The Nation Newspaper

Tag: NURTW

  • NB partners FRSC on ‘don’t drink and drive’

    The seventh edition of the Don’t Drink and Drive campaign by the Nigeria Breweries (NB) took off on a remarkable note last Friday. The company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

    Thanking the FRSC for being a great partner in executing the past editions of the campaign, NB Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer Mr Nicolaas Vervelde said since its launch, the company has held 27 rallies in major cities across the country to sensitise and build the capacities of commercial and private vehicle drivers, motorcycle and tricycle riders and other road users on responsible consumprion of alcohol.

    Vervelde said the Don’t drink and drive campaign is about spreading the messages of responsible consumption of alcohol which the company would continue to communicate through strategic partnership with print and electronic media especially during this “Ember” period and beyond.

    He said as part of strengthening this year’s edition, public enlightenment campaigns would be held in four cities across Nigeria namely Port Harcourt, Lagos, Onitsha and Markurdi, while there would also be capacity building workshops for officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps, and the of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

    He said: “We anticipate that messages communicated through these avenues will further enhance awareness of roa safety and encourage positive changes on driver’s behaviour in relation to alcoholic consumption.

    The FRSC Corps Marshal Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, praised the strong partnership between the agency and the Nigeria Breweries, adding that the MoU would further strengthen the partnership.

    He said the don’t drink and drive campaign has endured over the years because of the corporate interst of the Nigeria Breweries in safeguarding people’s lives and property on the nation’s highways.

    He challenged road users to show restraint in drinking especially when driving. He said too much alcohol in the blood; “reduces the sense of judgement of the driver, increases among others, the risk of committing speed violation, wrongful overtaking and other dangerous acts that could compromise safety.”

    Oyeyemi who challenged other corporate organisations to copy the good steps of the brewery giant, said FRSC would be looking forward to more support from all corporate organisations to further spread the message of safety.

    Oyeyemi, who said his men would go all out to ensure the success of the “DDD” campaign said the Corps has taken delivery of alcolizers from the Ministry of Works and these would be deployed by his men nationwide to arrest any driver driving under the influence of alcohol.

    “We want to make sure that we deployed the evidence based alcolizers as well use our radars and we would ensure that those caught are promptly referred to our mobile courts for quick adjudication of their cases,” he said.

    He said the agency would go all out in the next few weeks in its bid to reduce road crashes and deaths in the “Ember months”.

    The highpoint of the event was the inauguration of the Nigeria Breweries Special Corps Marshal, led by the Managing Director, Vervelde.

    Vervelde said the 3,000 special corps are employees of the company who have volunteered to carry out patrol, coordinate traffic and other perform other road safety activities within and around Lagos.

  • Oni urges police to find Aderiye’s killers

    Former Ekiti State Governor, Chief Segun Oni, has urged the police to widen its investigation on the murder of a former National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Chairman Omolafe Aderiye.

    He was killed while eating with friends on September 25 in his Ado-Ekiti office by gunmen who were dressed in police uniform and wore bullet-proof vests.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy National Chairman (South) said it was sad that Aderiye was cut down in his prime when he was striving to provide meaningful livelihood to many through his transportation company.

    “I am still at a loss whether the killing had to do with politics. I am not comfortable with the idea of looking in the direction of politics alone for perpetrators of the dastard murder of Omolafe.

    “I appeal very strongly to the police and other law enforcement agencies to spread the dragnets, without borders, to find out the angle from which the deadly arrow came from,” Oni said in a statement.

    He prayed against a return to the state’s “dark days” when many professionals fled for fear of being murdered.

    “The days when people like us in a political rally at Falegan Estate in 2005 were bombarded and shot at severally, dragged on the road and ended up at Igbobi Orthopaedic Hospital; the days when I lost my good friend, Dr. Ayo Daramola and I narrowly missed death along with him.

    “We are now at the point that we should see the state as a common destiny we have to take in our hands to preserve, protect and shield from a slide back into those dark ages”.

  • Aderiye’s murder: Police arrest 19 suspects in Ekiti

    Aderiye’s murder: Police arrest 19 suspects in Ekiti

    THE police in Ekiti State have arrested 19 suspects, including a woman, following the assassination of Chief Omolafe Aderiye, the former chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), last Thursday.

    In a statement by its spokesperson, Mr. Victor Babayemi, the police command said the arrests were made between last Saturday and yesterday.

    The statement also noted that thorough investigation had begun.

    Babayemi said: “All of them are still with us as we are investigating their levels of culpability. It is a sensitive case and investigations have to be thorough. All of them are also helping us (the police) in our investigations.”

    He said it would not be possible to reveal the identities of those undergoing interrogation, adding that they would be “made known at the appropriate time”.

    The command spokesperson said the police held a separate meeting with leaders of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), NURTW, traders, religious leaders, okada riders and other interest groups to find a lasting solution to the upsurge of violence.

    At the meeting headed by the Assistant Inspector-General in charge of Zone 8, Mr. Christopher Dega and the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police were eight traditional rulers.

    They were Oba Idowu Adamo Babalola (the Onitaji of Itaji and Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers); Oba Adebayo Adewole, the Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti; Oba James Adedapo Popoola, Oore of Otun-Ekiti; and Oba Gbadebo Adedeji, Owa Ooye of Okemesi.

    Others were Oba Olu Adegoke Adeyemi, Alara of Aramoko; Oba Oluwole Ademolaju, the Oloye of Oye kingdom and Oba Samuel Ajiboye, the Onisan of Isan-Ekiti.

    The police commissioner urged the traditional rulers to maintain and sustain peace, adding that they have influence on their people, which he urged them to use.

     

  • Ekiti: Soldiers take over state capital

    Ekiti: Soldiers take over state capital

    Soldiers yesterday took over the streets of Ado-Ekiti to restore order after 24 hours of arson and bloodletting by thugs.

    The soldiers patrolled the state capital to ensure there was no repeat of the Thursday night murder of a former chairman of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state, Chief Omolafe Aderiye, and the Friday burning of Governor Kayode Fayemi Campaign Secretariat and some vehicle in the premises by thugs.

    Twice, earlier in the week, hoodlums had attacked perceived political opponents of the Governor-elect, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, within the premises of the State High Court, Ado Ekiti after Justice Isaac Ogunyemi assumed jurisdictional power to hear and try Fayose in a case instituted by E-11, a socio-political group based in the state, over his eligibility to contest for the June 21 governorship election.

    Justice Ogunyemi had dismissed the application by counsel to the Governor-elect which challenged the court’s competence to try the case.

    The PDP accused Governor Fayemi and his party, APC, of masterminding Aderiye’s murder.

    The former NURTW leader was allegedly shot at close range while relaxing with friends and associates about 8:30pm at his office at Ijigbo area of Ado-Ekiti, by men dressed in mobile police uniform.

    The assailants sped off in a white car as soon as they accomplished their mission.

    As the day broke on Friday, hoodlums attacked the governor’s campaign office and set it and some vehicles parked therein ablaze.

    Fayemi went on air and imposed a curfew with a view to stemming the violence.

    He blamed the Governor-elect, Ayo Fayose, and the PDP for instigating the arson, and the police for not intervening.

    “I am advised incontrovertibly that thugs acting on the command of Mr. Ayo Fayose, who was also present to lend his clout to the travesty, brazenly assaulted a senior judge and urged his thugs to beat him up and tear his clothes,” Gov. Fayemi said, adding that the thugs whose action exceeded the limits of acceptable behaviour, carried out their scandalous attacks in the “full glare of law enforcement agents”.

    According to him, the failure of the security agents to deal appropriately with the court invasions emboldened them to unleash terror later in the week.

    However, the soldiers deployed yesterday went round in trucks.

    Many shops in the town remained shut over fear of fresh trouble.

    The state Police Command said it has arrested some suspects in connection with the court invasion.

    But no arrest has yet been made in connection with the assassination of Aderiye.

    The command, in a statement said the Police Commissioner, Taiwo Lakanu,  personally “led a section of mobile and conventional policemen out all night and was able to forestall the breakdown of law and order generated by the killing.”

    It  enjoined the people to comply with the dust to dawn curfew order made by the governor  and warned that “any person or group of persons found flouting the order or breaking the law will be adequately dealt with in accordance with the law.”

    Meanwhile, the Ekiti State PDP yesterday described the Friday broadcast by Governor Fayemi as a further demonstration of  his insensitivity.

    The party wondered why the governor would address the state without making reference to the murdered Aderiye or sympathising with his family.

    The governor visited the bereaved family on Friday.

    It said:”Instead of showing concern for the soul already lost, Fayemi’s concern was ‘Court Cases’ with which he intends to remain in power despite that Ekiti people rejected him totally on June 21, 2014. This is the height of wickedness!”

    It dismissed as an aberration his directive to the state Attorney General to issue a legal advisory to the Chief Judge of the state and all the parties to the existing cases in the State High Court and the Ekiti State Governorship Elections Petitions Tribunal, on the desirability of seeking an alternative venue for the hearing of these cases outside the state.

    “Obviously, Fayemi has lost it all. The governor has allowed himself to be taken over by desperation to remain in power such that he could not understand that what he asked the Attorney-General to do simply amount to interfering in the workings of the judiciary, a separate arm of government,” the PDP said.

  • Ekiti NURTW chief, Omolafe, murdered

    Ekiti NURTW chief, Omolafe, murdered

    Chief Omolafe Aderiye, immediate past chairman of the, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Ekiti State, was last night murdered.

    Details of his death were sketchy as at press time, but the common rumour was that it (the murder) might not be unconnected with the agitation by a section of members for a change in the union’s leadership, a plan reportedly favoured by the late Aderiye.

    The late Aderiye, popularly called Lafeade, who runs a transport company in Ado Ekiti, was described as an easy going person and a focussed and compassionate leader whose tenure was popular with transporters.

    The late Aderiye was seen in the morning in front of the Ekiti State High Court, Ado-Ekiti, where a tribunal was hearing the case between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the governor-elect, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.

    A police source confirmed Aderiye’s murder last night.

  • FRSC warns against overloading

    The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has advised motorists and transporters nationwide, against overloading their vehicles with passengers, especially with the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease in some parts of the federation.

    The Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi made the plea in an interview with newsmen after receiving the National Executive Committee, Zonal Officers and State Chairmen of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

    He said: “The transmission of the Ebola virus are much faster if the vehicles are overloaded, though overloading is a traffic offence, the Ebola outbreak has brought it again to the front burner.”

    Much as we are apprehensive about its outbreak in Nigeria, Oyeyemi said one must praise  the robust efforts of the Federal Government to contain its spread, adding that all hands must be on deck to ensure that overloading is reduced to the barest, if not completely avoided.

    The Corps Marshal urged the transport union to sensitise members on the consequences of overloading according to him pose a two-pronged challenges-as traffic hazards and a medium that could facilitate the spread of the disease.

    Oyeyemi said the FRSC will need the support of the NURTW to ensure the reduction of road crashes throughout the ‘Ember’ months through strict compliance with traffic regulations.

    Responding, NURTW’s National President, Alhaji Najeem Yasin said the union was already organising a nationwide programme to sensitise its members about the Ebola Virus Disease, (EVD)adding that members of the union had been directed not to overload their vehicles as part of measures to check the spread of the disease.

    Earlier, Yasin had congratulated the Corps Marshal on his appointment.

    He said Oyeyemi’s appointment was a clear departure from the past, when FRSC Chief Executives were appointed from outside the system.

    He praised the Federal Government for the initiative, adding that it would ensure stability in FRSC.

    He urged the Corps Marshal to take measures to discourage underaged driving, speeding, drunk driving, non-use of seat belt, as well as use of phone while driving.

    The Chairman, FRSC, Chief Felix Chukwu commended the NURTW for the visit and urged them to remain steadfast in supporting FRSC’s numerous initiatives towards enthroning safer road use in the country.

    He also implored the FRSC management to forge closer ties with transport unions in order to engender sound road culture among commercial drivers in Nigeria.

  • Ajimobi summons peace parley on Oyo NURTW crisis

    Ajimobi summons peace parley on Oyo NURTW crisis

    Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has summoned a peace meeting  for today over a new crisis in the state National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) chapter.

    A serving NURTW Deputy Chairman, Alhaji Abideen Olajide and Auditor, Alhaji Kasali Lawal, had alleged threat to their lives following the crisis.

    Ajimobi, who got wind of the sistuation as well as the agitation by union leaders for the removal of their chairman, Taofeek Oyerinde (a.k.a. Fele), asked for the parley.

    There was tension in Ibadan yesterday as some union members were spreading rumour of Fele’s removal through impeachment.

    But investigation at the chapter’s Olomi state secretariat indicated that “Fele was still calling the shots.”

    A letter from Adebayo Adegbite & Co Legal practitioners, dated July 30th, 2014 and signed by S.I. Koshoedo Esq and copied to the governor, the state Commissioner of Police, Director of Department of State Security (DSS) and National President of the union, Alhaji Najeem Yasin, alleged that there were threats to the lives of the two union leaders.

    The letter, copies of which wwere made available to reporters yesterday, was titled: “Threat to lives of the two NURTW chieftains”.

    Olajide and Lawal confirmed the threats to reporters.

    They hinted yesterday that they were on their way to see the Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Ndabawa, to brief him on the need to investigate their claims.

    Reacting, Fele said he was not after the lives of the duo, adding: “They are the ones with insatiable greed, especially my deputy who wants to unseat me at all cost. I am a peace-loving chairman and my reign has been very peaceful. Check the records. The governor will meet us tomorrow after Jumat service.”

  • Don’t try govt’s will, drivers warned

    Lagos State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede has warned his members against trying the government’s will on driver’s documentation.

    Speaking with The Nation on phone last Tuesday from Mecca where he is performing the lesser hajj, said drivers’ cooperation was key to the policy’s success.

    Agbede, who spoke on the heels of drivers’ demand for the registration to be taken to motor parks across the state, said the government had exercised enough patience since November 1, last year, when the exercise started. He said the enforcement which should have begun on January 1, had been put on hold to enable drivers comply.

    He said the documentation was meant to create a database of professional drivers and vehicle owners, adding that he has been at the forefront of the campaign because of his belief that it is in the interest of his members.

    The documentation, he said, was not another avenue to tax drivers, but one aimed at sanitising the sector.

    “This is not another attempt by the government to extort any driver in this state, that is why the government has left it free for all those who are yet to embrace it. What the government wanted to do is to ensure that only those who are qualified are in this business.”

    Agbede said when everyone embraces the documentation, it would weed out those who use their vehicles for criminal activities thereby soiling the name and integrity of genuine drivers and the union.

    He added that not only would details of the vehicles as well as those of all drivers using it for commercial purposes be in the database, any passenger who has issues with any bus, or its drivers or the driver’s mate, could report to the agency created for the purpose to seek redress.

    “This is a new initiative that I think we should all support. It will drive away incidences of crime and criminals giving our profession a bad name would have to relocate to other states,” Agbede said.

    He added that if all drivers comply, government would be able to go ahead with other aspects of the state’s traffic law, which according to him, is aimed at achieving a roboust transportation system for the state.

    Agbede noted that drivers stand to benefit greatly if they allow the new scheme to work, adding that his leadership will not rest on its oars until all its members throughout the state are duly registered with the drivers institute.

  • 2015: Tokyo plotting to unleash violence, Oyo NURTW boss alleges

    2015: Tokyo plotting to unleash violence, Oyo NURTW boss alleges

    •Allegation baseless -Tokyo

    THE  Chairman, Oyo State branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW),  Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde (aka Fele), has accused the former Chairman of the union in the state, Alhaji Lateef Akinsola (aka Tokyo) of allegedly planning to unleash violence in the state ahead of the 2015 general elections.

    In a statement signed by him and made available to newsmen in Ibadan, the state capital, Oyerinde urged security agencies in the state to keep a close eye on Tokyo, who, he claimed, is secretly training and recruiting boys he intends to use to unleash mayhem in the State.

    According to him, Tokyo, who has been expelled from  the union by the national headquarters, is allegedly plotting to cause chaos in the state to enable him take control of the union again through the backdoor.

    The NURTW boss said, “He (Tokyo) was exposed some few weeks ago when his boys attacked some boys in Agbeni and claimed that they were my boys who attacked him, whereas he was only trying to blackmail me. I gathered from a reliable source that he is now working with one of the over-ambitious governorship aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who is using him to write petitions to security agencies in the state in order to blackmail the executives and some politicians in the state.

    “I was informed on Thursday by my members that some security operatives brought a petition letter to the union’s office, but they didn’t collect the letter because I was not around. I am sure that it was Tokyo that is using security operatives to witch-hunt us.”

    But in a swift reaction to the allegation, Akinsola in a telephone chat with The Nation described the allegation as baseless.

    Calling on security agencies to quiz Fele and his supporters for their alleged violent activities, Akinsola added, “A court judgment that I am the authentic Chairman of Oyo NURTW is still standing and valid; they are the ones that are denying me my rightful status.

    “I don’t have any governorship aspirant I am working for and I am not training people to disrupt the peace in the state.”

     

  • Four feared dead in Lagos clash

    Four feared dead in Lagos clash

    •Nobody was killed, says NSCDC

    Four persons were feared killed on Monday evening in Festac, Amuwo-Odofin, Local Government Area (LGA) of Lagos, following a clash between operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Neighbourhood Watch, and traders.

    The incident occurred in front of the council’s secretariat on 41 Road, Festac about 4pm, when some traders whose stores were demolished in Alakija area protested the seizure of their good.

    Sources said the council had ordered men of the Neighbourhood Watch to demolish the shops that were tagged illegal.

    However, during the demolition, the traders attempted to salvage what was left of their wares without success as the wares were loaded into the operational vehicle of the officials who insisted that they were seized goods.

    They also tried to seize the money machine of an operator of the popular ‘Baba Ijebu’ lotto centre.

    Sources said the area boys and some members of the National Union of Road Transport Worker (NURTW), who had staked their money in the lotto and were waiting for the result, resisted the move.

    The council was said to have invited two patrol teams of OP-MESSA, comprising policemen and soldiers, to arrest the situation.

    Operatives of the OP-MESSA were said to have arrested about eight of the traders and transport union members and later released them on realising the illegality of the arrest.

    At Alakija, there was a free-for-all between the traders, NURTW members and the Neighbourhood Watch during which broken bottles and other weapons were freely used.

    The Nation gathered that during the fight, the wares seized were moved to the council’s secretariat even as the protesting traders followed them.

    As the protest went on, operatives of NSCDC made futile attempt to disperse the traders. An NSCDC operative allegedly opened fire on the protesters, killing about four and injured many.

    The wounded were rushed to some private hospitals in the area, where they are being treated.

    Area ‘E’ Commander, Dan Okoro, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), confirmed the incident, but could not confirm the number of casualties.

    He said investigation was ongoing, adding that he had briefed Commissioner of Police Umar Manko on the incident.

    The NSCDC spokesperson, Chibuzor Mefor said the allegation is not true.

    He said: “Our men did not kill anybody as far as we know. What happened was that a mob besieged the Chairman of Amuwo-Odofin Local Government and the Secretariat. To protect him, our men shot into the air. Even nobody was injured.”