Connect with us

Published

on

Abuja Residents Criticise Motorcycle Crushing, Suggest Auctioning, Fines—-Some Abuja residents have kicked against the incessant crushing of motorcycles impounded by the Federal Capital Territory Authority(FCTA) and security forces.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), reports that the authorities have consistently crushed  motorcycles seized from traffic offenders, especially those caught in areas the bikes are banned.

Records from the FCTA show that hundreds of thousands of motorcycles have been destroyed in the last two years alone.

The residents, while reacting to the recent round of destruction, told NAN in separate interviews in Abuja on Sunday that the destruction should be replaced with stiffer fines or the auctioning of the motorcycles for use in areas they are not banned.

Some opined that the heavy fines would discourage riders from veering into areas where their presence was outlawed.

They argued that the practice of crushing vehicles and motorcycles was rather “extreme” and could potentially result into an escalation of crime rates, particularly due to the potential loss of jobs in the nation’s capital.

While noting the FCT Directorate for Road Traffic Services’ claim that scraps from crushed bikes are recycled and the proceeds used to fund social services, they pointed out that crushing them had not deterred the riders, hence the need for a different approach. 

A civil servant, Mr Joseph Edeh, wondered why the FCTA would resort to crushing the items, saying that they were the main source of income for the owners.

According to him, imposing stiffer penalties and huge fines would go a long way to discourage those disobeying the traffic laws in the nation’s capital.

Edeh said that many vehicle or motorcycle seizures had affected the disproportionately low income families, with many left in hunger and economic hardship.

“Owners of seized vehicles and motorcycles should be forced to choose between paying a higher fine or forfeiting their property. 

“We all know that the hardship of the land affects every person, crushing these items is too extreme.”

A journalist, Uche Annune, spoke in the same vein.

“Auctioning and imposing stiff penalties will be more appropriate than crushing these items. Government must operate with a ‘human face.”

According to him, government must be considerate by putting the people first in all its policies and decisions.

“The best way to promote inclusive development is to consider the plight of the desperate poor. Anything outside that can lead to chaos.”

A lawyer, Ms Emilo Atana, also expressed reservations over the crushing of impounded vehicles.

“It is not economically good to destroy social assets like cars or motorcycles. They may be banned in Abuja, but they are very useful in the rural settlements.

“My suggestion is that the impounded could be taken to rural hospitals or schools. There is no doubt that they will be very useful there,” he said.

Offering a divergent perspective, however, a public Servant, Mr Gregory Maduakolam, expressed support for FCTA’s decision to crush all impounded vehicles and motorcycles.

He deemed the action timely, especially considering the ongoing challenges associated with the perpetuation of insecurity involving motorcyclists.

Maduakolam said, “I support the crushing of impounded vehicles and motorcycles because the menace that they cause in the city centre is worrisome.

“Many of the crimes committed here are carried out on bikes; something must be done to prevent these crimes from happening,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Dr Abdulateef Bello, the Director of the Department of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), has said that plans are underway to crush more than 130 impounded vehicles that failed integrity tests.

He revealed that the vehicles would undergo standard verification with those below minimum standards crushed, while the owners could face mobile courts and penalties in accordance with the law.

He said that some vehicles, deemed unfit for the road, would be crushed after inviting owners to retrieve valuable belongings.

“Those arrested for crimes committed under the guise of commercial operations will also be prosecuted,” he said. 

According to him, the impounding, conducted during evening raids in the last two weeks, aims to combat criminal activities carried out by vehicles pretending to be engaged in legitimate commercial activities.

“The DRTS, aligning with the administration’s vision of zero tolerance for insecurity in the FCT, plans to continue operations until all substandard vehicles involved in criminal activities are removed from the city.

“Efforts have also been made to reduce criminality associated with ‘one chance’ incidents, with a focus on ensuring that taxi operators conduct their businesses within authorised parks rather than on the roads.

“Residents are advised against patronising vehicles outside authorised parks to enhance safety and security.”

Reacting also, Mr Kalu Emetu, the spokesperson of DRTS, called on motorists in the nation’s capital to comply with all traffic laws and vehicle registration requirements, dispelling any notion of animosity between them.

He said that stiff measures were being taken to address the lackadaisical attitude many motorists had adopted that were hurting the country and its policies.

He noted that the DRTS operates under the mandate of the Transport Secretariat of the FCTA, and affirmed the agency’s commitment to contributing to road safety efforts.

He highlighted the crucial role of the task force in maintaining order in the city, lamenting that Nigerians often found it challenging to obey traffic laws.

According to Emetu, the demonstration of patriotism for the country should include timely renewal of vehicle registration papers and viewing the DRTS as collaborative partners in ensuring compliance with regulations.

The PRO disclosed that 13,719 vehicles have been impounded from January 2023 to date for various traffic offenses.

“That is why we call on all motorists to obey traffic rules and renew their vehicle registration on time.

“People drive cars and buy fuel daily, why is it difficult to be patriotic and renew vehicle papers? Why should they wait until they are apprehended?

“Motorists are our key stakeholders; without them, we would not have work, so, we treat them with respect, we will only encourage people, Nigerians to be bold, we don’t kill anybody, we don’t kill people.

“We don’t have power to arrest any human being, we can arrest your vehicle, but not you. You will only drive it to where you will park it and leave it, when you settle whatever you need to settle, you take the vehicle.”

Emetu noted that the task force, despite not being based in DRTS, functions under the purview of the FCT Minister’s office and has diverse uniformed organisations in it.

He outlined the primary functions of DRTS which included ensuring the free flow of traffic, handling vehicle administration such as registration and renewal of documents, and generating revenue for the FCT.

Responding to allegations, Emetu encouraged the public to report any misconduct by DRTS personnel, assuring that such cases would be thoroughly investigated.

He reiterated the importance of public collaboration, emphasising that motorists are key stakeholders and treated with respect.

Responding to suggestions that fines be increased instead of crushing impounded vehicles, Emetu emphasised that fines were already being implemented within the legal framework.

He pointed out that the effectiveness of fines had been limited, with many traffic violators failing to comply.

The spokesperson emphasised the commitment of DRTS to its primary goal of ensuring safety on the roads and urged the public to engage constructively with the agency to address concerns.

On allegations of corruption and misconduct of its personnel, Emetu acknowledged that enforcement entities often face public skepticism.

He encouraged the public to report concerns about staff behavior instead of confronting them, highlighting the readiness of the office to address public inquiries through its SERVICOM channel.

0Shares
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

News

Car Ramming in Munich Injures 28 at Demonstration

Published

on

Car Ramming in Munich Injures 28

Police say the suspect is a 24-year-old Afghanistan national who has been apprehended at the scene of the incident, which the authorities believe was intentional.

28 people are reported to have been injured in Munich after a car ram into a crowd of demonstrators near the city’s centre, police said.

The authorities identified the suspect as a 24-year-old Afghanistan-born man currently in Germany as an asylum seeker, was arrested on-site and posed no further danger.

Bavaria’s Minister President Markus Söder said the incident was “presumably an attack”. Munich’s Mayor Dieter Reiter said that “many people have been injured, including children.”

Söder, the leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), said in the aftermath of the attacks that the incident shows that “something has to change in Germany and quickly”.

“We cannot go from attack to attack and show concern, but we must actually change something,” he added.
 Local media, citing authorities, said that an extremist motivation could not be ruled out.

A police spokesperson said that the car approached a demonstration organised by Verdi, one of Germany’s largest trade unions, from behind, before overtaking a police vehicle and deliberately ploughing into the crowd.

Officers fired at the vehicle before the suspect was detained.

Police said they believed the suspect acted alone. He was previously known to the police for drug and theft incidents.

The injured are currently being treated in several hospitals in the city. However, Munich’s second mayor, Dominik Krause, confirmed that employees of city administration were among those injured.

Many of the demonstration participants brought their children to the event, Krause said.

No further information about possible deaths has been released at this time.

Deep shock over ‘senseless’ act

The incident is the latest in a string of attacks in which the suspect was an asylum seeker, including one three weeks ago in the Bavarian city of Aschaffenburg in which a man and a two-year-old boy were killed.

Söder’s party, the sister party of the CDU who are predicted to win Germany’s upcoming elections, has pushed for tougher immigration and asylum policies in the wake of such attacks.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced a crackdown in response to the incident, saying that the perpetrator must “leave the country.” Friedrich Merz, the frontrunner in Germany’s election and leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said, “Everyone must feel safe again in our country. Something had to change in Germany.”

Other German politicians reacted to the incident, with Greens chancellor candidate Robert Habeck calling the act of violence “senseless.”

“It is important that the background to the attack is now quickly clarified,” Habeck said.

Alice Weidel, the co-leader of the far-right AfD, which is currently second in the polls, called for a “turning point” in migration and asylum policy.

Verdi’s branch in Munich said it was “deeply shocked” by the incident, with chairman Frank Werneke calling it a “difficult moment for all colleagues.”

The Bavarian Municipal Employers’ Association said that the right to strike is essential to society and that it stood with the trade union in such moments.

The Bavarian city is set to host scores of world leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US Vice President JD Vance, for the Munich Security Conference from Friday to Sunday.

Authorities confirmed there is no known link between the incidents.

0Shares
Continue Reading

News

Sterling Bank Loses N1.2bn After Fraudsters Hacked It’s Server

Published

on

Sterling Bank

Sterling Bank Loses N1.2bn After Fraudsters Hacked It’s Server—-An alleged five-man Internet fraudsters, have been arraigned before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of a Federal High Court, Lagos, for allegedly hacking into the Sterling Bank Plc’s banking platform and Bance Application, and removed a whooping sum of N1, 257, 536, 572.50 billion.

The alleged five-man Internet fraudsters arraigned before the court on Friday, are: Victor Nwabueze Ogochukwu “M” 50; Favour Odey “F” 22; Adekunle Daniel “M” 34; Akachukwu Alagbogu and 28 years old Oguntade Yetunde “F”.

They were before the court by the operatives of the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi, Lagos.

The prosecutor, Barrister Justine Enang, informed the court that all the defendants and others now at large, conspired among themselves and committed the alleged infractions between November 3 and 4, 2024.

To carry out the alleged fraud, Enang told the court that the defendants collaborated with both the internal staff of Sterling Bank and external parties for possible compromise on sensitive data and security system of the bank by using international mobile equipment identity 14984244, IP address 84252.113.3 & 88 transaction.

He informed the court that the alleged acts of the defendants contravened sections 27(1)(b); 14(1) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc.) Act, 2015 as amended in 2024, Read along with section 14(1) of the same Act.

Enang also told the court that the defendants’ act was contrary to and punishable under Section 18(2)(b) & (d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

None of the defendants admitted commiting the allegations, as they all pleaded not guilty to the three counts charge of conspiracy, hacking and unlawful possession and conversation of funds made against them.

Following their not guilty plea, their lawyers moved their bail applications, and urged the court to admit their clients to bail in most liberal terms.

The prosecutor however vehemently opposed the bail applications on the ground that the defendants are flight risk, while also cited several ground while the court should discountenance their bail applications.

Ruling on the on the bail applications, Justice Lewis-Allagoa after listening to the parties, admitted each of the defendants to bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety in like sum.

The judge also ruled that the surety must be a landed property owner within the court’s jurisdiction.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa while adjourning the matter to March 13, for trial, ordered that all the defendants be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), pending the perfection of the bail conditions.

The Charges Against The Defendants Read: “That you Victor Nwabueze Ogochukwy “m”, Favour Odey “f’, Adekunle Daniel “m”, Akachukwu Alagbogu and others now at large, sometimes on the 3rd & 4th November 2024, in Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of the Judicial Division of The Federal High Court, with intent to defraud, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit a felony to wit: internet fraud to the sum of N1, 257, 536, 572.50 (One Billion, Two Hundred and Fifty Seven Million, Five Hundred and Thirty Six Thousand, Five Hundred and Seventy Two Naira, Fifty Kobo) by false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 27(1)(b) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc.) Act, 2015 as amended in 2024, Read along with section 14(1) of the same Act. 

That you Victor Nwabueze Ogochukwu “m”, Favour Odey “f’, Adekunle Daniel “m”, Akachukwu Alagbogu and others now at large, sometimes on the 3rd & 4th November 2024, in Lagos State, within the aforementioned Judicial Division of The Federal High Court, did knowingly and without authority cause financial lost to Sterling Bank Plc to the tune of N1, 257, 536, 572. 80 (One Billion, Two Hundred and Fifty Seven Million, Five Hundred and Thirty Six Thousand, Five Hundred and Seventy Two Naira, Fifty Kobo) by suppressing one of the banking platform and Bance Application from their various customers’ account to different fraudulent accounts with the collusion of an internal staff/external parties for possible compromise on sensitive data and security system of the bank by using international mobile equipment identity 14984244, IP address 84252.113.3 & 88 transaction, thereby conferred economic benefits on yourselves by converting the money in question to your own use against the Sterling Bank Plc and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 14(1) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc.) Act, 2015 as Amended in 2024. 

That you Victor Nwabueze Ogochukwu ‘m’, Favour Odey ‘f, Adekunle Daniel ‘m’, Akachukwu Alagbogu and others now at large, sometimes on the 3rd & 4th November 2024, in Lagos State, in the aforementioned Judicial Division of Federal High Court, Lagos, did directly or indirectly converts or transfers, retains or takes possession or control of funds belonging to Sterling Bank Plc, knowingly or reasonably ought to have known that such funds is, or forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful Act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(b) & (d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”

0Shares
Continue Reading

Trending

0Shares