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  • Which agency certifies drivers?

    If the government’s desire is to reduce carnage on the roads, the argument about who has the mandate to regulate drivers’ licence is needless and avoidable, writes ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE

    Road safety experts have carpeted as needless, the query on the Federal Roads Safety Commission’s (FRSC) power to regulate the training of drivers or the issuance of drivers licence.

    The Chairman, Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NIIT) Zaria, Olorogun John Onojeharho in the Punch last Friday, had queried the FRSC’s right to issue licences. He alleged that it operates quack driving schools to train drivers.

    But the agency said the FRSC Establishment Act 2007 as amended, gave it the statutory right to train and certify drivers.

    Its spokesman Bisi Kazeem, debunking the “erroneous insinuation,” at the weekend, said drivers’ certification is part of the FRSC’s responsibility. “Our responsibility is to ensure that drivers, motorists, and motorcyclists education are trained on how to operate their vehicles before they apply for the National Drivers Licence,” he said.

    He said FRSC has no driving school but certifies privately run driving schools to ensure compliance to standards.

    He said FRSC derives its mandate from Section 10 (3)c of the FRSC Establishment Act 2007: “To educate drivers, motorists and members of the public generally on the proper use of the highways.”

    Put in broader perspective, according to Kazeem,”education and training are interchangeable where learning or education is synonymous with training, which means a process by which someone is taught a skill that is needed for an art, profession, or job.”

    According to him, the FRSC, as the agency charged with the safety of lives and property on the roads has not only been educating fleet operators on the minimum safety standards, it has continued to regulate the establishment and certification of driving schools that are registered to train drivers on the operation of vehicles and the proper use of roads.

    The beginning

    Prior to 1988, the Federal Government had no concrete or sustained policy to address the carnage on  the roads. Earlier attempts to manage carnage on the roads were limited to isolated attempts by some states of the federation and institutions.

    One of the earliest pioneers of road safety initiative, according to Wikipedia, was the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) between 1960 and 1965. Following on its heels, was the Nigerian Army’s Annual Road Safety Week which started in 1972.

    The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), established in 1974, was the Federal Military Government’s first real attempt at promoting road safety. It was however short lived. In 1977, the military administration in old Oyo State, established the Oyo State Road Safety Corps (OSRSC), which instilled some road discipline and achieved significant improvements in road safety in the state. The Corps was disbanded by the military government in 1983.

    In February 1988, the Federal Government established the Federal Road Safety Commission through Decree No. 45 of the 1988 as amended by Decree 35 of 1992, referred to in the statute books as the FRSC Act cap 141 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN), passed by the National Assembly as Federal Road Safety Corps (establishment) Act 2007.

    It has, among other statutory functions, the duty of making the highway safe for motorists and other road users, eliminate or minimise accidents on the highways and advising the Federal and state governments, including the Federal Capital Territory Administration and relevant governmental agencies on the localities where such works and devices are required, and educating motorists and members of the public on the importance of discipline on the highway.

    Its other responsibilities are: Clearing obstructions on any part of the highways, educating drivers, motorists and other members of the public on the proper use of the highways, designing and producing the driver’s license to be used by various categories of vehicle operators, determining, from time to time, the requirements to be satisfied by an applicant for a driver’s licence and designing and producing vehicle number plates.

    It is also mandated to standardise highway traffic codes, educate drivers, motorists and other members of the public generally on the proper use of the highways,  give prompt care and attention to victims of accidents and conducting researches into causes of motor accidents and methods of preventing them and putting into use the result of such research.

    The FRSC is also to determine and enforce speed limits for all categories of roads and vehicles and controlling the use of speed limiting devices, cooperate with bodies or agencies or groups in road safety activities or in prevention of accidents on the highways, making regulations in pursuance of any of the functions assigned to the Corps, regulate the use of sirens, flashers and beacon lights on vehicles other than ambulances and vehicles belonging to the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police, Fire Service and other Paramilitary agencies, providing roadside and mobile clinics for the treatment of accident victims free of charge.

    Other mandates are to regulate the use of mobile phones by motorists, regulating the use of seat belts and other safety devices, regulating the use of motorcycles on the highways, maintaining the validity period for drivers’ licences which shall be three years subject to renewal at the expiration of the validity period.

    Needless controversy

    A safety expert who prefers anonymity, carpeted the NIIT chief’s unprovoked jab at the FRSC. According to him, the law which empowers the Corps to regulate safety could not have excluded from it the power to certify trainees.

    The Chief Executive Officer of Arrive Alive Road Safety Initiative (AARSI) Mr Ike Okonkwo said the FRSC has become a global brand that should be supported to continue to do everything to promote road safety.

    Okonkwo, who regarded the antagonism by the NIIT chief as needless and avoidable, said the impact of the FRSC is such that at the global summit of the United Nations (UN) in 2011, the UN, among other resolutions, urged member nations to emulate Nigeria and have a focal agency in charge of road safety.

    According to him, 1.3 million people reportedly died on global roads in 2011, and such an agency was to lead moves to reduce it by 50 percent in a decade.

    Okonkwo said AARSI, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) owned by Chevron, First Bank, Zenith Bank and Diamond Bank, has been working with the Corps  to keep the roads safe, adding that FRSC has maintained the lead in educating, training and certifying drivers wishing to drive on the roads.

    Can motorcyclist fly plane

    Safety Without Borders Executive Director Mr Patrick Adenusi wondered why anyone would fight FRSC over the certification of drivers.

    According to him, if no one would fly a plane whose pilot is a motorcyclist, why should anyone not be concerned that drivers who would ply the roads are trained and certified to use the roads.

    “If FRSC says it won’t do it because they are not empowered by law to train drivers or issue drivers licence, then the number of people dying on our roads, which is put at 5,000 could as well continue to rise.”

    He said arguments for pulling the rug off the feet of FRSC are self-serving. “No one should pick any hole at who regulates drivers in Nigeria,” he said, adding that over the years, the FRSC has continued to serve as quality control by ensuring that driving schools churn out only trained drivers, while those seeking renewals were mandated to undergo retraining to ensure that everyone keyed into the agenda to reduce road carnage.

    He said in his relationship with the Corps over the years, he has never heard the Corps own or run a driving school as alleged by the NIIT chief.

    According to him, though issuance of drivers licence is within the purview of the Motor Vehicle Administration Agencies (MVAA), the tripartite arrangement evolved over time, which saw the FRSC, MVAA and VIO manage the training, and certification of drivers should not be jettisoned.

    “The tripartite arrangement of driving licence issuance, which has always seen the FRSC, VIO and MVAA work together, has been working perfectly for Nigeria. In other jurisdiction, motor vehicle administration is saddled with drivers certification and drivers licence issuance, but our MVAA here are not as engaging and skilful as MVAA administration in America, which explains why FRSC should continue to play the leading role in sanitising the process through which drivers are certified to use the road and which type of vehicles they are certified to use.”

    According to him, “One should not forget that the main reason for certification is to reduce  deaths by road accidents, which going by WHO estimates of 30,000 deaths yearly, would have seen a growth rather than a reduction of global death statistics as a result of accidents.

  • Envisioning a new Nigeria at 59

    For those that witnessed our independence; their mind would be filled with crowded memories; memories of the projected destination envisaged. The memory of the attractive flowers of violet turned unattractive, the memory of kindness melting away, the memory of closely knitted cultures now faltering like a pack of cards…The memory of decorum turning delirium …

    Today the freedom we had has metamorphosed into distress; innocent people from the Northeast cannot sleep with one eye closed, the people in the Northwest are closely monitoring the activities of the bandits, the southern parts of Nigeria are beginning to witness the aftermath of lingering crisis in the north.

    Today the charming dinners we had is turning into harrowing dinners.

    Today what we have is the rich getting richer, the middle class are getting squeezed out and the poor are pregnant with triplet of anxiety, fear and hatred. These savage offspring are born daily and are dangling terror in most parts of the country.

    Today, the pattering rain of cash has dwindled and the glittering oil is shrinking yet the smoke of insecurity bellowed to every nook and cranny of the country.

    Today the descendants of the birds that squeaked on top of the treetops during our independence are howling for lack of food.

    Today, can our leaders look back and say they have fought a good fight without remorse for their past deeds? Today, can we sincerely say with confidence that our crop of youths are ready to take on the mantle of leadership?

    Today, the heir of the frogs that croaked are crying accent of mercy.

    Today we have the likes of typhoons, landslides and earthquakes that were once alien to us signaling the earth is changing. Today with the climate change, no one is sure of anything; it is a looming threat that we must be prepared for.

    Today the masses are clamoring for restructuring because of the present knotted structure.

    My eyes mist whenever I recite a phrase in our national anthem, the labor of our heroes past, shall never be in vain  and I pray that our fallen heroes’ effort shall not be in vain. On the other hand, I feel quite nostalgic for the recitation of O God of creation , Direct our noble Cause, Guide our leaders right , help our Youth the truth to know…but the questions is, are our youths dissecting the wheat from the chaff?

    How do the people living in the prone parts of the Northeast raise children when their environment is precarious and their future uncertain?

    It’s unfortunate to say that our preceding sailors who were supposed to sail us safely to our projected destination were struck by strong wind and we have since being sailing on turbulent waters.

    The probing question is, when did we get it all wrong? We cannot look back further than after the oil was discovered in Oloibiri in the now Bayelsa State. Like a pirouette dance, oil money started to flow and we forgot about streams of resources at our beck and call. Today, oil extraction remains the biggest divider among us yet a unifying factor. The rubber plantation was not in short supply, cocoa money performed wonders and groundnut pyramids reached the sky.  We should not forget at this period we had vegetables, lemons, cassava, cotton, coffee, papayas, and hibiscus, among others with a congenial weather to go with it. What other things could we have asked for?

    As we celebrate our independence today, it is a period of reflection where the affluence in our midst  who lives in an environment where they don’t have to think of electricity bill, they don’t have to think of what to eat, they don’t have to think of  what to wear, and don’t have to think of where to lay their heads think of the poor who are married to squalor living in a place they don’t want to live, a place surrounded by roaches, smells of urine billowing  from the backyards as if they are back-tracked to eight decades ago where all that were available were free range of toilets in the backyard. Some of them sleep on pallets and do not need repellant to keep rats away from romancing their toes at night… poverty.

    According to the Nigeria Economic Report released in July by the World Bank, poverty still remains significant at 33.1% in Nigeria as half of the population are now living in degrading poverty. There have been steps at poverty alleviation, for instance, in 1972, National Accelerated Food production programme and the Nigerian Agricultural and Cooperative Bank was created. In 1976, Operation Feed the Nation; it was to teach the farmers how to use modern farming tools. In 1979, Green Revolution Programme came on board where emphasis was laid on reducing food importation and increase local food production. In 1986, the Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI)  was established by General Babangida administration  to tackle the issue of rural development and rural transformation. That same year, the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) was created. In 1993, Family Support Programme  and the Family Economic Advancement Programme was established. The National Agricultural Land Development Agency (NALDA), the Rural Employment Programme (REP) were also established. Today the federal government has continued to roll out efforts at ameliorating poverty in the country with the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP),the N-Power programme designed to reduce youth unemployment with focus on young-graduates and non-graduates with skills, tools and livelihood to enable them advance from unemployment to employment, entrepreneurship and innovation. Despite all these efforts, there is still a lot of work to be done.

    What is the missing link?

    The developed world are talking about electric cars, artificial intelligence decentralization, Crptocurrencies, the semantic web linked data, block-chain technology, renewable energy, self-driving cars among others. A developing country like Nigeria is still talking about building good roads, provision of electricity, telephone and water supply. We are highly religious country waiting for God to solve all our problems. We are always gazing skyward to receive everything from Him. We seem helpless and hapless; frightened like chicken who heard the roar of the wind, flapped, squawked and hid under decrepit barnyard. We pile up debt for our children’s children instead of riches. It’s unfortunate that we don’t truly know what we are capable of achieving if we put our act together.

    Until we begin to harness our true potential, until we begin to design reality rather than merely reacting to it, until will do away with standards and structures that are absurdly ambiguous and riddled with loopholes, we will continue to dance around the question unanswered.

    It is my staunch belief that Nigerians are an incredibly talented people. Give them lemons and they will make lemonade. My question to you as we celebrate independence today is that when a story of Nigeria is being told, will yours be a tale of selflessness or selfishness?

    • Anjorin writes from Lagos.

  • Nigeria

  • Boosting farm produce with Green house alternative

    Greenhouse farms is becoming the alternative that is making agriculture more attractive to local farmers, especially those with some means. OSAGIE OTABOR writes about one such farms which would soon begin to earn big, exporting tomatoes and pepper

    The quest by the Federal Government to move the economy from oil dependent is gradually producing results. More Nigerians are seeing the wisdom in returning to agriculture. The Buhari administration is promoting agriculture as the nation’s new economy. In Edo State, agriculture is gaining ground as the first GreenHouse Farm is set to export tomatoes and pepper. Last year, the Wells Hosa Greenhouse Farm, owned by billionaire Captain Hosa Okunbo, showcased to the world its first harvest of vegetables, tomatoes and pepper. But the ban on importation of inorganic fertiliser is threatening the existence of the farm.

    Sitting on a 26-hectare, the Wells Hosa Greenhouse grows the roma, cherry and beef tomatoes, bell peppers, albanaro peppers and cucumbers. The crops are not grown on soil, but on coconut fibre, through the adoption of hydroponic technology. There are 14 greenhouses on the farm. To ensure an all-year round harvest, the greenhouses are divided to serve the cycle from nursery to harvest.

    Farm’s General Manager Franklin Owegie, who conducted reporters round the farm, said proper sterilisation is carried out to avoid diseases or pests affecting the plants.

    Owegie explained that the tomatoes and pepper grown on the farm were originally cultivated in Mexico but with the use of technology, they were successfully grown in Edo State. He said computerised irrigation, fertilisation and pest control are important to achieve optimal plant growth and higher yield compared with the traditional open field method of producing tomatoes and pepper.

    He said: “As you observed, we sterilised your cars before you drive in. Before workers or anybody enters any of the greenhouses, they must be sterilised. All the nutrients the plants need are prepared and supplied through the irrigation system. Each plant has its own drip point so the plant gets the nutrients it needs.

    “This is the first successful hydroponic green house in Nigeria. It has been working since August last year and we are still expanding. For us, this is like a pilot project. We harvest twice a week, there is no scarce season, it is an all -ear round harvest.

    “Instead of using natural ground where you have all the challenges, rather we are growing it with all the nutrients and giving it all the fertilisers it requires unlike how it is done in the open field.

    “All we are doing by creating a controlled environment is to have better yields. The plant doesn’t have to interact with the soil to avoid all the diseases. With this, we have high yield, we harvest all-year round and that is one of the advantages. It is expensive but, however, greenhouse farming can meet the food needs of Nigerians.

    “The good thing is that whatever you are planting you are surely going to meet the food needs of the people, it is just like investing in solar energy which has high investment but at the end of the day you get your return on investment.

    “Our nutrition solution centre is equipped with modern gadgets where the mixtures for nutrients are done. The fertiliser centre is also where the PH of the nutrition solution mixture is done.”

    The ban on the importation of inorganic fertilisers has forced the cost of production at the farm to increase in astrometric progression. As the crops do not grow on soil, all the required nutrients are from chemicals and inorganic fertilisers and they must be supplied in the right quantity. Non- availability of inorganic fertilisers might lead to  loss of jobs at the farm.

    Managing Director of Wells Hosa Greenhouse farms Mr. Bright Okunbo said greenhouse farmers in Nigeria may be forced out of business, if alternatives to get inorganic fertilisers are not available.

    According to him, “the most challenges we have observed in the past one year is getting the right input when it comes to chemicals and fertiliser at the right time and from the right sources. When we started the farm, we got NAFDAC’s permit to import inorganic fertilisers and end user certificate to enable importation of inorganic fertilisers, which is one of our major input for our irrigation system. Even if it took us a lot of process to have that done, but when we did, we were able to import any time we wanted within that one year period when the licences were valid.

    “Currently, with the new ban on importation of inorganic fertilisers, no bank will issue Form M for you to import. Most of the inorganic fertilisers are not available in Nigeria. That is our major challenge right now. Without those fertilisers and right chemicals, we will not be able to operate. There is no substitute for this. I cannot use organic fertilisers to run my farm because I am not planting on soil. I don’t have anything that will be pulling the micro nutrient or microorganism that is available in the soils. This is different because I have to introduce  every micro, macro nutrients and inorganic fertilisers by myself in the right quantity. If I don’t do all of these, I will not be able to operate. That is our biggest challenge.

    “As it stands, I have no alternative to the problem right now. There just has to be a way where we can either have a company that produces these fertilisers in Nigeria or open up the borders and allow importation of these fertilisers. With this development, our workers’ job is not only at stake, my job and the company is at stake. If I cannot import and there is no alternative, then there is a huge problem.

    “I am just hoping that this will last for a short time for government can look at ways we can have access to it so that pioneers like us can have access to the input that we need.

    “We have started talking to the relevant authority and we are looking at all the alternatives to get out of this predicament. I am, however, optimistic that government will do something urgent because we are not the only greenhouse farm in Nigeria affected by this. I think there is need to protect this and as one of the non-oil sector that contribute to the nation’s development. I don’t think government will want greenhouse technology to pull out of business in Nigeria”.

    Bright, however, stated that the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has been supportive in trying to see how the farm can get to export level so it can generate foreign exchange. He said the National Agency of Quarantine Services has certified the products of Wells Hosa okay for export.

    “Some policies are making it favourable for us to get to the status to export outside of the country. The people know our product. They know it is distinct. They know it is different from others. Anybody that has used our tomatoes for stew know the difference between Hosa Wells tomatoes and others in the market. They are willing to pay a little more than what they pay for regular tomatoes because they are getting value in … taste and quality. The yellow orange albanaro pepper we introduced to the market is distinct. When we first introduced it, the people were a little hesitant to try something new but as I speak, I don’t have my harvest sitting on the ground. I harvest twice in a week and before I am through with the harvesting, customers are waiting to get them.’’

    On the future of Wells Hosa Green House farm, Bright said they hoped to replicate the greenhouse facility in different geo-political zones.

    “The Green House can be established anywhere. Edo State is one of the most difficult places to establish a Green House farm because of the heavy rainfall. During the rainy season, it is always cloudy, there is less radiation, it affects the size and quantity of the produce. We have been able to mitigate that problem here in Edo. If I am doing this good in the worst place, then if I take the Green House to Abuja, Kaduna, then I will do …better. We want to establish different Green Houses across the country where we can grow other crops other than just tomatoes and pepper. We now grow the Roma tomatoes, the bell pepper, the cherry tomatoes, beef tomatoes and albanaro pepper.”

  • Sowore: The vestiges of dictatorship

    SIR: If there is any shouting evidence that the vestiges of dictatorship still remain with us long after we bade military rule goodbye, it is the current travails of political activist and Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore.

    Since the beginning of the fourth republic on May 29, 1999, successive governments have worryingly engaged in practices that can best be described as antithetical to democratic norms. Put plainly, democracy has failed to end abuses that  characterised the jackboot era of intolerance.

    Who will forget the infamous Odi massacre and the disregard for a Supreme Court order that the Lagos State funds seized by the Olusegun Obasanjo-led federal government be released?  Or the clampdown on media houses perceived to be enemies of former President Jonathan because of their criticism of his government for not adequately tackling Nigeria’s security problems?

    Who will forget the seizure of newspapers and destruction of thousands of copies by soldiers during the Jonathan administration which was described by the presidency then as “isolated incidents of security checks”?

    In the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, nothing appears to have changed. Only recently, Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, said Nigeria had gone back to the repressive and dark days of the Abacha era following the unceasing human rights abuses traced to the Buhari  government. Also, Nigerians known to be too critical of the present government have either been detained or their whereabouts unknown.

    An egregious example of the blatant disregard for human rights and dissenting views was displayed when Sowore was arrested and detained for calling out Nigerians to protest the failings of the Buhari government. He was later charged with treasonable felony and accused of insulting the president.

    Rather than get agitated about the mention of revolution and protests, the Buhari government would do well to address the issues raised by the activist and his group. Except those who choose not to see the ugly realities confronting us on a daily basis, no one can deny that Nigeria is currently bedeviled by nagging security problems, grinding poverty, especially with Nigeria as the poverty capital of the world. Or is it the romance with individuals with various corruption allegations hanging over their heads who have now become new creatures  by virtue of the fact they are now belong to the ruling party? Or is it the economy that is in a tailspin?

    Instead of breathing down the necks of Nigerians that demand good governance, the call to protest should be a wakeup call to the concerned authorities to address the aforementioned problems for the betterment of Nigerians.

    Curiously, the same government that would not allow harmless protesters a breathing space has no issues with negotiating with bloodthirsty terrorists that have brought sorrow, tears and blood to many homes, justifying their action with the argument that it is a global practice.

    In the run-up to the 2015 elections, General Buhari had promised to uphold the rule of law and respect fundamental human rights, claiming to be a reformed democrat.

    Today, we are told national interest- as defined by the Buhari administration and the Department of State Services (DSS)- takes precedence over the rule of law. If we pretend to concede that the highlighted excuse for blatant disregard for the laws of the land is true, we can begin to understand why former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki and Shiite leader,  Sheikh Ibrahim Elzakzaky are still languishing in jail. But what would be the excuse for detaining Sowore after a court has granted him bail?

    Interestingly, the same government that was quick to obey the order to detain Sowore has suddenly developed cold feet when the court granted him bail. Ordinarily, Nigeria’s biggest opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), should be vociferous about the worrying disdain for court orders not in favour of the Buhari government. But that is if it has the moral latitude for such. In PDP’s Cross River State, Journalist, Agba Jalingo, is in detention for a publication the government does not find friendly. Where then will the PDP derive the moral justification to call out the ruling party for its disturbing abuse of power?

    Without any whiff of doubt, freedom of expression is under threat in Nigeria. And when a government justifies brazen disdain for court orders, it is not for any other reason but to kill dissenting voices. Little wonder Prof Wole Soyinka was quoted as saying the greatest threat to freedom is the absence of criticism.

    It is time men of good conscience in the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigerian Labour Congress and all civil society groups rose by exploring all constitutional means to save the judiciary from imminent collapse and Nigeria from its gradual slide into anarchy.

    • Ladesope Ladelokun,

    Ladesopeladelokun@gmail.com

  • Nigeria @59: FRSC urges motorists to imbibe positive driving

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has urged motorists to embrace safety ideals, positive road behaviour and adhere to all traffic rules and regulations as Nigeria celebrates 59 years of independence.

    Corps Public Education Officer, Mr Bisi Kazeem made the call in a statement in Abuja on Monday.

    He said that the call was part of concerted efforts to ensure free flow of traffic and the safety of lives and property of road users, during the celebration.

    Kazeem stressed the need for all road users to drive with caution and avoid any act that violated established traffic laws during the celebration period.

    “The Federal Road Safety Corps is aware of how much the country cherishes its independence going by the series of festivities that form part of the celebration.

    “Accordingly, the Corps Marshal, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, admonishes motorists to apply all cautionary measures so as to achieve a crash-free 59th independence celebration.

    Read Also: 25 escape death in Anambra auto crashes – FRSC

    “He also gave the assurance of full deployment of operational facilities across traffic prone areas and others to ensure a hitch free movement of persons and goods.

    “To forestall all incidences of mishap on the road, I have directed Commanding Officers across the country to ensure full deployment of personnel and logistics for high visibility and to ensure prompt removal of obstructions and effective traffic management.”

    NAN

  • Notorious kidnapper killed in Rivers

    A notorious kidnapper in Rivers state, Brown Ike Ekwueme (a k a Lucifer), has been killed by men of the state Police command on Monday.

    The spokesman of the police in the state, Nnamdi Omoni who broke the news in a statement in Port Harcourt the state capital last night said, Ekweme was killed by men of Operation Sting in a part of the state.

    Omoni alleges that the deceased was responsible for the hijack of passenger vehicles and kidnappings along Rundele axis of Emohua Local Government area of the state.

    He described the alleged criminal as the most wanted kidnapper along the East-West road area of the LGA and assured that his gang members are also being trailed to ensure they are arrested.

    The statement said, “The most wanted notorious kidnapper from Egamini Rundele, in Emohua LGA, Ekweme Brown Ike, AKA Lucifer,  has been killed by men of the Operation Sing, in a Sting Operation led by the Commander, ACP Shem Evans.

    Read Also: Rivers APC congresses on hold

    “Ekweme is  responsible for all the kidnappings and hijack of Commercial Buses on the Ndele axis of the East/West Road.

    “The entire Rundele Community has been thrown into a wild jubilation as a result of his death.

    “Meanwhile, efforts are on to arrest his confederates in crime.

    Promising to keep you updated.” he said.

     

  • Siasia’s 80-year-old mum: My ordeal in kidnappers’ den

    She wept like a baby, tears rolling down freely from her eyes before a battery of television cameras and a horde of reporters.

    The 80 years old grandmother was reliving her 75 days experience in the custody of her abductors, who freed her on Sunday.

    “It was terrible,” she said asking: “Why do they like to kidnap me?”

    Madam Beauty Uguoere Siasia inadvertently answered the question, saying, “They said my son is a millionaire.”

    The abductors of the mother of former Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia are  ready to make money from what has become a lucrative business —kidnapping for ransom.

    It was the second time she was being kidnapped. The first time in November 2015, she was released after 12 days in captivity. Perhaps, those who did it then made a haul and returned or it is a new team seeking new avenue.

    Read Also: Siasia’s mother’s 59 days in captivity

    Around 2a.m on July 19, some armed men stormed her home in Odoni, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

    They took her away.  They demanded ransom which her son did not have.

    Siasia is one of Nigeria’s most successful footballers and coach.

    As a striker, he scored some of the most memorable goals for the country as a member of the golden generation of the national team that represented the country in its maiden appearance at the FIFA World Cup, USA 1994.

    Siasia scored Nigeria’s goal against Diego Maradona-led Argentina team in the group stage. After retirement, he went into coaching, taking the Under-23 team to enviable heights before he was upgraded as coach of the Super Eagles.

    Madam Siasia said after whisking her away to an unknown place, her assailants fed her with garri and bought drugs for her.

    Admitting that they “took care” of her by not beating her and sometimes preparing soup for everybody in their camp to eat

    She said: “I was in my house when they came to kidnap me. They took me to their place. They took care of me. I was sick and they bought me drugs. They cooked and gave to me. They didn’t beat me. There were days that there was no food. Those days they drank garri and gave me garri to drink as well.

    ”Sometimes, they cooked soup, prepared garri and we ate. But on Sunday, they told me we had stayed for too long and they were tired of our problem. They carried us on a flying boat and dropped us in a village. I don’t know the name of the village.

    ”They carried us to their chairman’s place. I don’t know the man. But they called him Seifa. As I am talking to you, I am not well. Before they took me, I was ill. I wanted to go to the hospital”.

    On the type of house where she was kept, Madam Siasia said: They put us in a small house and use tarpaulin to cover the top.”

    But another victim who was abducted when he took some undisclosed amount of money to the kidnappers, was not lucky. He had a raw deal in the hands of the abductors.

    According to him, on getting to where they directed him, gunmen surrounded his boat, blindfolded him and took him away.

    He recollected: “Where they kept us was very bad. I didn’t see anything there and I didn’t recognise anybody because before I got to the place, they blindfolded me.

    ”But the place was rough. We slept on benches. There was no foam. At times, they fed us with garri and beans. We used oil to eat garri. Sometimes, they cooked yellow soup and any how they cooked it you will eat because you want to live.

    ”I was in a critical condition. They were fond of beating me, maybe, because I am a man. They would beat me morning, afternoon and night. They would tie me before I sleep. Even if mosquitoes were biting me, I couldn’t chase them away.

    They kept four people to guide me. I suffered a lot”.

    Yesterday, Bayelsa State Police Commissioner Uche Anozia visited Madam Siasia at her residence. Police spokesman Asimni Buswait said:  ”The police command wishes to inform the general public that Mrs Beauty Siasia, who was kidnapped on 15 July, has been released in the early hours of Sunday, Sept. 29,” the statement said.

    The statement added that the victim was in a stable condition and had volunteered useful information that would assist the police in their investigation.

  • #BBNaija: Eight things to know about Diane

    Dear #BBNaija fans, here are the eight basic things you need to know about Diane, one of Housemates who got evicted from the #BBNaija 2019 Pepper Dem edition on Monday, September 30.

    * Her full name is Precious “Diane” Russet Yunana Yashim 

    * Diane who is aged 23 was one of the youngest housemates in the Big Brother Naija season 4.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Diane evicted from #BBNaija

    * She was born on the 28th of February 1996.

    * She is a model and enjoys travelling alot.

    * She is also an aspiring TV host/presenter, Face of Hoxy model, actor, influencer chief chef at Russets Kitchen

    * Her father is from Kaduna state while her mother from the Yoruba tribe.  Her late father was a chairman of Kaduna South Local Government Area.

    * She attended Command Secondary school Kaduna.

    * She is a graduate of University of Debrecen in Hungary

  • EPL: Arsenal hold Man. United at Old Trafford

    Manchester United and Arsenal played out a grim stalemate at Old Trafford that provided compelling evidence to illustrate just how far away from a Premier League challenge both clubs are.

    In a disappointing encounter that was a pale shadow of their mighty clashes of years gone by, Scott McTominay gave Manchester United the lead at the end of an attritional first-half with a rising drive from the edge of the area.

    Arsenal equalized just before the hour courtesy of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s cool finish. It was originally ruled out for offside but the video assistant referee confirmed the striker had been played onside by Harry Maguire.

    Read Also: Kanu blasts Arsenal over Iwobi sale

    Goalkeeper Bernd Leno excelled for Arsenal with fine saves from Maguire and Marcus Rashford’s late free-kick, while Bukayo Saka’s goalbound shot crucially struck Victor Lindelof and flew over the top.

    McTominay also headed a great chance well over from Ashley Young’s corner but neither side could force a winner.

    The result takes Arsenal into the top four but Manchester United are now down in 10th after an outcome that means they have made their worst start after seven games in 30 years, failing to reach double figures for the first time since 1989-90, a season in which they finished 13th.

    BBCSports