Road crashes: FRSC tasks educational institutions on public enlightenment

Mrs Patricia Emeordi, Plateau FRSC Sector Commander, has tasked educational institutions on public enlightening to avoid factors leading to road crashes across the country.

The sector commander gave the charge on Thursday in Pankshin during a familiarisation visit to the Provost, Federal College of Education (FCE), Pankhsin, Dr Amos Cirfat.

Emeordi said there was much to be done in the area of public enlightenment, particularly of the staff and students on the need to be careful on the highways as drivers or motorcyclists.

“The most critical issue is those unlicensed individuals, who have no business being on our roads.

“They are seen plying our highways and causing unnecessary road crashes and death tolls.

“Nigeria has lost millions of innocent lives due to the recklessness of such unlicensed persons, who in the first place, have no business being on our highways.

“It’s our duty to ensure that such people know the need and importance of obtaining the driver’s licence as qualified drivers before plying our roads,’’ she said.

The road safety boss also frowned at the trend at the hinterland, where motorcycle riders deliberately refuse to obtain number plates.

According to her, this has contributed to the increase in motorbike theft at the hinterland.

“Since these bikes are not registered, it, therefore, becomes difficult to identify their owners,” she said.

She reiterated the commission’s commitment to preserving lives of drivers and commuters by enforcing its rules and regulations on the highways.

Responding, Cirfat expressed happiness over the visit and described the FRSC as a lifesaving organ, saving the lives of millions of innocent souls on the highways.

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Cirfat said, “We are very glad and excited on how FRSC has succeeded in reducing death rate on our highways through curbing road crashes with the introduction of the speed limiting devices.

“We, in FCE Pankshin, are very ready to do our best at enlightening the public on the dangers of reckless driving, especially speeding and overloading, which are key factors of road crashes.

“This college will continue to partner with FRSC on safety rules and regulations, as well as the need for prospective drivers to obtain their licence before hitting the road for the betterment of our society, ’’ he said.

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One dead in Ebonyi village headship tussle

One person has been killed while a dozen others were wounded in a clash between rival groups in Igbagu community in Izzi local government area of Ebonyi state.

Also, properties worth billions of naira were destroyed in the clash. The Nation gathered that the crisis which started at the early hours of Tuesday is a tussle over the headship of the village.

The Special Assistant to the state Governor on Internal Security, Hon. Kenneth Ogbala disclosed this to our reporter in Abakaliki.

Hon. Ogbala, who condemned the killing and incessant communal crisis in the state, accused some individuals of Igbagu community who had an interest in the headship of the village of forming the division among youths who went out to cause the mayhem.

He, however, pointed out that issue of who becomes the village head is already a matter before the court but due to impatience, some individuals took the law into their own hands to foment a crisis.

Mr Ogbala revealed that over 7 suspects have been arrested by the Nigeria Police force in the state over the incident.

His words: “It is just common issue among the villagers, they had the issue of village headship, the matter currently is in court but like you know some people did not have patient and allow the judiciary to settle the matter.

“So some villagers formed themselves into 2 groups and started fighting each other over the village headship. I visited there today and I saw vehicles and houses worth millions of naira destroyed. I was however told that one person lost his life in the crisis and dozens wounded. But normalcy is gradually returning to Igbagu community”, he explained.

“And now the police have arrested about 6 or 7 persons in connection with the crisis at Igbagu community, so we are thoroughly on top of the situation,” he assured.

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Senate adopts report on grass cutting scam

 To submit recommendations to presidency

The Senate on Wednesday considered and adopted the damning recommendations of its ad-hoc committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North East.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Shehu Sani, had submitted the final report of the committee for consideration on Tuesday.

The upper chamber did not only consider and adopt wholesale the recommendations, it also approved the votes and proceeding of Tuesday’s meeting to pave the way for eventual submission of the recommendations to the Presidency.

The report was signed by seven out of eight members of the committee.

It was learnt that the Senate rushed the consideration and adoption of the committee’s report which heavily indicted the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal.

The lawmakers, after adopting the final report on the alleged contravention of the Procurement Act, 2007 and breach of Oaths of Office by Lawal in the handling of projects and contracts awarded by the Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE), resolved to convey the resolutions to the Presidency for further consideration and implementation.

The Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, moved for brief adjournment to “allow the secretariat to prepare votes and proceedings of Wednesday’s plenary.

The Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, promptly seconded the motion.

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Ekweremadu raising false alarm on raid – EFCC

Ekweremadu raising false alarm on raid – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday accused the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, of raising false alarm that the agency was plotting to raid his residence and plant monies.

It said the antics of planting monies and guns in suspects’ houses were alien to the commission.

It said the alarm by the deputy senate president was not only strange but “smacks of a scripted propaganda campaign to distract the commission by putting it on the defensive.”

It advised Ekweremadu to sleep easy if he is not involved in the looting spree that seems to be the pastime of many Nigerians in the corridors of power.

EFCC, however, said no amount of scare-mongering would dissuade the commission from vigorously enforcing its mandate to rid Nigeria of corruption.

A statement issued by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the alleged plot only existed in the fertile imagination of Ekweremadu.

The statement said: “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been drawn to the alarm purportedly raised by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, at Wednesday plenary of the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

“The distinguished Senator alleged that there were plots by the Commission to set him up by planting monies and guns in his residence.

“Ekweremadu who claimed that he was tipped off about the purported plot by an ‘EFCC covert investigative journalist privy to the design, told his colleagues that the agency had secured a warrant and plans to storm his home on May 6, 2017, under the guise that it was working on information provided by a whistle blower regarding huge amount of money of (sic) currency in the apartment said to be belonging to you Ike Ekweremadu.”

“He said going by the script of plot he is to be arrested, detained for three weeks and charged to court while his constituents would be mobilized to protest and seek his recall from the National Assembly!

“The commission wishes to state in very strong terms that it is not aware of any plot to set up Ekweremadu for any arrest.

“If any agency is plotting to plant monies and guns in Ekweremadu’s residence, it is certainly not the EFCC as such antics are alien to the commission.”

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