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Tag: offenders

  • Overloading: FRSC goes tough on offenders

    The Corps Marshal, FRSC, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, says the commission will not rest on its oars until the campaign against vehicle overloading is achieved.

    The corps marshal said this at a strategy session with commanding officers in Abuja on Saturday.

    Oyeyemi described overloading of vehicles as a monster, adding that it was his greatest headache.

    He explained that such goods were usually transported with buses whereas they were to be taken by trucks.

    “I don’t know why buses are being excessively loaded like that,” he said.

    He said that the trend must be tamed to ensure safety of lives and property.

    On recruitment, the corps marshal noted that the training for new officers was ongoing with internship to commence on April 7.

    READ ALSO: FRSC advises passengers to caution reckless drivers

    He disclosed that the 2018 promotion would begin on March 24 for officers and marshals.

    “For officers within the rank of Assistant Corps Marshals to Deputy Corps Commanders, the exercise will commence on Monday, March 25.”

    He said the corps would from next quarter; establish 12 unit commands and 10 outposts at critical corridors.

    “We have gotten support of various Local Governments.

    “There are some of the units where we will reinforce the areas because recent pattern of the road traffic crashes is changing especially in the north-west.”

    He further said that FRSC would set up more formations on the highways to improve on the level of patrol operations.

    Oyeyemi said that following the expiration of the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) 2014 to 2018, the second edition of the document for 2019 to 2020 has reached an advance stage.

    The NRSS is a medium term plan for road safety management in Nigeria.

    NAN

  • ‘Stop pleading for offenders against children’

    The practice of pleading for perpetrators of crime interferes with the justice system, Lagos State Office of Public Defender (OPD) Director, Mrs. Adenrera Adeyemi, has said.

    She spoke at a sensitisation campaign and legal clinic in Igando Community, held at the palace of the Onigando of Igando, Oba Lasisi Gbadamosi.

    Addressing the theme of sexual abuse and domestic violence, the director emphasised that there is no ignorance in law and as such anyone who goes against the law should face the consequence.

    Adeyemi said:  “We have seen cases of children being raped by men old enough to be their fathers and the elders of the community – landlords, community and religious leaders, family members and respectable people – seek to cover such cases by pleading with the child’s family or even giving them bribes, forgetting the psychological harm and physical damage that have been caused.

    “They should stop begging for the perpetrators. It is shameful to see that they are pleading for criminals as against supporting the government to ensure that those who commit evil acts do not go free so as to serve as deterrent to others.

    “We must not encourage negative acts in our society”, she said, noting that if nothing is done to perpetrators of evil acts, they would go back to commit more grievous offences or encourage others to do likewise.

    While expressing concern over the increasing cases of sexual offences, especially rape and defilement of children, Olayinka reaffirmed the State Government zero tolerance for domestic violence.

    Rape, the director said, is a form of domestic violence just like defilement and that the punishment for both is life imprisonment under the Criminal Law of Lagos.

    She added: “When you bring the matter to us, we make sure no offense such as child abuse or sexual abuse goes unpunished. Most children when asked what they want, only seek justice and if they don’t get justice the trauma will still be there,” Olayinka explained.

     

  • Slavery: Lagos elders’ scribe seeks sanction against offenders

    Slavery: Lagos elders’ scribe seeks sanction against offenders

    Slavery in Libya: Secretary-General of Lagos Elders Council seeks sanction against offenders

    Secretary-General of Lagos Elders Council, Chief Sunbo Onitiri, has appealed to the Federal government to take immediate steps to stop the humiliation  of Nigerian youths  in Libya.

    Onitiri who expressed sadness at reports of the sale of many Nigerians into slavery  and even their killing  in that country,urged the federal government to provide massive employment opportunities  for Nigerians.

    This,he said in a statement in Lagos,would  go a long way in stemming the urge by youths to travel out of Nigeria looking for opportunities at the risk of their lives.

    Onitiri an estate surveyor and valuer also accused past  federal and state governments of irresponsibility and economic recklessness which enabled politicians and top government functionaries and their cronies to loot the nation’s wealth.

  • Hate speech: Police set to descend on offenders

    Hate speech: Police set to descend on offenders

    Purveyors of hate speeches may soon be in for a hard time.
    The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has set in motion necessary arrangements for prosecution of offenders under the Terrorism Prevention Act.
    Under Nigeria’s Terrorism Prevention Act, which became law in 2011 and got amended for greater effectiveness in 2013, terrorism-related offences, including harbouring or facilitating offenders, attracts sanctions including jail terms ranging from 10 to 20 years.
    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo first dropped hint of government’s intention to henceforth deal with authors of hate speech after a coalition of Arewa youth organoffendersizations gave Igbo residing in the north until October 1 to move out of the area.
    President Muhammadu Buhari backed the move on Tuesday when he directed the security agencies to go after those threatening the nation’s unity through hate speeches.

    The quit notice was withdrawn on Thursday by its authors.
    Speaking with our correspondent in Abuja, the spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, Moshood Jimoh, said IGP Idris had already mapped out an action plan in addition to giving firm directives to top police chiefs for implementation of the new law across the federation.
    Jimoh said: “Dealing with various aspects of the issue of hate speech dissemination on social media is essentially the responsibility of the Nigeria Police Force.
    “This is because such an act is criminal in nature and the police has jurisdiction over criminal matters.
    “The IGP has put in place an action plan towards dealing with this effectively.
    “The aim of the police force is to ensure that anybody who engages in the use or dissemination of hate speeches is arrested and prosecuted.
    “It does not matter whether they disseminate it through social media or through the conventional mass media like radio, television or any other media.
    “They are culpable of an offence and they will be prosecuted,” Jimoh stated.
    Waving off questions about the likely treatment of various interest groups such as the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and their counterparts in the North and South-West, he emphasised that there would not be any selective treatment of offenders, as the law is no respecter of persons.
    “No organisation or individual is exempted. Anyone who infringes the law should be prepared for arrest or other consequences,” he said.
    Giving further insight into the arrangements made by the police to ensure strict implementation of its action plan against hate speech, Jimoh said: “The IGP has directed all Assistant Inspectors General (AIGs) of Police and all Commissioners of Police across Nigeria, including those in charge of commands or in charge of zones, to ensure that anybody in any state who goes ahead to issue hate speech is promptly arrested and prosecuted.
    “You may recall that the Vice President had made it clear to everyone that hate speech is like terrorism. Thus, we are going to charge offenders under the Terrorism Prevention Act, and people should be forewarned that it is a grievous offence to infringe on the provisions of such laws.”
    Evans faces trial soon
    Giving an update on police investigation of suspected kidnapper, Evans, the Force spokesman said everything was going on according to expectations.
    Jimoh said: “Investigation is being rounded off. The three months given us by the court to remand him in police custody has not lapsed.
    “From available indications, it is likely that he will be taken to the court before the expiration of the three-month period.”

  • Lagos introduces rehabilitation programme for child offenders

    To reunite teenage offenders with norms and values in the society, the Lagos State Government has entered into a partnership with the United Nation International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) and Grace Springs Rehabilitation Home to commence a diversion community rehabilitation programme for children in conflict with the law.

    Speaking at the official inauguration of Diversion Community Rehabilitation Programme for children in conflict with the law or children at high risk of offending in Lagos State held at Ilupeju Recreational Hall, Ilupeju, Lagos, The Commissioner for Youth & Social Development, Pharm. (Mrs.) Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf said the Ministry has sought the collaboration and support of major actors to contribute their own quota in the actualization of the goal as the government cannot do it alone

    According to her, the rehabilitation programme pioneered by the Ministry was aimed at providing an alternative sentencing to traditional measures such as trial process, corporal punishment and custodian sentences to child offenders.

    She pledged the state government’s commitment to raising responsible and enviable young persons, so as to ensure peaceful co-existence between the people and the government.

    “The rehabilitation programme designed for children in conflict with the law within age 10 and 17 years will take child offenders through counselling, mentorship, acquisition of vocational skills, health care and legal support to achieve diversion in decisions and way of life,” she said.

  • Agency arraigns 650 offenders

    Six hundred and fifty violators of Anambra State signage law were prosecuted between July and December, Anambra Signage and Advertisement Agency (ANSAA) has said.

    The Managing Director, Mr. Jude Emecheta, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka 400 of the offenders were arraigned in Awka, while 250 were docked in Onitsha.

    He said 342 other offenders settled out of court and paid their bills, while 168 were issued bench warrants for non-appearance in court.

    Emecheta lamented that big firms, including multinationals, were fond of evading payment for signage and advertisement fees.

    He said the agency recovered millions of naira from the evaders, adding that efforts were made to ensure business concerns paid signage and advertisement fees.

    “Before now, companies evaded signage and advertisement fees, but with the agency’s introduction of prosecution of offenders, the story has changed.

    “The agency recovered millions of naira from these companies, while some of them, who were summoned, choose to pay even before going to court.

    “But some of them are bent on not performing their statutory duties. We will go after them.

    “In Onitsha, people were surprised because that was the first time such a measure was adopted to enforce payment. It brought mixed feelings, but yielded a positive result,” he said.

    Emecheta said the agency would not relent in the new approach to realise more revenue and surpass last year’s success.

  • Mobile courts try over 5,000 offenders in nine months

    Over 5,000 offenders who ran foul of the Lagos State traffic, environmental and street trading laws have been tried by the Special Offences (Mobile) Court since the Mobile court in the past nine months.

    More than 85 per cent of the offenders were given non-custodial sentences; some were fined and others given community service. The remaining were  cautioned and allowed to go.

    Lagos Mobile Court Co-ordinator Mr Femi Alabi, in a chat with reporters on Friday, said the offenders were picked up by the task force.

    According to Alabi, the offence ranges from driving against traffic, parking on the kerb or highway, picking passengers on the highway, plying of unauthorised routes by motorcycles and trading in unauthorised places, among others.

    The areas where the offenders are mostly picked  up and tried are Ikeja, Ikoyi, Awolowo road, Lagos-Ikorodu road to Ikorodu and Egbeda.

    He said: “The courts which were launched in February this year are five in numbers presided over by five magistrates. They are meant essentially to decongest the roads in Lagos, to free Lagos of traffic gridlock and to equally ensure sanity of our environment.

  • FRSC prosecutes 28 traffic offenders in Ogun

    FRSC prosecutes 28 traffic offenders in Ogun

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Sagamu, Ogun State, on Thursday prosecuted 28 people for committing various traffic offences. The offenders were arraigned and prosecuted in a mobile court exercise by the Sagamu Unit Command

    23 of the offenders were convicted with the option of fine, while the remaining five were cautioned and discharged by the presiding Magistrate B. A. Somorin.

    The Corps’ prosecutor, Mr Uzoma Enwereuzo, said the offenders were arrested for breaking rules ranging from seat belt violation, non-possession of driver’s licenses, driving with expired tyres to lack of spare tyres.

    The Unit Commander, Assistant Corps Commander Abdullahi Mohammed Lawal, said the mobile court was organised by the Corps to sanitise the roads of indiscipline during this ember months.

    He said the main focus of FRSC is to ensure the enforcement of the rules to make the roads free of crashes during the ember months and beyond.

  • Mobile court to try environmental offenders

    The chairman of Kwali area council Joseph Shazin has revealed that his administration will use mobile courts as the last resort to deal with persons caught engaging in improper dumping of refuse in the area.

    Shazin who disclosed this recently while speaking with journalists, explained that the mobile court will help to make residents abide by the environmental rules in the area.

    He stressed that despite all measures put in place by the council, some residents are defiant of such measures and had continuously dispose their waste where they are not supposed to.

    The chairman added that one of the measures his administration intends to take to overcome the menace is to embark on massive sensitization on the importance of keeping a clean and healthy environment.

    He said the council is coming up with the old ways of monthly environmental sanitation exercise, adding that the exercise will keep the residents on their toes, to do the needful and help to make the council clean.

    “We need to tackle the issue of refuse disposal fast, before it overwhelms us. It is very important to keep our environment clean at all times. This we cannot achieve, unless we have the support of the residents of the council. I am calling on them to abide by the rules.

    “We might introduce the monthly environmental sanitation. This will help us a great deal. The mobile court again is another way of keeping the residents in line. We will also embark on rigorous sensitization exercise, because a healthy environment is what we want to achieve,” he said.

  • FRSC arrests 39 traffic offenders

    FRSC arrests 39 traffic offenders

    Determined to ensure that the roads are accident-free during the Yuletide, the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has stepped up crackdown on road offenders.

    In the circumstances, therefore, no fewer than 39 drivers were arrested for various traffic offences on December 16 during a special patrol exercise organised by Ota Unit Command of FRSC at Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway in Ogun State.

    Among the 39 arrested, 33 were convicted at a mobile court set up for the operation while six were discharged and acquitted.

    They were arraigned for offences ranging from mechanical deficiency and drivers’ licence violation.

    According to the Unit Commander Leye Adegboyega (ACC), the exercise, tagged “End-of-Year Operation Sanity Special Patrol,” was in line with the Corps’ vision of eradicating road crashes and creating safer motoring environment on the highways as the year gradually draws to an end, even as he said it was necessary as many people would be traveling for Christmas and New Year celebrations.

    Adegboyega said the operation would enable the Corps to ensure free flow of traffic during the Yuletide. He also said for the Corps to accomplish its vision of ensuring crash-free Yuletide, there was the need to remind drivers of the need to drive with caution in order not to pose dangers to other road users.

    He said mobile court is one of the best options and initiatives by the Corps to instill discipline in some recalcitrant drivers.

    Adegboyega pledged continuity of the exercise during the Yuletide and New Year periods to enable it to curtail excesses of some drivers who are money conscious. He also noted that this period of the year always witnesses increased crashes as a result of recklessness on the part of impatient drivers as human and vehicular movements increased.

    He urged road users to be patient and drive cautiously to enable them arrive at their destinations safely.