The Nation Newspaper

Tag: vehicle

  • N310m vehicle gifts: EFCC seizes Secondus’ passport

    N310m vehicle gifts: EFCC seizes Secondus’ passport

    •PDP chief remains in detention •Commission confiscates vehicles traced to ex-minister

    There were indications last night  that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had seized the  passport of the detained Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus.

    Secondus is spending his fourth day in EFCC custody  for allegedly receiving 23 vehicles as gifts from a business associate of the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

    The business associate was released yesterday after more than three weeks in detention.

    But Secondus remained in detention at press time with investigators grilling him further on the deal.

    It was learnt that one of the 23 vehicles had been traced to a former minister.

    Secondus is said to have  asked the EFCC to give him one month to return the 23 vehicles.

    Investigations revealed that Secondus confirmed to EFCC that 21 out of the vehicles were buses which had been given out to PDP members.

    He said the remaining two vehicles (Mercedes and Range Rover SUVs) were given to him by the businessman about three years ago.

    The anti-graft agency has asked the embattled Deputy National Chairman  to refund the N310million value of the 23 vehicles.

    A well placed EFCC source  said: “Investigation into the N310million vehicles bazaar has continued. The passport of the PDP Deputy National Chairman has been seized and he will remain in detention because he has not made substantial commitment on how to pay for the value of the vehicles.

    “Secondus asked the EFCC to give him one month to return all the 23 vehicles but the anti-graft agency has turned down the timeline because funds for the vehicles were diverted oil receipts.

    “EFCC expected 24 to 48 hours commitment from Secondus. Yet, he wants to be released on bail to bring the vehicles in a month’s time. You can see why his movement needs to be restricted to this country.

    “Secondus said some of the vehicles were offered to him about three years before the election.

    “The most important breakthrough by investigators is that he admitted collecting the vehicles from the businessman.”

    Meanwhile, findings showed that one of the vehicles has been traced to a former Minister of Foreign Affairs.

    Another source said: “The EFCC team obtained some records which indicated that one of the vehicles was given to a former Minister of Foreign Affairs. The ex-Minister has admitted that the vehicle was a gift from Secondus.

    “Further verification confirmed the vehicle was among those bought with oil receipts by the businessman.”

    When contacted last night, Secondus’ counsel, Mr. Emeka Etiaba ( SAN) said: “I met my client today (Friday) but the EFCC has not formally communicated its demands to me.”

    Etiaba declined further details on the next line of action by his client.

  • FEDPOFFA plans vehicle diagnostic centre

    The Federal Polytechnic Offa (FEDPOFFA) has concluded plans to establish a Mechanical and Electrical Diagnostic Centre.
    Director, Entrepreneurship Development Centre of the Polytechnic, Mr. Kamaldeen Arowomole, said the workshop, apart from serving as a source of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), would solve the problem of members of the Offa community and environs having to travel far to repair their vehicles.
    He said the centre would follow the newly-established Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC), which is a platform for students to enhance their entrepreneurship training.
    The EDC was built with funds provided by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) for 2011/2012 session.
    It consists of offices for the Director and other workers, 40 workstations, conference room, business centre, and an incubator room to conceive and develop new ideas.
    Arowomole urged the students to make the best use of the facility to prepare themselves for the future.
    “With the government’s focus on entrepreneurship development in our tertiary institutions, one hopes that the next generation of Nigerian youths would not depend on what government can do for them to make a living but what they can do to help themselves and contribute to the nation’s economic growth,” he said.
    The director also thanked the polytechnic management for equipping the centre with modern facilities.
    “I say a big thank you to the Polytechnic Management under the leadership of Dr. Mufutau Olatinwo, for the support and encouragement to make this permanent office complex a reality.
    “Among plans in the pipeline is the plan to propose to the Management on the expansion of our Concrete and Block-making Unit to meet the contractors’ demand and others willing to patronise us,” he said.

  • Ekiti disburses N144m vehicle/housing loans to teachers

    •Govt vows to demolish illegal structures

    Ekiti State Government has disbursed N144 million as vehicle and housing loans to 712 teaching and non-teaching workers in public schools.

    Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development Toyin Ojo, who said this in Ado Ekiti at the weekend, added that N63 million of the amount was disbursed as car loans to 257 teaching and non-teaching personnel according to their grade levels.

    He explained that the vehicle loans range from N250, 000 to N1million for benefitting teachers on grade Level 7 to 16. Junior non-teaching staff from Grade Level 1 to 6  received  N70, 000.

    Ojo said the balance of N81million was disbursed as first and second tranche of housing loans to 455 teaching and non-teaching workers.

    He noted that Governor Ayo Fayose had last month approved the disbursement of N119 million as car loans to 623 workers in the state public service in spite of the prevailing paucity of funds.

    The commissioner explained that the gesture would reduce the burden of obtaining bank loans with its attendant high interest rate among the beneficiaries.

    He assured that the exercise would be continuous, saying that all interested teachers would benefit from the schemes.

    The state government has served a notice to demolish all ‘illegal attachments’ to shops in all markets in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Taelolu Otitoju, gave the warning in Ado-Ekiti during the official opening of five blocks of four lock-up shops at the Oja Bisi market in Ado-Ekiti.

    He said the illegal extensions to the shops without approval and erection of kiosks under power lines were unwholesome and constitute grave danger to the people.

    Princess Adebisi Aderonke pledged on behalf of the other market women to comply with the rules and regulations in the agreement signed with the state government.

  • SAHCOL donates vehicle to cargo agents

    The Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) has presented a new Toyota Hilux vehicle to the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) to assist in their effective monitoring and enforcement activities within the Cargo terminal.

    The vehicle was handed over to the association at SAHCOL Headquarters at the Cargo Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos by the General Manager, Cargo Services of SAHCOL, Boma Ukwunna, who represented the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oluropo Owolabi.

    While receiving the vehicle, ANLCA Vice Chairman, Murtala Muhammed Airport chapter, Bola Ashiru Balogun, thanked SAHCOL for the gesture, stating that it opened the beginning of a new dawn of excellent working relationship between the association and SAHCOL.

    Present at the occasion were SAHCOL’s Management staff and ANLCA’s executives Murtala  Muhammed International Airport Branch.

    ANLCA is the body of Clearing and Forwarding practitioners in Nigeria, established with the aim of improving the quality of services rendered by Freight Forwarders and promoting vocational training for its members while working closely with Customs, other government agencies, Port Terminal Operators, Cargo Handling agencies, Inspection Agents, Shipping Agencies, Nigeria Customs,  NAFDAC, amongst others. 

  • Petrol-laden vehicle catches fire

    Petrol-laden vehicle catches fire

    A Toyota Sienna vehicle marked KTU 652 AY conveying foodstuff and some gallons of petrol caught fire yesterday at Ile-Epo Bus Stop along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

    Mr Lawrence Oladejo, Head of Operations, Agege Fire Station at Oke-Odo in Lagos, who was an eye witness, said: “I informed our officials immediately because I had to prevent other cars from burning and I thank God no vehicle was affected. People should take precaution on the storage of petrol in vehicles.”

    A passerby, who identified himself as Adedotun said the driver ran away.

    “There was no casualty. I appreciate the efforts of the fire fighters. They saved lives and property,” he said.

  • MASSOB launches vehicle licences

    •Urges Ndigbo to support policy

    The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) at the weekend in Owerri, the Imo State capital, launched Biafran particulars and number plates for vehicles and motorcycles.

    It said the action was in line with its non-violent principle.

    In a statement by the MASSOB Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha, the leader of the group, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, who unveiled the number plates at a meeting with the zonal leaders of MASSOB, urged Ndigbo to embrace the advancement of the Biafran state.

    He directed MASSOB leaders to open markets and business places in their areas where only Biafran pounds would be accepted as a medium of exchange.

    Uwazuruike assured Ndigbo that in the new Biafran state, “there will be no power outage, corruption and crime.”

    Mocha said: “We have our coat of arms, flag, uniformed security men, who are serving as soldiers, policemen, among others.”

  • Beware, any vehicle can ignite fire

    Beware, any vehicle can ignite fire

    WHAT could make a vehicle that did not tumble to go up in flames?

    A vehicle is made up of metal and other combustible materials. When there is a traffic crash, it depends on the impact. If the impact is towards the electrical components of a vehicle such as the battery or exposed wires that can make contact with themselves as a result of the impact of the crash, that could ignite fire. That is why the FRSC always advises that every category of vehicle on Nigerian road should go with the fire extinguisher and not just an ordinary fire extinguisher but a fire extinguisher that we refer to as All Purpose Fire Extinguisher (APFE), that is the dry chemical powder type. It doesn’t necessarily mean that a car must tumble before it catches fire. If a vehicle is poorly maintained and it gets involved in a minor crash, it can catch fire.

    Are there brands of Toyota buses that are fire-prone?

    It is not a question of brand of a vehicle. All vehicles are fire-prone. It depends on what happens. It could get involved in a crash or in automobile fire. If a vehicle is also poorly maintained, it is prone to fire, where the driver, for example, has been playing around with the electrical components. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a particular brand of a vehicle. A vehicle must be properly maintained. The driver must be conscious of the fact that he must carry out what is called first parade every morning. Before you pick up the vehicle and drive, check your vehicle, both the external and internal components. Ensure that there are no loose wires, oil is not dropping anywhere, everything is intact, check your terminal belt, check the water level in your radiator, check basic components in your vehicle.

    At what speed will tyre burst become dangerous?

    The East-West Road can be described as a single dual carriage way because the road is under construction. So on a single dual carriage way, a driver is not expected to go above 80km per hour, that is the maximum if everything is in order.

    What should the driver do if there is tyre burst?

    The basic thing is to maintain absolute control; don’t accelerant further and don’t apply the brake. Allow the vehicle to roll on its own gradually and look for an area to park and attend to the tyre burst. What causes the problem most times is that the driver applies the brake out of fear. Most times the vehicle could somersault or lose control and run into an incoming vehicle. So, the driver in case of tyre burst should try to control the vehicle, put it on course and don’t allow the vehicle to leave your lane and gradually you allow it to stop.

    Why will tyre burst?

    It could be as a result of poor tyre care. It could be as a result of using the wrong tyre for a vehicle. Every vehicle has its own tyre. It could also be Tokubo tyres. You don’t know the environment that tyre had operated from. When there is also so much load on the tyre, it can burst.

  • Vehicle owners get ultimatum

    Vehicle owners get ultimatum

    The Lagos State Police Command has warned the owners of all accidented and abandoned vehicles parked at Ajah Division to remove them within 21 days of this publication or lose them to members of the public. They are: Mercedes Benz G-Wagon with registration number KJA 534 AAA, Kia-Rio KJA 225 BE, Toyota 4Runner DN 866 JJJ, LT Bus Volkswagen FX 118 AKD,  Mercedes Benz 200 LQ 79 AAA, Nissan Primera BC 847 APP, Toyota Camry APP 481 BE, Jagua LSD 664 BE, Opel Astra CK 115 LSR, Mazda 323 KJA 688 BF and Lexus Jeep unregistered.

  • My wife’s attitude forces me to sleep inside vehicle, alleges man

    •Wife: you’re fetish

    When I asked my wife why she soaked all my clothes in water, she said she was sent to destroy me. Whenever she starts her trouble, I will leave the house to sleep in a vehicle.”

    Those were the words of 36-year-old auto mechanic, Jimoh Hassan, as he prayed the Customary Court in Alakuko, a Lagos suburb, to dissolve his marriage to his wife, Jibola, over her alleged troublesome attitude.

    According to him, It got to a point that I was putting on my brother’s clothes because my wife had burnt all my clothes. Even when I decide to sleep in the house, I am always scared because of her terrible attitude.

    “She never shows any remorse when she steals my money; instead, she would call my bluff. If our marriage is dissolved, I want our child in my custody.”

    However, the 34-year-old woman said: “The problem started when my husband began to have an affair with a woman in her house. I can’t fathom why he loves the woman because she has three children for three different men. He gives her N1000, while he gives me N500 daily. My husband stopped buying foodstuff from the day he started having sexual relationship with the woman.

    “He doesn’t believe in repairing damaged items in the house, but prefers to sell them. My husband stopped eating at home when I complained that the N500 he gave me during the last Ileya festival was too small. I have always endured it all. But I would say he tried to be smarter by bringing our case to the court before me.

    “My husband claimed to be broke, so he declined to give me N5000 to start another business. But it was a great shock to me when I learnt that he paid the woman’s daughter’s medical bill when she was hospitalised.”

    Jibola also accused her husband of being fetish, saying: “After I destroyed some fetish stuff that he kept in the house, a strange boil developed in my son’s body. The boil discharges some smelly pus; and when the pus splashes on any other part of the body, another boil will grow on the spot. As of now, it is still a mystery to me why my son is afflicted with that strange ailment. Now, both my husband and the woman have stopped sleeping in the house. But sometimes, the woman sneaks into the house in the morning.

    “But in spite of his attitude, I still love my husband very much.”

    The union, which was not contracted under the Native and Customary Law, is blessed with a child.

    The court President, Mr. Olubode Sekoni, ordered Hassan to be giving his wife N8000 monthly, since he claimed to be giving her N2000 weekly.

    He advised the parties not to invade each other’s privacy and adjourned the case till November 10.

  • Woman in police net for buying stolen vehicle

    Woman in police net for buying stolen vehicle

    The joy of Mrs. Caroline Akinlosotu knew no bound few days ago when her fourth son came home with a two-year American visa on his Nigerian passport.

    When the young man who had been pursuing the American visa for some time now to enable him join two of his elder brothers in the United States returned home with the travel document, Akinlosotu, a widow with four sons heaved a sigh of relief.

    But the joy was cut short few hours later when a team of anti-robbery squad from the Ondo state police command stormed her home in Ondo town and arrested her and her third son on allegation of receiving stolen vehicles and motorcycles from a fleeing suspect identified as “Labuta”.

    It was learnt that on September 3, a black coloured Nissian Primera car with registration number AGL-582 AV, suspected to have been stolen by armed robbers, was abandoned by unknown person somewhere around Ijimekun Street, Ondo town.

    On the receipt on the information, a team of detectives from Yaba Division, Ondo were deployed on surveillance around the street where the vehicle was parked.

    At about 3p.m on the same date, the suspected stolen vehicle was found being cannibalized by one Onyekachi Anya for transportation to where it would be sold to customers.

    However, police investigation into the criminal act later linked Mrs. Akinlosotu with the matter by allegedly receiving both stolen vehicles and motorcycles.  Others arrested in connection with the crime include one Gbemisola Adeyefa and Nike Bolodeoku.

    When the suspects were paraded at the State Police command headquarters, along Igbatoro, Akure, Mrs. Akinlosotu said amid wailings that her joy was shrouded in sorrow.

    She confessed to buying the cannibalized Nissan salon car from “Labuta” who is now on the run, for N25,000.

    Asked why she bought a car for N25,000, Akinlosotu said; “it is God that punished me because I am a cloth dealer and I don’t deal in cars. But what pained me most in all these is that I have two of my sons currently in America and I was arrested the day my last son got his travelling visa to United States of America (U.S.A).”

    About 30 other suspects were also paraded by men of the police command for various crimes ranging from armed robbery, cult activities, internet fraud and drug related offenses.

    The state commissioner for police, Isaac Eke said the arrest was made possible following a serious onslaught against criminals in the state.

    According to Eke, 34 suspects were arrested at different locations across the state for various criminal offences, with a major crackdown on cult groups in the state.

    The commissioner said 20 suspected cultists, including one Bayo Akinfemiwa, a member of Eye cult and chairman of Okada riders’ union in Ondo town were arrested by the police.