Seventeen people have perished in a ghastly motor accident at Irepeni on Okene-Lokoja-Abuja highway in Kogi State.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander in Kogi, Mr. Solomon Aghure, confirmed this to newsmen in Lokoja on Tuesday.
He said that the accident, which occurred at about 5am, involved two vehicles in a collision.
Aghure said that the two vehicles, a luxury bus, and a Toyota Hiace were both conveying a total of 55 passengers to different destinations.
He said that 15 passengers died on the spot while two others died in hospital, bringing the total number of casualties to 17.
“The Toyota Hiace was going to Auchi, Edo State and the luxury bus was coming from Okene axis. The luxury bus overtook a car and in the process lost control.
”Of course it was night, so it came and hit the smaller Toyota bus, pushing it into the bush. The vehicle somersaulted, and 15 people died on the spot and two later died in the hospital,” Aghure explained.
The sector commander said that 25 other passengers who sustained varying degrees of injuries were taken to a private hospital for treatment while the corpses of the 17 were deposited at the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja.
He said that further investigation into the accident had commenced, urging motorists to avoid night traveling and speeding while driving.
“It is very important for motorists to obey the speed limit which is 90kph for commercial vehicles and 100kph for private vehicles,” he stated.
In order to reduce stress and road accidents during the festive period, Agure said that 522 personnel had been deployed to different routes in the state.
He said that additional personnel was also being expected from Ekiti and Kwara States to complement those on the ground and advised motorists to always obey traffic rules. NAN
Aliyu Aziz, the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has revealed why the commission’s website went down on Monday December 21.
The website which hosts the details of the commission and relevant information on the enrollment process for the National Identity Number (NIN) has been offline since the late hours of Monday.
The NIMC DG told newsmen that they were not prepared to have huge traffic on its website.
He said; “We have not planned for this kind of upsurge, this will also task how much the agency has.
“Among all the data agencies, we are the least in terms of budget, the least in terms of salary structure and we use experts to manage our system and the private sector comes to take them after a while and pay them better.
“I can say it got to its elasticity level, so it needs to be expanded. You know when you are the limelight, fraudsters will want to exasperate your efforts.
“Right now, when you go to the gates of the centres you will see fraudsters that will offer help to people. All these are not under our control.”
He added that the commission doesn’t have enough capacity to handle the number of persons trying to enrol within the period.
Aziz said; “We are aware that our website is down, but it is not our making, but so many people coming (to the website).”
“We have never said we have the capacity to enrol people within a short period of time. This is because of the standard; a centre is just for 50,000 persons, so minimum we need 4,000 centres for 200 million people.”
The current number of enrolled persons has however increased to 43,901,010 from the previous 43 million. This means that almost a million people have enrolled for their NIN in the last one week.
The Lagos state government has warned residents that failure to wear face masks in public could attract up to one year in prison.
The warning comes days after the presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19 said there were indications that the country had entered a second wave of infections, considering the recent significant increase in the number of positive cases.
“In Nigeria, the indication is that we have entered a second wave of infections, and we stand the risk of not just losing the gains from the hard work of the last nine months, but also losing the precious lives of our citizens,” Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation who represented Boss Mustapha, chairman of the PTF, said.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of the state, who is still in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, said during the weekend that the state cannot afford another total lockdown amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He, however, advised residents to adhere to health protocols and non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to limit the spread of the virus.
In a Twitter post on Tuesday, the government said those who breached the COVID-19 regulations risked prosecution under the infectious diseases regulations.
“Did you know? Failure to wear a face mask in public or breach of any COVID-19 regulations, you can be prosecuted under the Lagos State Infectious Diseases (Prevention) Regulations or Criminal Law of Lagos State and upon conviction liable to imprisonment up to one (1) year,” the post read.
As of December 21, 2020, Lagos, which is the epicentre of COVID-19, has confirmed 26,767 cases, out of which 24,096 recoveries and 237 deaths have been recorded.
Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, says Nigeria needs to stop herdsmen from roaming all over the country to prevent clashes with farmers.
Shehu spoke when he featured on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, on Tuesday.
The presidential spokesman was responding to the allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari is grabbing lands to dole out to herdsmen.
The allegation was made by Katch Ononuju, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who also featured on the programme.
Ononuju had said the government does not care about the lives of its citizens, hence, the continued kidnappings, killings and clashes between farmers and herders.
But Shehu blamed the actions of the herdsmen on the drying of grazing lands in the north.
“This country has a grazing problem because the herders are mostly Fulanis. The challenge is from these places they had practiced, you know, the encroachment by desert leading to drying up of a lot of grazing lands in the northern-most parts of the country, “Shehu said.
“This has put pressure on the herders who have been looking to the south-west green grass so that their cattle will eat and also have water to drink. It’s a global climate situation which is unfortunate considering what has happened along the lake chad basin.
“I’m glad that governors of the north are coming together to say let us resolve this problem of grazing because we have to stop these herders from roaming and eating up our crops all over the country.
“They drive their cattle into farmlands and eat up the crops. The farmers fight back and the killings follow. The country cannot continue in this way.
“The president has no plan to fish for a land other than the one he has inherited from his father. Some of them have even be donated for community purposes but I think we need to get our facts right when we speak on some of these issues.”
Still speaking on insecurity in the north-east, particularly in Borno, Shehu said progress has been made, “a lot of it” and that Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Adamawa have all “moved on” from insecurity issues.
“And we are hoping and praying for our brothers in Borno state that they too, with the support of the military and the communities, they will rid themselves of Boko Haram,” he said.
“The president has said times without number that his expectations are still to be met, that means we are not exactly where we wish to be. However, a fair judgement that can be made about ongoing efforts of the administration is tojudge it by the responses it makes when challenges of security comes up.
“In all countries of the world, there is always one form of security challenge, the thing, then, to do is how do you respond? The present administration has responded within the capacity, competence using available resources and manpower and all the limitations that come with that. So, can we get better? We hope we will continue to improve.”
The Federal Government on Tuesday ordered civil servants from Grade Level 12 and below to stay at home for five weeks.
Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), made this known in a circular in Abuja.
Esan said the directive followed the reported cases of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
The circular reads in part; “Following Mr President’s approval of recommendations of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, in the light of the second wave of the infection in Nigeria, officers on grade level 12 and below are hereby, directed to stay at home for a period of five weeks, effective from Wednesday Dec. 23 and await further directive, ” the HOS said.
According to her, the decision has become necessary to streamline the number of officers who come to work daily.
She said that the affected officers are expected to perform their duties from home, while officers on grade level 13 and above are to adhere to preventive measures.
”The measures include maintenance of physical distancing, regular washing and/or sanitising of hands and wearing of face masks and reducing the number of visitors.
“In line with the prescription of the PTF, virtual meetings are encouraged with the view to minimising physical contact.
“In addition Permanent Secretaries and Chief Executive Officers are expected to sustain the provision and use of necessary amenities in compliance with the existing guidelines on prevention and the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.”
”Security operatives manning the gates of offices should be directed to demand for the identity card of staff coming to the office to ensure that they are on grade level 13 and above before granting them access to the premises, ” she advised.
Esan had also instructed the permanent secretaries and the chief executive officers to bring the contents of the circular to the attention of all concerned officers and ensure compliance.
Former Real Madrid Goalkeeper and Captain, Iker Casillas
Former goalkeeper, Iker Casillas, has been appointed as the assistant to the general director of the Real Madrid Foundation.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Madrid said that Casillas “represents the values of our club and is the best goalkeeper in our history.”
The club also said that they are “proud to welcome one of their great captains back home.”
Casillas spent 25 years representing Madrid during which he won 19 titles with the club. The titles include three European Cups, three World Club Cups, two European Super Cups, five Leagues, two Copa del Rey, and four Spanish Super Cups.
In Portugal, with Porto F.C, he won two Leagues, one Cup and one Super Cup.
He was capped 167 times by the Spanish national team and won one World Cup, two European Cups, and one Under-20 World Cup.
The Federal Controller of Works Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola on Tuesday announced a 72-hour total closure of the Third Mainland Bridge to cast concrete on the expansion joints.
Popoola told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the shutdown will take effect from midnight on Saturday to midnight on Tuesday.
He added that construction works had reached the stage for casting concrete on additional three expansion joints.
“There is going to be a total closure of Third Mainland Bridge in order to allow for the casting of three number expansion joints on the Island Bound lane
” The effective date of the closure will be from 12:00 midnight of 25th of December. So people will be allowed to use the Third Mainland Bridge to celebrate Christmas.
“By the time the Christmas is winding down which is 12:00 midnight, we are going to close it so that we will be able to cast the concrete on Saturday the 26th and 27th we cast again.
” And we need about 72 hours for this concrete to set. Therefore, the opening will be on the 28th December midnight, that is 72-hour closure.
“This is to prevent vibration of the bridge. If we allow vehicles to be moving on one lane, there is going to be vibrations and the concrete will not set properly,” he said.
The controller said that all the alternative routes were in good condition and traffic regulatory agencies had been deployed to effectively divert and manage traffic to avert gridlock.
He appealed to road users to cooperate with traffic regulatory agencies.
Popoola also announced a 48 hours partial closure of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway from Dec. 28 to Dec. 29 to complete some work on a flyover bridge on the project.
“The contractor, Messers Julius Berger wants to install cross beams at Kilometre 16, that is, around MFM,” he said.
He explained that the Piers were already standing on both sides of the road and the contractor was to lay the cross beam on top across the road.
“That area will be cordoned off, there will be closure within that section from 12:00 pm on 28th of December and it will be opened to traffic by 5:00 am the following day.
” 200 meters to get to that particular location we have diversion and another diversion 200 meters away from that place.
“One lane will be opened to traffic, it is only one lane we are closing to traffic at a time. The first lane that we are going to close is outward Lagos, that is the Ibadan bound carriageway, we will close it on the 28th.
” And then the second day which is 29th, we are moving to the other lane which in inward Lagos. The same 12:00 pm to 5:00 am,” Popoola said.
He appealed for patience and understanding of road users saying that the construction was part of the progress that the Federal Government had achieved on the project.
“We regret all the inconvenience and hardship this might have created,” he said.
He said that all the construction zones had been cleared and the highway had been opened to traffic which was responsible to seamless movement on the road.
NAN reports that the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, which was going through series of repairs, had to be partially shut on July 24 for another round of rehabilitation works.
The repair expected to last six months was extended by one month due to the recent #EndSARS protests in Lagos extending the completion date from January 2021 to February.
The construction was initially divided into two phases of three months on each carriageway, starting with the Oworonsoki bound carriageway whose completion dragged to four months.
Traffic was partially diverted on a stretch of 3.5km where construction is ongoing between Adeniji Adeniji Ramp and Ebute Meta, while different time belts were allotted for traffic diversions on the bridge.
The 11.8km bridge is the longest of the three bridges connecting Lagos Island to the Mainland.
The bridge starts from Oworonshoki, which is linked to the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and ends at the Adeniji Adele Interchange on Lagos Island.
Constructed in 1990, the bridge was adjudged as the longest in Africa until 1996 when the Oct. 6 Bridge in Cairo, Egypt was completed.
The reconstruction/rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, on the other hand, was flagged off in 2013 by former President Goodluck Jonathan and was awarded to two firms.
Julius Berger is constructing section one which spans from Ojota in Lagos to Sagamu Interchange while RCC is working from the Sagamu Interchange to Ibadan.
There was pandemonium in the Ada George area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Monday when a group of policemen stripped a bus driver, identified as Emenike, over alleged refusal to pay a bribe.
The drivers in the area were said to have repeatedly lamented harassment by the task force and police officers, even as they protested against Monday’s harassment of Emenike.
Drivers’ welfare Chairman, Choba unit, Bestman Chile, said a policeman demanded bribe from the driver, but the latter defused to part with any money.
“He entered Emenike’s vehicle and told him to drive towards the police.
“On his way, the policeman started hitting him with a baton and fought for the control of the steering with the young man.
“After the driver stopped the vehicle, some policemen came and started beating Emenike, stripped him naked and vandalised his vehicle.
“We are drivers. We can’t fight the police. Right now, the road is blocked. We will block the road like this till when the police come to pay for this damage and treat the young man,” he told Punch newspaper.
Following the blockage mounted by the driver to protest the alleged police harassment, there was gridlock, as passengers were seen trekking long distances to get to their destinations.
Meanwhile, some bus drivers accused a female cop whom they identified as ‘Mama G’ of continually harassing and extorting bus drivers.
When contacted, a spokesman for the state Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the incident but added that he had yet to get the details.
Nigerian government has said it is optimistic that public universities will reopen in January 2021 after an 10-month industrial strike action.
Nigeria’s labour and employment minister Chris Ngige said the government has already met 98% of the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) leadership.
“We have met about 98 per cent of the request of ASUU,” Ngige said in a statement.
“Some five to two per cent is what you can call promissory notes.
“We disagree to agree and agree to disagree formerly. But tomorrow (today), I hope we will agree to agree. Once we do that, schools will re-open in January.”
The government and ASUU have been at loggerheads over the reopening of public universities in the country. Both parties have held series of meetings but failed to reach a conclusion for ASUU to call off the ongoing strike since February 2020.
Education minister, Adamu Adamu, in early December assured students that schools will reopen ‘soon’ as the government have reportedly reach an agreement with ASUU.
Adamu noted that other negotiations were still ongoing between both parties.
He said the government have accepted ASUU demand to exempt its members from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) pending the approval of the proposed payment system – the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).
However, the payment of arrears remained the most contentious issue without agreement between the government and ASUU. The union insists on the settling of the arrears of his members’ salaries before calling off the strike.
Ngige disclosed that government representatives and ASUU will be meeting on Tuesday, December 22 to finalise their discussions.
The minister said he is “very hopeful that by midnight today, there are some works we are supposed to get on to do. They also have some work they are supposed to do on their own side with their people.
“We will put everything on the table and compare. I believe that we might have come to the end of the strike when we meet.
“Well, it is a journey of a thousand miles which you will have to take one step first. Tomorrow (today), all things being equal, we will agree now to agree because we were disagreeing before,” Ngige said.
