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Tag: Task force

  • Task Force officials protest over unpaid salaries

    Task Force officials protest over unpaid salaries

    Federal Task Force (FTF) under the Presidency has protested the non-payment of its members’ three years salaries and allowances.

    During the protest tagged Black Christmas Coffin at the Kuwait Field in Egbeda, Lagos, over the weekend, the officials, in black, urged the government to consider their plight. The men were hired by the defunct Subsidy Re-investment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) to assist the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in protecting some infrastructure.

    Their fate became uncertain following the present administration’s scrapping of SURE-P, which was created by the Jonathan administration.

    Expressing solidarity with the 51,000 affected officials, a rights activist, Darlington Ajitemisan, put up a bizarre show when he emerged from a coffin.

    FTF National Commandant Moses Garuba said his men were recruited and trained in 2012, adding that they have yet to receive a kobo.

    “We are crying out to the world, to come to our aid. We were asked to go that we would be called back but till date, nothing has been done. We want our salaries, allowances and job continuity. We are ready to assist the Federal Government on high way traffic and emergency on waterways. I appeal with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; we are not a threat to him because we also want change,” he said.

    An officer, Edward Oriafoh, said 98 per cent of FTF officers are graduates, adding that they have the energy to serve the country.

    He said: “If one takes a look at the economy now, don’t be surprised to see a graduate working as a load carrier. It hasn’t been easy. We have to engage in menial jobs to cater for our family needs. We will have to sustain the home.”

    Another Officer, Nkem Chiekwe, said it hasn’t been easy for her, adding: “I have been recruited, trained and employed for three years but I haven’t received a kobo. I am a mother of four and it hasn’t been easy. Which child would understand that his/her parent is poor. If not for the grace of God, I don’t know where I would be. It’s not just me, many women are being humiliated. During the course of training, many lost their pregnancy. Many were thrown out of their matrimonial homes. Many lost their children.

    “A colleague of mine, during training, lost her 11 year old son and since then, she has been traumatised. There is no money to even pay her hospital bill. It has been pathetic.”

    Ajitemisan said: “The FTF officials are property of the government. They were duly employed and are being owed for three years. They shouldn’t be forced to join armed robber. This is a black Christmas for them. They are asking for their three years allowances. Will there really be change or a beginning of a revolution?”

  • Hoodlums bath task force official with acid

    A paramilitary official attached to the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Task Force), Mr. Akude Silas was bathed with acid by hoodlums who were in a moving Volkswagen commercial bus along Oshodi-Oke,  Lagos

    Silas who was immediately rushed to the Lagos State Emergency Centre, Toll-Gate before been transferred to General Hospital, Ikeja was on enforcement operations duty to ensure free flow of traffic and preventing street trading around Oshodi area.

    The Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force, SP. Olubukola Abe disclosed this at the emergency ward of General Hospital, Ikeja while visiting with Heads of Operations and other management staff of Task Force to see the official.

    Abe disclosed further that while Silas is currently receiving treatment at the emergency ward another Police Sergeant Robert Ajayi was also seriously injured by some Hausa/Nigeriens along Ojo area of the State.

    The Chairman said Sgt. Ajayi was among the security team that supported a government ministry during the removal of shanties constructed on an open field at Ojo Junior and Senior Secondary School, Ojo, Lagos

    He said his men and Task Force vehicles were subject of attacks in recent times at different locations across the State.

    Abe confirmed that Sgt. Ajayi and others were attacked and two task force vehicles were seriously damaged by the Hausas who thought they were on Okada raid along their area.

    The Chairman who strongly appealed to members of the public to always reach government security agents on any emergency situations through the Lagos State Emergency toll-free hot lines (112 & 767) however reaffirmed the commitment of his officers, the police and paramilitary in enforcing the Lagos State Environmental Laws and the Lagos State Traffic Laws of 2012 across the State.

    Meanwhile, more than 57 miscreants were arrested by task force enforcement operations Sunday morning also at Oko Mala at Oshodi.

  • Task force warns against violence prone yuletide carnivals

    Task force warns against violence prone yuletide carnivals

    Chairman of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences (Task Force), SP Olubukola Abe have warn members of the public particularly street urchins against organising Christmas and New year carnivals that could cause fracas which could undermine the security of lives and properties of Lagosians.

    Abe stated this Saturday while addressing press men on activities of Task Force during the month of November,  2015.

    Abe stated further that officials of both Lagos State Task Force and Rapid Response Squad (RRS) were ready to make members of the public have a hitch free Christmas and New Year celebrations across the State.

    While commending Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the various security equipment donated to the RRS, the Chairman made it clear that government would not tolerate any street carnivals that could breach security peace being relatively enjoyed by Lagosians and that anyone caught constituting environmental nuisances before, during and after Christmas and New – year celebrations would be arrested and charged to court for immediate prosecution.

    He confirmed that 1,110 (One thousand, One hundred and Ten) Motorcyclists plying restricted routes across the State were arrested during the month of November, 2015

    The  Chairman confirmed further that out of 929 suspects arrested during the period under review only 77 were screened out while 852 were charged to courts for prosecution for various environmental offences.

    He gave the breakdown of the 929 suspects arrested to include rouge 595, Street Traders 266 and Traffic Offenders 68

    Abe however disclosed that as a way of enforcing strict compliance with the Lagos State Environmental Laws and the Lagos State Traffic Laws of 2012, he had deployed his officers to strategic areas of the state for strict enforcement.

  • Cattle rustling: Military Task Force arrests 300

    Over 300 suspects have been apprehended by the Task Force set up by the Nigerian Army to deal with the menace of cattle rustling and armed banditry in Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states.

    A statement signed and made available to reporters in Sokoto yesterday by Capt. Umar Shuaib, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations and Spokesman, Operation Restore Hope contained the Task Force’s record.

    The statement quoted the Commanding Officer, 223 Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel, Victor Unachukwu as disclosing the operation’s latest successes.

    It also stated the recovery from rustlers of thousands of livestock including cattle, sheep, goats, camels, horses and donkeys.

    ”The suspects had been handed over to the Nigeria Police and the Department of State Security (DSS) for further investigations and prosecution. These successes were recorded in various clearance operations in some forests in the three states,” the statement read.

    The statement further quoted the Commander, 1 Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Olufunimilola Soleye as commending the efforts of Unachukwu.

    Soleye also assured law-abiding citizens of the three states of his commitment to ensuring the sustenance of peace and security in line with the constitutional roles of the Army.

  • Photo: Army Chief inaugurates Task Force vehicles

    Photo: Army Chief inaugurates Task Force vehicles

  • Task Force dislodge roadside traders, hawkers in Oshodi

    Task Force dislodge roadside traders, hawkers in Oshodi

    The Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit yesterday raided some black spots at the famous Oshodi in Lagos arrested 223 suspected miscreants, including nine under-aged and five women.

    The team which stormed Oshodi in the early hours, also removed illegal structures erected by recalcitrant street hawkers and roadside traders around the market.

    Chairman of the Task Force, Olubukola Abe, a Superintendent of Police, said the raid was a follow-up to the sensitisation visit to the market by officials of the taskforce a week ago, as well as the stakeholders meeting organised by the Task Force to warn all street hawkers and traders to desist from carrying out their illegal activities around the market.

    He said most of the suspected miscreants were arrested between 2am and 4am on the Oshodi Bridge between Anthony and Charity bus, stations.

    Among those arrested were nine under-aged boys, 189 adults and five women.

    The Task Force boss expressed concern about the under-aged boys who were out at such ‘ungodly hour,’ urging parents and guardians to monitor their children to prevent them being used as tools by criminals.

    On the removal of shanties and extensions, the chairman said the state government had no choice but to enforce the “zero tolerance” for street-trading rule since the traders had remained recalcitrant and the taskforce would not fold its arms and watch such illegality continue unabated.

    He warned that the exercise would be extended to other parts of the state where such act was being perpetuated.

    According to him, the Oshodi exercise would be sustained.

    A trader Bola Olakunle decried the Task Force action, saying most of them were petty traders.

    “They have demolished the shops we rented at N500. We voted them in yet they are making life unbearable for us. They have been here since 20am, we did not have N8 million to rent a shop. At least, we do pay tax. There are lot of troubles in this Oshodi, the poor cannot afford such huge amount to rent a shop, we are all hustling. They should consider us. They should allow us allow to trade freely, we have children to take care of with the little we are making here,” she said.

    Another trader, Aliyat Omolayo told The Nation that their goods had been taken away to Alausa.

    She pleaded with the state government to return their goods.

    Omolayo said: “They were moving from one place to another, goods were seized and taken to Alausa. Most of us don’t have money to buy shops because they are expensive, and the little we have, are being taken away by the government. This is where we make money to feed our children and send them to schools; we shouldn’t be treated like this.”

    A distraught Aduke described the task force’s action as unacceptable.

    She said: “The thing they did this morning was extraordinary; people were crying because of it; does the government want them to steal? The government should provide affordable shops for us to sell our goods. The reason why touts are everywhere is due to lack of social amenities and the poor are not treated well.”

    It would be recalled that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode enjoined traders to immediately vacate the right of way to ease free flow of vehicular movement in the area.

    The Governor, who walked through the stretch of Brown Street, Oshodi, said the road was germane to the economy of the area.

    “Nobody should trade on this road henceforth and stop spreading your market on the road. I have seen what you experience on daily basis, that is why I took it upon myself to walk through Brown Street and I can assure you that work would commence within the next seven days,”, Ambode said.

  • NCC chief inaugurates Task Force on service quality

    In line with his pledge to tackle poor quality of service (QoS) headlong, the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO),   Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Danbatta, at the weekend inaugurated a nine-member Task Force to proffer solutions to the problem.

    This was the highlight of his maiden top management meeting at the Commission. The Task Force has just one term of reference, which is “To look at the issue of QoS in all its ramifications and suggest practical measures that will lead to its improvement, and recommend any other measure as appropriate that will project the image of the Commission in a good light.”

    In a statement endorsed by its Director, Public Affairs, Mr. Tony Ojobo, explained that it was agreed at the management meeting that a Task Force be constituted to drive the QoS initiative of the Commission.

    He listed the members of the Task Force to include: Mrs. Iyabo Sholanke, Director, Special Duties, as Chairperson.

    The others are Mr. Fidelis Onah, Director, Technical Standards; Mr. Efosa Idehen, Head, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement; Mr. Ephraim Nwokenneya, Head Compliance and Monitoring; Mr. Bashir Idris, Deputy Director, Projects, as members.

    The list also include Mrs. Yetunde Akinloye, Head, Legal and Regulatory Services; Mr. Reuben Muoka, Head, Public Relations; Mr. Philp Eretan, Assistant Director, Consumer Affairs and, Mr. Edoyemi Ogoh, Assistant Director, Technical Standards, as members.

    The Task Force is expected to submit its reports to the monthly management meeting of August 21 until the expiration of its tenure in six months.

    In general terms, the Task Force will look at the underlying causes of poor QoS, right of way issues, infrastructural problems and suggest ways out of these.

    Relevant stakeholders are expected to be engaged and advise management on how to tackle this long and windy problem of QoS.

  • Task Force swoops on Okada riders as Lagos begins enforcement

    Task Force swoops on Okada riders as Lagos begins enforcement

    Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Of-fences Unit has begun the enforcement of the ban on commercial motorcycle (otherwise known as okada) and tricycle operation on major highways and bridges.

    The enforcement, which is coming six days after the expiration of the deadline barring them from major highways and bridges, caught many  operators unawares.

    A source at the state’s Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and other Offences, a detachment of the state Police command, confirmed that the enforcement began last Wednesday.

    The source said the men are working morning and night to ensure that defaulters are brought to book. He said major roads and bus stops such as Oshodi, Mushin, Ojota and others are being heavily policed to apprehend those who might break the law.

    The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not entitled to speak on the issue, said the enforcement will continue until otherwise directed by the governor.

    He said: “The governor gave three weeks notice to these people to leave all non approved roads and bridges and we have started the enforcement in full. Even those operating in non restricted areas must put on their crash helmet. No one is allowed under the law to put a commercial motorcycle on the road without a crash helmet, and the passenger must also be provided for. Anyone caught would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.”

    Last weekend many major roads and highways witnessed a heavy presence of men of the state’s Task Force.

    On Agege-Fagba road, one of the roads barred by the law, okada riders were seen riding against the traffic and branching into side streets to avoid the Policemen, who positioned themselves  at the Jungle bus stop junction.

    The Lagos Traffic Law, enacted in 2012, restricted motorcyclists and tricyclists to only 475 out of the 9100 roads in the state. It also barred them from all bridges.

    All operators, according to the law, must wear standard crash helmet and provide same for their passengers. They are also barred from carrying more than one passengers, carrying children and/ or expectant mothers and must not operate beyond 8 p.m on Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Ikeja, and must not go beyond 10pm in other parts of the state.

    Governor Akinwunmi  Ambode had on June 25 given the motorcycle union leadership 21days to enlighten their members on the enforcement of the law, which comes with a forfeiture of their motorcycles and a three-year jail term for offenders.

    The jail term could, however, be commuted to community service.

    Most motorcyclists, who spoke with The Nation, said they were unaware of the  deadline and called on the governor to give them more time.

    A commercial motorcyclist, Audu Jamiu, urged the government to leave the okada riders alone as their operations have become the source of livelihood for a sizeable population of youths. ‘

     

     

  • Task force arrests 22 hoodlums in Ilorin

    The Kwara State Anti-Thuggery Task Force yesterday said it has arrested 22 suspected hoodlums at various locations in Adeta and Pakata areas of Ilorin, the state capital.

    Alhaji Suleiman Abdulsalam, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security and Intelligence, spoke in Ilorin an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    He said some of the suspects were arrested at a shrine in Adeta in Ilorin, adding that some weapons and charms stained with fresh blood were recovered from them.

    Abdulsalam told NAN that a joint operation, comprising the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), vigilance groups and the police, tagged: Operation Harmony, last Friday, also arrested 32 people at an Indian hemp joint in the outskirt of Ilorin.

    According to him, all the suspects are being detained and interrogated by security agents.

    Abdulsalam urged the residents to be security-conscious and always give useful information on suspected criminals to security agencies.

    NAN reports that the task force was constituted by the state government to curb post-election violence, which led the destruction of valuable property, such as buildings and vehicles worth millions of naira.

     

  • Task force arrests timber-laden trucks

    Men of the Special Squad of the Ondo State Joint Task Force on Forestry Matters have arrested some suspects who allegedly hauled illegal flitch sawn planks worth about N1.5 million in two trucks.

    According to sources, the trucks were allegedly hired by the men to ferry the illegal planks out of the state for sale before they were apprehended by operatives of JTF of the State Ministry of Natural Resources.

    According to the Director of the Joint Task Force (JTF) of the ministry, Mr Joseph Ojumu, the arrest was made at Ogbese town in Akure North Local Government Area as the trucks were coming from Owo in Owo Local Government Area following a tipoff that the trucks were laden with planks suspected to be flitches which have been banned by the Ondo State Government.

    The JTF Director revealed that one of the trucks has registration number DBT292XA while the second truck has no number. They were impounded at the ministry’s headquarter in Alagbaka Akure for subsequent prosecution.

    The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Tunde Atere said the state has zero-tolerance for any illegality on forestry produce and allied services of the ministry.

    He expressed displeasure over the development, noting that ”despite the regulatory measures which government has put in place, yet these unscrupulous elements are not deterred.”

    The commissioner promised that the suspects would be prosecuted.