping in and to my greatest surprised some were carrying children. They said they were here looking for lady mechanic. They said they want to be part of what we are doing.

    “They said they want to learn how to fix cars. Some said they want to be a panel beater, female mechanic driver, some say they want to do a whole lot in automobile because we have different areas of specialties. I said it is welcome idea and you are welcome and you have to write down your names.

    “I collected their names and told them they are on the right track. They will be the first to considered in the women empowerment drive of the First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki.

    “We want to support this administration. We want to train women as plumbers, auto electrician, welding, spray painter and generator repairs. We want to see a situation where women would be fixing broken water pipes in government house.”

    “I was brought back to Edo State by Her Excellency, Mrs Besty Obaseki. She has to take me from Lagos saying that ‘you have been doing a lot everywhere. We need you to come and also do something here’ and this is how you find me here. In fact, what has brought me to the state is God blessing and I see it as something that I will be able to impact a lot in this administration as well as future administration and generation to come because I believe that when you empower somebody you are getting them off the streets, making them being useful to themselves economically, socially and technologically in which crimes and social vices will be reduced.”

  • N15m gone as fire razes Ebonyi mechanic village

    An early morning fire has destroyed eight cars and motor spare parts estimated at over N15 million at the Mechanic Village in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

    It was gathered that the fire, which started at 1 a.m, would have spread to other parts of the village but for the quick intervention of the fire service.

    The scene was covered with smoke yesterday, when our reporter visited the village.

    There was smoke from cars, tyres and spare parts in some workshops.

    The owners and sympathisers stood in clusters,

    watching helplessly.

    One of the victims, Mr. Sunday Nworie, was in tears.

    The trader said the fire started from a nearby workshop where apprentices might have forgotten to put out burning firewood for refurbishing car shock absorbers.

    But the owner of the workshop, Mr. Livinus Nwadume, denied the allegation.

    The artisan said he did not use such materials.

    He described the incident as unfortunate. Nwadume said he lost tyres and other spare parts estimated at several thousands of naira.

    The owner of a workshop where five cars were destroyed Mr. George Brother said he had informed the owners about the damage.

    He urged the government to expand the mechanic village to enable those selling car parts have enough space from those making fire-related businesses.

    The Chairman of the village Mr. Erasmus Nwaojiji said his management committee had done all it could to enforce the decongestion and removal of inflammable materials but to no avail.

    He hailed the state fire service for its prompt response.

    The chairman sought government’s help to the victims to enable them start life again.

  • Mechanic held for ‘stealing’ ex Lagos Health Commissioner’s N1m

     

     

    A 45-year-old auto mechanic was on Monday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly obtaining N1 million under false pretence from a former Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Leke Pitan.

    The mechanic, Gbenga Daramola, whose address was not given, is facing a three-count charge bordering on fraud, obtaining, conversion ‎and stealing levelled against him by the police.

    Prosecuting Corporal Cyriacus Osuji told the court that the defendant fraudulently obtained the sum of N1million from Dr. Leke Pitan under the pretence of repairing his ‎Mercedes Benz S600 with registration number EPE 800 DU.

    He alleged that the defendant converted the said sum to his personal use.

    “The defendant also intentionally damaged the brain box of the Mercedes Benz S600 and the side mirrors valued at ‎N200,000” the prosecutor added.

    According to him, the offences are punishable under Sections 312 (2), 285 and 337(7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    The defendant denied the charges.

    Magistrate O. Kusanu (Mrs.) granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties each in the like sum, one of whom must be a blood relation.

    The case was adjourned till ‎April 28, for mention.

     

  • Mechanic kills colleague over missing screw

    An auto-mechanic identified as Chukwuma has stabbed and killed his co-worker in Enugu over a missing screw. The incident took place at Tinkers’ Village in the city.

    The deceased was identified as Nnamdi Nzeh, who was a major dealer in motor parts.

    Nze was said to have died in a brawl which followed an intense argument with Chukwuma.

    An eyewitness said Nze died as a result of a deep cut he sustained on his neck during the fight.

    “It was like a drama,” said the eyewitness. “This thing couldn’t have led to a fight but that was how the devil wanted it. Nze called Chukwudi to fix a [car part] for him; in the process he lost a screw and this resulted in a fighting. The mechanic denied he lost the screw which led to exchange of blows.

    ”When they started fighting people came and separated them and we thought everything was settled, until when the mechanic took a screw driver and stabbed Nze on his neck, he fell down and slumped.”

    “The victim could not be saved immediately because the mechanics deserted the area on seeing the man in the pool of blood,” the eyewitness said.

    A spare parts dealer in the area, Tony Ugwu described the incident as horrible, noting that the whole place has been locked as the police were tactfully searching for the whereabouts of the assailant who escaped immediately Nze slumped.

    Police spokesman Ebere Amaraizu confirmed the incident.

     

  • Mechanic ‘rapes’ girl , 15

    A 23-year-old auto mechanic, Wasiu Sarafa, was Tuesday arraigned in an Ikorodu Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for alledgedly raping a 15-year-old girl.

    Sarafa, who resides at No. 21 Taiwo Hassan Street, Orego, Igbe, Ikorodu, is facing a single count rape charge.

    Prosecuting police Corporal Abosede Adegeshin said the accused committed the offence at the victim’s residence.

    She said: “On September 5,  at about 2pm in Ikorodu, the accused had unlawful sexual intercourse with the victim, who is 15 years old.”

    The prosecutor added that the offence contravened Section 258 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    Sarafa’s lawyer, M. C. Bolowotan, told the court that there was medical evidence to show that there had been no sexual penetration by her client. She urged the court to grant Sarafa bail.

    Magistrate A. A. Oshoniyi granted the accused N150,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum. One of the sureties, she said, must be a community or religious leader.

    The case was adjourned till October 15.

  • Mechanic charged with N500, 000 fraud

    An auto mechanic, Sunday Ade, was yesterday charged before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for allegedly obtaining N500, 000 under false pretences.

    Ade pleaded not guilty.

    But the prosecutor, Etim Nkankuk, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) told the court that the accused committed the offences on February 9 at Aguda in Surulere area of Lagos with his brother still at large.

    He said Ade obtained N500, 000 from one Elochukwu Peters under the pretext that he would cure his wife’s ailment.

    Nkankuk said: “The complainant was referred to Ade’s brother, who is still at large by the accused himself to cure the ailment. Peters was made to believe that the duo could help find a cure to his wife’s ailment.

    “He was asked to bring N500, 000 as payment for the cure only for him to find out that he had been duped.”

    Nkankuk noted that the offences contravened Sections 285, 312 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

    Chief Magistrate A.O. Isaac granted the accused N200, 000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    The case has been adjourned till July.

     

  • Airtel turns 14 students, mechanic, others into millionaires

    Airtel turns 14 students, mechanic, others into millionaires

    Airtel Nigeria has turned 14 Nigerians into millionaires’ courtesy its Airtel Red Hot promo and the telecom provider, saying more millionaires are going to emerge in the 60 days in the 60 millionaires’ annual promo which has the latest model Range Rover Sport as the grand prize.

    The telecom provider said the Red Hot Promo is a loyalty and reward promotions created to appreciate its customers and empower them financially to fulfill their dreams and reach their goals.

    The latest set of individual one million naira winners include Umar Mustaph, a student in Minna; Oludare Nifemi, a student based in Lagos; Henry Ezeh, a student in Anambra, Onyinyechi Nwodu, a student based in Asaba; Mutairu Kumolu, a Lagos-based mechanic; Saidu Ibrahim, a Benin-based butcher; Uduak Umoren, a trader who resides in Uyo and Bassey Eyam, a Dry Cleaner based in Lagos.

    Roland Kolma, an Engineer in Port Harcourt; Musa Afeikhobe, a politician; Adeola Zakari, an Ilorin-based business woman as well as Tunde Genty, Tokosi Dada, and Ibrahim Fwangyil, all civil servants complete the list of fourteen winners.

    So far, the draws have produced 39 millionaires across the country and another batch of 39 Nigerians have also won the iPad Air while 250 persons have won smartphones and a total of 195,000 have been rewarded with airtime.

    In a show of appreciation, the winners praised the Telco’s consistent effort at fulfilling its promise to customers and its unfailing dedication towards empowering and rewarding their patronage.

    Congratulating the winners, Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Maurice Newa explained the objective behind the promo which is to touchand enrich the lives of customers in appreciation of their constant support for the network.