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Tag: Vehicles

  • NASENI empowers Kano youths with modern auto-diagnosis skills, repairs & maintenance of Vehicles

    NASENI empowers Kano youths with modern auto-diagnosis skills, repairs & maintenance of Vehicles

    The Federal government, through the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has responded to the general complaints by modern car owners of lack of capacity by most technicians to properly diagnose modern cars because of technology improvements which came with today’s newly manufactured cars or auto-vehicles.

    Many car owners have had their cars damaged by technicians because of poor handling resulting from inabilities of auto-technicians (popularly known as Mechanics) to handle most automobiles with automation that are out of reach for most of them, in terms of exposure during apprenticeship or hands-on during post-training experiences.

    While declaring the 5-Day training open today in Kano, the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive, NASENI, Engr. Prof. Mohammed Sani Haruna said that the auto-technical training programme given to the Kano youths was an intervention through a directive by President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, whose interest is the empowerment of youths in kano State (NorthWest)  and also as response to the need to give new skills to youths and to empower those who are already in auto-mechanics with new knowledge of how to diagnose and maintain new vehicles, most of which are now designed and manufactured through a combination of mechanical and electronic features rolled into one.

    According to the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, “without the necessary upgrade of knowledge, training and retraining of present crop of Nigeria’s auto-technicians, many of whom are already thrown out of their jobs, would continue to be thrown out of jobs and the larger society could not afford to allow such trend to continue because of its negative socio-economic implications.

    “Without proper upgrade of today’s auto-technicians on our streets in handling modern cars, they would have many more cars of customers damaged and therefore everyone become the loser. Most Modern cars run on a combination of mechanical techniques combined with electronic features which are out of reach of most technicians that are presently operating in our communities. And if we don’t have them trained and their skills upgraded, most of the technicians are already being thrown out of their jobs and car owners are already facing the difficulties of having their cars maintained efficiently.

    Therefore, the intervention by NASENI to train auto-technicians nationwide beginning from kano State (Northwest Zone) could not have come at a better time, Professor Haruna said.

    While explaining further the rationale for the special skills training, the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI explained that “more importantly, the work force in Nigeria today needed general upgrade of skills and to give the youths, men and women new competencies in preparation for the arrival of the country at the knowledge-economy phase and also her drive toward industrialization in line with the directive given to NASENI by President Muhammadu Buhari”

    According to Professor Haruna, Nigeria need massive upgrade of persons with technical skills, knowledge and vocations across the country in order to redirect the productive competencies of the country toward transforming the nation into a manufacturing economy driven on the skills and technical capabilities of Nigerians in their various fields or economic activities.

    The training therefore targets not only the auto-technicians on their jobs but also the programme by NASENI aimed at increasing the technical competencies of the youths and men toward industrialization and manufacturing feats in the country currently being championed by NASENI as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Also speaking at the occasion, the Secretary to the Kano State Government, Alhaji Usman Alhaji expressed the gratitude of the kano State Government for the intervention by NASENI because the programme had come to address a very critical issue of unemployment and also meeting the need of auto-mobile vehicle owners who are already expressing frustration in the poor maintenance of their vehicles around Kano State and its environs. He said if the head of a family’s income is affected negatively because of inadequate knowledge in handling modern cars, then, the entire family will experience economic hardship. So the intervention in the area of upgrade of the skills and knowledge of the auto-technicians is a direct economic interventions and empowerment to families in Kano state.

    State-of-the art auto equipment, tools and diagnostic kits worth millions of naira were handed over to the 100 participants in Kano metropolis today, making the number of three(3) states with similar exercise. The Agency has taken the same training to Kebbi and Oyo States to ensure that 10 million jobs are created as promised by the present administration.

    Flagging off of the programme in Kano today, the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Engr. Prof Mohammed Sani Haruna said the programme was the first-phase of auto-technical training in the North-West region by the Agency in the implementation of series of President Muhammadu Buhari’s directives to NASENI to ensure development of skills of the nation’s teeming youths necessary for job creation and self-employment generation.

    He said Kano state was selected for the flag-off ceremony because of its occupational trade, advanced skills development and a true mixture of the rural and urban Nigeria setting with all the nationalities living peacefully and thriving commercially.

    “The latest model of any automobiles in the world are all available in Kano. This also informs the selection of this speciality for gainful employment, for capacity building, and for development and intervention.” he said.

    While extoling the ingenuity and creativity of Nigerians when it comes to ability and capacity to observe operations, structure, and built-up of automobiles especially through backward integration techniques, Professor Haruna said Nigeria artisans and mechanics were able to clone automobiles through sourcing of Semi-Knocked Down (SKD), Completely Knocked Down (CKD) and even locally fabricated components/parts, body building and assembling of passengers and cargo vehicles without any training or technical know-how.
    “They are able to diagnose faulty mechanical components and restore functionality of vehicles without having prior training in the methods of conventional or first and second-generation vehicle even through trial and errors. Their innovation has provided employment for large able men who might not even have a formal education. They diagnose and repair  malfunctioned vehicles than certified Engineers could without hands-on practical exposure.

    He said that trial and error method of repairs and maintenance are risky, expensive and incompatible with modern vehicles and automobiles of tomorrow, thus, the essence of the training and empowerment programme of the Federal Government for Nigerian youths across the country.

    Explaining the importance of modern automobile, he said, it has computerized Engine Management Systems (EMS) which deploys advanced control logics, digital electronics and making them sophisticated. “It is easy to trace and address faults in the vehicles without which maintenance becomes too expensive and complicated and at times destructive. Many modern cars are grounded for simple lack of intelligent diagnostic tools or know-how”

    Amongst the automobile tools handed over to the participants by NASENI in Kano are Complete Auto tools, OBD 11Auto Diagnostic Scanner, Cover all, Safety Helmet, Safety Foot Wears, Hand gloves, Safety Google, Respiratory mask, T. Shirt, Face cap, Training bag to include training manual, programme, pad, tag and other writing materials.

  • NCC alerts on latest trick hackers use to unlock, steal vehicles

    NCC alerts on latest trick hackers use to unlock, steal vehicles

    The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has alerted telecom consumers and members of the public on an ongoing cyber-vulnerability which allows a nearby hacker to unlock vehicles, start their engines wirelessly and make away with them.

    The NCC’s Director of Public Affairs (DPA), Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

    Adinde quoted the latest advisory released by the Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) established by the NCC, as saying:

    “The fact that car remotes were categorised as short-range devices that make use of Radio Frequency (RF) to lock and unlock cars informed the need to alert Nigerians on this emergent danger.

    “The vulnerability is a Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack or, more specifically, a replay attack in which an attacker intercepts the RF signals normally sent from a remote key fob to the car.

    “It manipulates these signals and re-sends them later to unlock the car at will.

    “With this latest type of cyber-attack, it is also possible to manipulate the captured commands and re-transmit them to achieve a different outcome altogether.

    “Multiple researchers disclosed a vulnerability, which is said to be used by a nearby attacker to unlock some Honda and Acura car models and start their engines wirelessly.

    “The attack consists of a threat actor capturing the RF signals sent from your key fob to the car and resending these signals to take control of your car’s remote keyless entry system,” the advisory stated.

    He, however, said that the NCC-CSIRT, in the advisory, had offered some precautionary measures or solutions that could be adopted by car owners to prevent falling victim.

    According to the cyber-alert unit of the commission, when affected, the only mitigation is to reset your key fob at the dealership.

    “Besides, the affected car manufacturer may provide a security mechanism that will generate fresh codes for each authentication request, this makes it difficult for an attacker to ‘replay’ the codes thereafter.

    “Additionally, vulnerable car users should store their key fobs in signal-blocking ’Faraday pouches’ when not in use.”

    He advised car owners in these categories to choose Passive Keyless Entry (PKE) as opposed to Remote Keyless Entry (RKE), which would make it harder for an attacker to read the signal due to the fact that criminals would need to be at close range to carry out their nefarious acts.

    He explained that the PKE is an automotive security system that operates automatically when the user is in proximity to the vehicle, unlocking the door on approach or when the door handle is pulled.

    He also said that the user locks it when walking away or touches the car on exit.

    He added that the RKE system, on the other hand, represents the standard solution for conveniently locking and unlocking a vehicle’s doors and luggage compartment by remote control.

    In a related advisory, he said that the NCC, based on another detection by CSIRT, wishes to inform the general public about the resurgence of Joker Trojan-Infected Android Apps on Google Play Store.

    “This arose due to the activities of criminals who intentionally download legitimate apps from the Play Store, modify them by embedding the Trojan malware and then uploading the app back to the Play Store with a new name.

    “The malicious payload is only activated once the apps goes live on the Play Store, which enables the apps to scale through Google’s strict evaluation process.

    “Once installed, the apps request for permissions that once granted, enable the apps to have access to critical functions such as text messages and notifications.

    “As a consequence, a compromised device will subscribe unwitting users to premium services, billing them for services that do not exist. A device like this can also be used to commit Short Messaging Service (SMS) fraud while the owner is unaware,” he said.

    Adinde said that the app could click on online ads automatically and even use SMS One-Time Password (OTPs) to secretly approve payments without checking bank statements.

    He said that the user would be unaware that he or she had subscribed to an online service.

    He further said that other actions, such as stealing text messages, contacts, and other device data, were also possible.

    He cautioned that to avoid falling victim to this manipulation, Android users should avoid downloading unnecessary apps or installing apps from unofficial sources.

    According to him, the NCC also advises telecom consumers to ensure that apps installed from the Google Play Store are heavily scrutinised by reading reviews, assessing the developers, perusing the terms of use and only granting the necessary permissions.

    “The commission recommends that unauthorised transactions be checked against any installed app.

    “Indeed, any apps not in use should be deleted while users are also advised to ensure that a device is always patched and updated to the latest software,” he said.

  • We’ll impound vehicles without speed limit devices- FRSC

    We’ll impound vehicles without speed limit devices- FRSC

    Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Saturday said it has concluded arrangements to impound vehicles without speed limit devices, as well as vehicles still using old number plates.

    Taraba State Commandant of the FRSC, Selina Williams, made the disclosure at an interactive session with media practitioners, in Jalingo, the state capital.

    Urging owners of vehicles to get the device, as a matter of urgency, she maintained that the decision to impound vehicles without speed limit devices and old number plates was to mitigate road accidents.

    The Commandant admonished motorists in the state to endeavor to go online to obtain the speed limit devices in order to avoid the wrath of the law from catching up with them.

    “We will also impound vehicles which indulge in overloading and other traffic offenses so as to reduce the rate of road crashes in our dear state,” she said.

  • Nine wounded as truck crushes vehicles at Otedola Bridge

    Nine wounded as truck crushes vehicles at Otedola Bridge

    Nine persons were injured when a tanker crushed five vehicles at the Otedola Bridge outward Lagos on Thursday night, the Federal Road Safety Corps has said.

    According to the FRSC Commander, the crash occurred at 10:40pm on Thursday while the vehicles were trying to connect the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    He said though no life was lost, the injured victims were immediately taken to Emergency Centre Ojota while others were taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Ikeja.

    Ogungbemide stated that the cause of the crash was yet to be known as of the time of filing this report, adding that the driver of the tanker fled the scene before a team of emergency responders including the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Lagos Fire Service, Lagos State Police Command commenced rescue operations.

    Over the years, the Otedola Bridge is notorious for road crashes mostly involving fuel-laden tankers and trucks that often explode, resulting in inferno, burnt vehicles, loss of lives and properties.

    Stakeholders have also said that the Otedola Bridge has a construction problem, and thereby advised road users to exercise maximum caution when passing through the bridge.

     

  • ‘We are too professional to chase after vehicles,’ FRSC denies involvement in Ojodu truck accident

    ‘We are too professional to chase after vehicles,’ FRSC denies involvement in Ojodu truck accident

    The Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) in Lagos, Mr Olusegun Ogungbemide has denied involvement in the road accident which occurred on Tuesday at the Ojodu area of the state.

    The FRSC boss during on Wednesday during a monitored interview on Channels Television programme said road safety officials are professional in their conduct and will not chase after vehicles to apprehend erring drivers.

    “Let me just speak from the Federal Road Safety Corps angle. FRSC does not have cause under any guide to pursue any vehicle. By virtue of technology that is available to us, the only thing I need is to get the number plate of the vehicle and I can get him any day anytime.

    “So, we don’t even pursue saloon vehicles not to talk of articulated vehicles in a built-up arrear. Attributing such to FRSC is quite unfortunate. We are too professional to indulge in that,” Ogungbemide said.

    He explained that the driver of the truck lost control and hit pedestrians including the pupils and they got a phone call about the accident before eventually going to the scene for rescue operations.

    “I won’t be able to talk for other organisation but all I can tell you is that the truck lost control by virtue of the circumstances that could have happened and ran into the pupils. At that time, FRSC has no bearing as regards the issue of patrol on that corridor. I said earlier that our office is a stone’s throw from that school. So, the fact that they see our operatives here and there does not mean that we are having any business to do with enforcement.”

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that several schoolchildren were on Tuesday feared dead after a truck rammed into some students in the Ojodu area of Lagos State.

    The incident occurred around 2:00 pm at Grammar School Bus-Stop, Ogunusi Road when students after closing from school were returning to their respective homes.

    Eyewitnesses said no fewer than 10 students died in the accident but the police in a statement said two students died while those injured are receiving treatment at various hospitals.

  • Vehicles burnt as fuel tanker explodes in Oyo

    Vehicles burnt as fuel tanker explodes in Oyo

    There was panic around NTA Road, in Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State on Thursday night as a petrol-laden tanker exploded in the area.

    According to reports, there was no life was lost in the raging fire which also destroyed two private cars.

    Meanwhile, the Director of Operations, Oyo State Fire Services, Mr Ismail Adeleke, confirmed the explosion saying no life was lost.

    He said, “I am there with our men as I talk to you this night (10:30pm). We gathered that the driver parked when he discovered that there was an issue with the engine compartment of the truck.

    “The driver checked it and went back to start the vehicle. After this, as he wanted to continue his journey, he found out that fire had started from the engine compartment. He jumped off the truck and the tanker lost control and fell on its side.

    “The content was spilt on the road and fire followed. Two cars were also burnt but we thank God no life was lost.”

    He added that the fire had been put out completely.

  • NAFDAC to Reps: We can’t match drug cabals without manpower, vehicles

    NAFDAC to Reps: We can’t match drug cabals without manpower, vehicles

    By Emman Ovuakporie

     

    Apparently showing helplessness, the Director General of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye raised alarm that the agency cannot fight the drug war in Nigeria without adequate operational vehicles.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports the DG declaring that the war against drug counterfeiting and the dangers it poses to the health of the citizenry if adequate manpower and operational vehicles are not made available to the regulatory authority can’t be won.

    The Director General of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, made this known on Thursday at a budget defence session with the House of Representatives Committee on Health Services.

    This was as the House Committee has queried what it referred to as an “overbloated figures” in the 2022 budget of the Agency for the many capital projects earmarked to be executed by it in the 2022 fiscal year.

    In her submission, the DG explained that its utilization of what was released in the preceding year, the nation’s Food and Drugs regulatory boss told lawmakers that the agency had to in the past rely on companies for their operational mobility before their could go for inspection.

    “In the past, NAFDAC was asking companies to send them vehicles to come and inspect them. Who does not know that you will have to do a favour for those who provided us vehicles? What I am saying is that there were no vehicles and we use vehicles for good manufacturing practice, we use it for clinical sites and other inspections. About 80 percent of our work is field work and without vehicles, we cannot work and that is what you will use to pursue those who wants to kill our people.

    “In 2020, we had a survey which was done in collaboration with WHO. But it was limited in scope. Some of the products were local products and others imported and we found some compromises and we shut down production lines and companies involved lost hundreds of millions of naira because we wanted to send a message to them that our people are more important and the health of our people are more important.

    “We have black listed companies and we published them for trying to take us for granted. These are companies from South East Asia and we also black listed products of companies they are associating with in Nigeria. Our enforcement team work round the clock.

    “About ten days ago, they went on a raid based on a tip off and they recovered eight trucks load of falsified medicines.
    Another way we are approaching it is to use a detection device which FEC (Federal Executive Council) approved for us in December 2020. Each one of them cost about 57000 dollars after it has been discounted for us. We are able to buy 40 which they are manufacturing right now. It is called Truscan. NAFDAC is the first agency in the world to use it about 10 years ago and we bought about 6 then and we are no buying 40 more. It can tell you whether the drug is falsified or substandard”, the DG told lawmakers.

    Chairman of the House Committee Hon. Tanko Sununu and other committee members had raised issues with the figures proposed in the 2022 budget of the agency for its capital projects.

    The DG had presented an estimate of N25.2 billion for the 2022 fiscal year as expenditure and revenue projections of the agency including capital projects earmarked for execution.

    In summary of the capital projects, the agency had earmarked, N2.9 billion is for building of state offices, N1.7bn for generators, N1.4 billion for laboratory equipments, N1.42 billion for motor vehicles, N666 million for information and communications technology and N78 million for furniture, totalling N6.01 billion

    Moreover, in 2022 budget, the agency had earmarked N6.78 billion for staff emoluments, N262 million for equipments and N157.8 million for purchase of laptop computers and N40.1 million for the building of its Ebonyi state office.

    But the Committee helmsman and other lawmakers expressed displeasure with the huge budget proposal items for each of the budget heads saying that it is worrisome to see such huge figures in the budget items despite the previous years approved budgets.

    Sununu while querying these line items presented by the agency called on the DG to ensure effective collaboration of NAFDAC with other relevant healthcare agencies, such as Nigeria Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development NIPRD and Nigeria Institute of Medical Research NIMR.

    Meanwhile the lawmaker and another committee member, Hon. Omowumni Ogunlola (Osun, APC) had earlier raised issues with the lopsidedness of the recent recruitment carried out by the NIMR during the agency’s budget defence session by the Committee.

    Other lawmakers in the Committee notably Hon. Isiaka Ibrahim (Ogun, APC), Hon. Aminu Suleiman (Kano, APC) as well as Hon Muhammad Wudil (Kano, APC) also kicked against the award of contracts above the approved threshold of these agencies by the chief executive officers.

  • JUST IN: Another tanker accident rocks Otedola Bridge, one injured, six vehicles burnt

    JUST IN: Another tanker accident rocks Otedola Bridge, one injured, six vehicles burnt

    Information reaching TheNewsGuru.com, TNG has it that at least one person on Saturday morning sustained injuries and six vehicles burnt after an accident occurred on Otedola Bridge, Lagos.

    It was gathered that the accident occurred between two low belt trucks around 2 am but a fire ensued when a 45,000 litre tanker carrying diesel rammed into the accident scene.

    According to sources, seven vehicles that were also on the bridge at bridge time gutted fire but rescuers were able to salvage one.

    According to reports, all drivers of the affected vehicles fled to safety before the fire outbreak, the motor boy of the diesel tanker who was caught up in the fire, sustained some injuries before he was rescued.

    Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Fire Service said it was able to save the tanker from exploding directly opposite the Otedola Estate Main Gate.

    The agency’s acting Controller, Mrs. Margaret Adeseye said they received a call about the fire around 2:15 am and immediately took steps to contain the situation.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the Otedola Bridge recorded several tanker explosions in previous years.

  • Nine perish, 41 injured as three vehicles crash in Kano

    Nine perish, 41 injured as three vehicles crash in Kano

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of nine persons in a motor accident at Kunar Dumawa in Dambatta Local Government Area of Kano State on Sunday.

    FRSC Sector Commander, Zubairu Mato, while confirming the accident in a statement issued on Sunday, said that 41 others were injured in the Sunday evening accident.

    “We received a call at about 4:10p.m. on Sunday.

    “On receiving the information, we quickly dispatched our personnel and vehicle to the scene of the incident for the rescue of the victims at about 4:17p.m. as well as clearing the obstructions,” Mato said.

    He said that the crash occurred as a result of loss of control due to brake failure.

    According to him, the accident involved three vehicles, a truck with registration number XA 111 SNN; a Volkswagen Golf 3 with registration number DAL 515 ZX; and a Mercedes Benz without registration number.

    “The victims who lost their lives are three males, six females, while the remaining 41 victims sustained serious injures,” he said.

    The road safety boss said that the victims were evacuated to Dambatta General Hospital where the doctor on duty confirmed nine dead.

    The 41 other victims, he said, are currently receiving treatment at the hospital.

  • Lagos auctions 83 vehicles for ‘violating’ law

    Lagos auctions 83 vehicles for ‘violating’ law

    The Lagos State Government has auctioned 83 forfeited vehicles for violating the state’s Transport Sector Reform Law 2018.

    In a statement issued on Monday by the Director of Public Affairs in the Ministry of Justice, Kayode Oyekanmi, the move is sequel to the orders of the Special Offences Mobile Court set up by the state government.

    Driving against traffic (one way) has caused a huge number of accidents and untold losses to property and human lives,” the Coordinator of Special Offences Mobile Court, Arinola Ogbara, was quoted as saying.

    “There is a lot of processes and transparency to the public auction. Moreso, some of the people whose cars were seized have been told to pay a fine without their cars being forfeited based on the strength of evidence they presented at the Mobile Court.”

    Also speaking, the Chairman of the State Taskforce, Shola Jejeloye, said the auction exercise was not meant to punish but to correct.

    “I do not see what we have come to do today as an auction but as a correction and deterrent for some Lagosian. The Lagos Commissioner of Police has instructed us to go out there as policemen and do our best to ensure the free flow of traffic,” he said.

    The auctioned vehicles were earlier impounded in different areas of the state with the auction exercise conducted by a licensed Auctioneer, Mr Ade Onanuga, of CR Limited Auction House.