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Tag: yuletide

  • Yuletide: IGP Orders Immediate Removal Of Illegal Checkpoints Nationwide

    Yuletide: IGP Orders Immediate Removal Of Illegal Checkpoints Nationwide

    …releases contact details of Commissioners, Deputies, others for emergencies

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has directed Commissioners of Police in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to ensure that only checkpoints and nipping points that are operationally expedient for crime prevention and prevention and other forms of key duties must be in place during the festive seasons.

    The Force Public Relations Office (FPRO), Mr. Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, who disclosed yesterday in Abuja, said the IGP ordered the Commissioners of Police to ensure that officers deployed to checkpoints eschew all forms of corruption, ostensibly in reaction to cases of alleged extortion of travellers and motorists, especially on major highways across the country.

    Mba said Commissioners of Police, Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) were also expected to provide round-the-clock supervision of their men, adding that they would be held liable for any excesses of their personnel on the roads, adding: “They have also been directed to send to the headquarters, the designated nipping points on those roads for easy monitoring by the Force Headquarters.”

    He explained that the order was issued to enable travellers enjoy safety and comfort on the highways with minimal inconveniences and hassles throughout the Yuletide season, saying: “It is important to note that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has also given a very clear-cut directives and issued a standard order for Commissioners of Police, Area Commanders and DPOs, whose jurisdictions straddle those areas covering the highways, to ensure that policemen who are posted on the road during the festive period carry out their duties in strict conformity with the extant rules guiding such activities- the Police Act and the Police Regulations.

    “Police officers posted on theses duties are expected to eschew all forms of corruption. In-as-much as they are they are expected to be firm, they are expected to be courteous and polite to citizens. “Commissioners of Police are also expected to strike a balance between the need to ensure the security of the travellers and the need to ensure that travellers enjoy maximum comfort and with minimal hassles.”

    The Force spokesman advised the public, especially travellers, to cooperate and support policemen in the lawful discharge of their lawful duties and to report every excess or infraction they notice on the highways to the Complaints Response Unit (CRU), headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP). He added that the presence of policemen on the roads are designed to prevent crimes such as armed robbery, kidnappings and other forms of violent crimes on the highways and also help in the detection of crimes that have already been committed, as well as providing a platform for intercepting fleeing felons.

    He gave the emergency contact details of the Police along the South-South, Southeast highways thus:Selected Contact Details For Southwest, South-South And South-East StatesS/N STATE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE (CP) POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER (PPRO) CONTROL ROOM
    1 Lagos CP ODUMOSU H. OLUSEGUN – 08065668179 DSP BALA ELKANA – 07063116303 07055462708, 08035963919
    2 Ogun CP KENNETH EBRIMSON – 08033311119 DSP ABIMBOLA OYEYEMI – 08123822910 / 08034241238 08032136765, 08081770416
    3 Ondo CP UNDIE ANDIE – 08032905251 DSP FEMI JOSEPH – 08060159998 07034313903
    4 Edo CP LAWAN JIMETA – 08033210966 DSP CHIDI NWABUZOR – 0803372662508037646272, 08077773721, 08067551618
    5 Delta CP ADELEKE YINKA – 08033440189, 08024766368 DSP ONOME ONOVWAKPOYEYA – 08130826008 08036684974
    6 Anambra CP ABANG B. JOHN – 08033221390SP HARUNA MOHAMMED – 0806097063907039194332
    7 Imo CP RABIU LADODO – 08037033410 SP IKEOKU GODSON ORLANDO – 0703471449908034773600, 08037037283
    8 Enugu CP ABDULRAHMAD AHMED- 08039671402 SP AMARAIZU EBERE – 08038829086,
    08123822894 08032003702, 08075390883, 08086671202
    9 Rivers CP MUSTAPHA DANDAURA- 08037005245 DSP OMONI NNAMDI – 08033396538 08032003514, 08073777717

  • 16,712,000 passengers, 1.7 m vehicles to use Lagos-Ibadan expressway during Yuletide

    16,712,000 passengers, 1.7 m vehicles to use Lagos-Ibadan expressway during Yuletide

    No fewer than 16,712,000 passengers would travel on the Ogun corridors of the Lagos-Ibadan and Lagos-Ore expressway between December 2019 and January 31, 2020, The Federal Safety Corps(FRSC), Ogun State sector Command said on Friday.

    It also said an estimated 1.7million vehicles would ply the expressway within the same period in focus.

    The Sector Commander, FRSC, Ogun State Sector Command, Clement Oladele, who reeled out the statistics, urged motorists to drive with care, observe speed limit within construction sites and also obey traffic regulations to ensure safety on the ever busy Lagos Ibadan and Lagos – Ore expressways during and after the yuletide.

    Oladele spoke in Abeokuta, the state capital, at a day Road Safety Seminar organised by the Ogun State interim Committee on Transportation in conjunction with Tunes Communications for transport workers and unions in the state.

    The Seminar was declared open by Governor Dapo Abiodun, who was represented by his Deputy Noimot Salako – Oyedele.

    The FRSC boss recalled that 1,000,008 vehicles plied the expressway between December 2018 and January 31, 2019 conveying a total of 7.8million passengers.

    He noted that to make the roads safe for motorists and other road users require constant education of people, reminding to do the needful always.

    “There are two things about road safety. One is education and the second one is that when we educate you and you refuse to listen to our advice we don’t have any options than to give you bookings and impound your vehicle or take you to court and the court wil do the appropriate thing,” Oladele said.

    Also, the Publicity Secretary of the Ogun All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Committee, Tunde Oladunjoye, said the safety Seminar became necessary because of the strategic location of Ogun State as the Gateway to other states of the Federation which makes the Ogun corridors of the Lagos – Ibadan expressway and Lagos – Ore expressway busy all round the year.

    Oladunjoye daid:”Our dear state is very important State when it comes to land transportation in Nigeria. The busiest road in Nigeria, the Lagos-Ibadan expressway passes through be Ogun State.

    “You can not leave the heart of commerce in Nigeria to go to any State by land without passing through Ogun State and that makes it important to educate and the sensitize road safety agencies, transport unions and also talk about health implications in terms of educating them on how to take care of their health, how to check vital signs and this is not because of the festive period, road safety is every day business and that is the reason why we feel it is a necessary to bring the unions together to sensitize them.”

  • Yuletide: Mobile court will be used to check recklessness – FRSC

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said that the Corps would use Mobile Courts across Akwa Ibom Command to check recklessness on the road during the festive season.
    The Akwa Ibom Sector Commander of the Corps, Mr Sunday Ogenekaro, said this during the flagged off of the “ember” month sensitation campaign in Uyo on Tuesday.
    Ogenekaro said that the Akwa Ibom Chief Judge, Justice Godwin Abraham, had appointed Magistrates to hear cases brought before the various mobile courts which would be set up in various place across.
    Mr Ogenekaro explained that the courts are to check violation of traffic laws by motorists during the festive season.
    The Sector Commander cautions motorist against disobeying traffic laws, stressing that his command would continue to enforce the use of speed limiting device by fleet operators.
    He urged pedestrians to also obey traffic laws and stay away from ingesting drugs and alcohol while using the roads.
    Ogenekaro advised pedestrians to make use of the footbridges provided for them by the government to avoid accidents.
    The Sector Commander used the medium to warned traders trading or displaying their wears on the road to desist from such practices.
    “In an eventuality where the breaks of a car plying such a road fails it may lead to a fatal accident at such spots,” Ogenekaro said.
    He said that the corps was in constant touch with the government by pointing out failed portions on roads that needed quick attention during this festive period.
    The sector commander said that the corps would continue to sensitise motorists and other road users on the need to act with caution and drive safely during and after the festive season.
    The sector commander urged motorists to pay premium attention to their lives, stressing that life is not a motor part that could be replaced easily.
    He appealed to drivers to plan their journey and begin on time to avoid rush, which could lead to road crash.
  • Yuletide: Police ban use of fireworks in Enugu

    Yuletide: Police ban use of fireworks in Enugu

    The Police Command in Enugu State has reiterated its ban on use of fireworks, knockout and bangers this Yuletide.

    The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Ebere Amaraizu, said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Enugu.

    Amaraizu noted that the ban was due to their explosives safety and security implications.

    He said: “Their usages are capable of diverting the attention of security agencies from knowing when things are going wrong in our environment.

    “It could also ignite an inferno when thrown either knowingly or unknowingly to inflammable materials in our environment and considering the dry season and its associated situations.’’

    According to him, the command is advising the public, parents and caregivers to warn their children and wards against the use of fireworks.

    The police spokesman noted that the command, in partnership with other sister security agencies and relevant stakeholders, had been directed by the commissioner of police to fish out violators.

    “Violators will be made to face the consequences in line with the relevant sections of the law.

    “The command further advises members of the public to be security conscious and law abiding,’’ he added.

  • Benin residents experience miserable Christmas

    Benin residents experience miserable Christmas

    Benin residents experienced a miserable 2018 Christmas as long queues surfaced at bank cash points known as the Automated Teller Machines (ATM) and Points of Sale (PoS) in Benin City, Edo capital, according to checks.

    Most of the machines had failed to dispense cash during the Yuletide with scores of residents returning home disappointed.

    Some of the respondents who spoke in separate interviews with NAN on Wednesday described the situation as frustrating and unfortunate.

    According to them, most of the machines in the city have not been dispensing cash since Friday night, a situation which has resulted in spending long hours in the queue at the few ATMs that were working.

    Mr Peter Ojo, who said he was unable to get cash from the machines he visited on Friday night, regretted that the situation had not changed as at Christmas morning.

    “It is a very `funny’ thing that the banks did not make contingency plans for a period like this,” he told NAN.

    For Mr Osagie Mathew, he said had been in the queue since 6.00 a.m. on Wednesday waiting to cash money for the Christmas celebration.

    He said: “I have been to more than six ATM machines of different banks but the same thing applies to all: unable to dispense cash.

    “It is like a deliberate plan by all the banks to deprive their customers of cash withdrawals during holiday.

    “What we are experiencing now was just what happened during the last Christmas and Easter celebrations where we had to contend with the failure of ATMs and fuel scarcity.”

    A journalist, Osagie Omorogieva, said he trekked several kilometres to Akpakpava road, moving from one machine to another.

    “I tell you, it was all a futile effort as I could not get any of the machines that was dispensing cash in the long stretch of Akpakpava road.

    “The only two ATM machines at Diamond Bank and Union Bank that were dispensing cash was like a market place,” he said.

    NAN reports that the situation is not different at the ATM machines on both Airport road and Sapele road.

    A security guard at a new generation bank on Sapele road, who did not want his name in print, appealed to customers to exercise patience, saying the officials of the bank are already addressing the challenges to restore normalcy.

    “I’m sure the people responsible will come and look into this problem before the end of today.

    “I can tell you that the rush for cash by customers is largely responsible for this problem. But it will be sorted out soon,” he promised.

    Apart from the ATMs, most PoS centres were unable to attend to their customers’ needs due to network failure.

    A motorist, Mr John Omoruyi who described the situation as “appalling”, said he went to NNPC mega station with the hope of using their PoS to buy fuel but he could not get the transaction through owing to network problems.

    “They had network problem and I couldn’t buy fuel.

    “This is not just peculiar to the filling station as my friend also had a similar experience in one of the supermarkets where he was unable to make purchases due to the failure of PoS.”

     

  • Yuletide: Excessive food, alcohol, long distance travel can cause heart attack – Expert

    Yuletide: Excessive food, alcohol, long distance travel can cause heart attack – Expert

    An Abuja based Cardiologist, Dr Ademola Aderinloye has cautioned Nigerians against eating and drinking excessively during the yuletide as this could lead to heart attack.

    Aderinloye gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
    He noted that factors such as emotional stress, anger, anxiety and sadness could increase the risk of having heart attack.

    “It is important for Nigerians to eat and drink appropriately during this season.
    “If it is not necessary to travel, they should remain at their stations so that they will not go through unnecessary stressful situations.
    “In the course of my practice over the years, I have seen an increase in cases of people coming down with heart attack during the yuletide.
    “For most of these people, engaging in stressful conditions like travelling long distance had increased their risk of having heart attack,’’ he said.

    Aderinloye added: “Some people put themselves under undue pressure to make more money to enable them spend excessively during the season.
    “They will end up spending what is meant to be their season of joy and celebration in hospital bed,” he said.
    NAN reports that heart attack is a serious medical emergency in which the supply of blood to the heart is suddenly blocked, usually by a blood clot.
    It could be life threatening and may seriously damage the heart muscles.

  • Yuletide: Prices of tomatoes, onions, rice soar

    Prices of some food items have soared in some major markets in Umuahia, the capital of Abia two days to Christmas.

    A survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday at Ubani, Isi Gate and Orie Ugba markets showed the prices of tomatoes, onions, rice, ogbono, egusi and others have increased.

    At Ubani Market, a 50 kg of tomatoes which sold for between N10,000 and N12,000 a week ago, now sells between N19,000 and N20,000.

    A bag of onions now sells for N45,000 as against N41,000 to N43,000 it was sold last week.

    A bag of ogbono previously sold for N140,000 now goes for N160,000, while that of egusi which used to sell between 120,000 and N130,000 now sells for N162,000.

    Prices of rice has also soared as a bag of foreign rice which sold at about N18,000 two weeks ago, now sells for between N21,000 and N22,000.

    The local rice which was previously sold for between N14,000 and N15,000, now goes for between N17,000 and N18,000.

    The survey revealed that the prices of the aforementioned items are not different at Orie Ugba, another major market in Umuahia.

    At Isigate, a milk-tin of ogbono which previously sold for N500 now sells for N600, while that of egusi, which used to sell for N230 now goes for N300.

    Pumpkin vegetable known as “ugwu’’ in local dialect which was previously sold for N50 for the an average bunch now goes for N100.

    An onions seller at Isigate market, Mrs Chidinma Ezoh, lamented the increase in price of onions.

    “Last week, I bought a bag of onions at N43,000, but today I bought it N45,000.

    “The price is increasing everyday. I don’t know what it will be like by Monday but I’m sure it will increase because it will just be a day to Christmas.

    “In 2016, a bag of onions which now sells for N45,000 was sold for between N12,000 and N14,000,” she said.

    Another trader at Orie Ugba market, Mr Patrick Okafor, who sells food items, pointed that the increase was usual because of the festive period.

    “This is Christmas season. Everything has added money. We sell according to how we buy. It is just unfortunate, but there is nothing we can do about it,” he said.

    A consumer at Ugbani Market, Mrs Elizabeth Kanu called on the Federal Government to put in place price control mechanism that would checkmate the excesses of traders.

    “We are being exploited and it is because the Federal Government does not have any price control mechanism.

    “I heard that this is harvest time for some items such as tomatoes and onions, yet these traders are still selling them at astronomical prices,” she lamented.

     

  • Yuletide: Poultry farmers happy over high patronage

    Yuletide: Poultry farmers happy over high patronage

    Some poultry farmers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Sunday expressed delight as they recorded high patronage ahead of the Christmas celebration.

    The farmers, who spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, said in spite of the economic hardship, the level of patronage was encouraging.

    Samuel Magaji, an old layer bird farmer in Gwagwalada, said that he had about 3, 000 birds and sales had been encouraging in the last few days compared to 2017.

    Magaji added that due to paucity of funds, he was not able to rear so many birds as he would have wanted.

    “I am very impressed with the level of patronage despite the economic hardship in the country, people are still buying.

    “If the level of patronage continues the way it is going, all my birds would have been sold before Christmas.

    “Some customers said they were advised by their doctors to avoid beef and red meats for health reasons, and should eat fish or chicken,’’ he said.

    Magaji said that some old layer birds were going for N3, 000 and 4, 000, depending on the size, adding that they have rich taste than the broiler birds.

    However, Mrs Sarah Kaka, a broiler bird farmer in Kuje Area Council, appealed to the government to support farmers with soft loans to boost their businesses.

    Kaka said that poultry farming could promote the Federal Governments diversification of Nigeria’s economy if supported with soft loans.

    According to her, poultry farming was capital intensive, saying that it was expensive to purchase farmlands in FCT as well as other farming inputs.

    She said average size of broiler went for N3, 500, while a bigger size was between N4,000 and N5,000, depending on the size.

    “I am very happy with the level of patronage so far, but due to lack of funds, I was not able to rear many birds as expected.

    “Poultry farming in Nigeria is probably one of the most lucrative farming businesses you can do but requires adequate funding for it to thrive.

    “The farmers we presently have are not producing enough poultry products because of inadequate funding.

    “The government, especially ministry of agriculture should assist farmers with soft loans to enable us boost our business,’’ she said.

    Another poultry farmer in Abaji Area Council, Mr Audu Musa, lamented the increase in the price of feeds, saying that it affected the prices of chicken sales during Christmas season.

    He said that he had to increase the price of his chicken during the yuletide to enable him recover his capital and also make a little profit.

     

  • Yuletide: Senate adjourns plenary till January 2019

    The Nigerian Senate on Thursday adjourned plenary till January 16, 2019.

    The motion for adjournment was moved by the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, after Thursday’s plenary.

    While moving the motion, Mr Lawan thanked opposition colleagues, staff of the National Assembly, journalists and others ‘who made 2018 successful’.

    The motion was seconded by FCT Senator, Philip Aduda.

    The Presiding Officer, Ike Ekweremadu, wished Nigerians a Happy Chrismas and urged them to drive safely.

    The lawmakers thereafter adopted the motion through a voice vote.

  • Yuletide: FG opens Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, to resume construction January

    The Federal Government has opened the construction area at the Lagos-Sagamu end of the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway to commuters.

    The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Mr Adedamola Kuti, said on Tuesday morning that it was done to ease traffic during the festive period.

    “Contruction works will resume in January, ” he said.

    Details later…