Metro
Kidnapped Kwara APC Women Leader Killed During Rescue Operation
Abducted Woman Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Mrs Olumo Abolaji, was reportedly shot dead during a rescue operation in Kwara State.
She was said to have been shot dead on Saturday during an exchange of gunfire between the bandits and a combined team of soldiers and hunters.
The woman, who is the APC women leader in Koro ward of the Ekiti Local Government Area, was one of the eight people kidnapped on Wednesday evening between Araromi Opin and Obbo-Ile in the LG.
The politicians were returning home when the gunmen suspected to be bandits waylaid them on the way after the swearing-in of the state executive of the party.
Police Public Relations Officer in Kwara State, Ajayi Okasanmi, could not be reached as of the time of filing this report.
But the Chairman of APC in the state, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, said two of the three victims were rescued alive.
‘Two of our party women leaders in Eruku ward and Obbo-Ile ward were rescued alive, but unfortunately, we lost one of them. The woman leader of the Koro ward was killed by the bandits.
“The two women were rescued by the security men comprised of soldiers, hunters and vigilante men without paying a kobo as ransom.
“The late women leader of Koro ward has been buried today (Sunday) in Koro and we are just returning from the burial,” Fagbemi said.
In the wake of a good number of road traffic crashes that resulted into fire outbreak in recent times, and the urgent need to bring the menace to an end, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Federal Fire Service (FFS) have entered into a historic partnership aimed at eliminating fire-related crashes on Nigerian roads.
A statement by the FRSC’s Public Education Officer, Assistant Corps Marshal Olusegun Ogungbemide, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), the groundbreaking collaboration will witness the joint training of personnel from both agencies, joint enforcement patrol, as well as improved data sharing to enhance response times and effectiveness.
The partnership, which was formalized by the Corps Marshal, FRSC, Shehu Mohammed and the Controller-General, FFS, Engr. Jaji Olola Abdulganiyu at the national headquarters of the Corps, marks a significant milestone in the quest to reduce the incidence of fire-related crashes on Nigerian roads.
Speaking during the visit, the Controller-General noted that the Federal Fire Service is committed to protecting lives and properties, and this partnership will enable the two services to respond more effectively to fire-related emergencies on the roads. He showed optimism as he looks forward to working closely with the FRSC to achieve shared goals.
Responding to the Controller General, the Corps Marshal highlighted that the partnership is a testament to the Corps’ commitment to safety and determination to explore innovative solutions to the challenges facing the nation’s transportation sector. He noted that by combining expertise and resources, the agencies can significantly reduce the risk of escalation of fire-related crashes and make the roads safer for all users.
The joint training program will focus on equipping personnel from both agencies with the skills and knowledge needed to respond effectively to fire-related crashes. The program will cover topics such as fire prevention, fire fighting, and emergency response.
In addition to the joint training program, the partnership will also involve improved data sharing and effective patrol operations between the two agencies to enforce compliance on having fire extinguishers in vehicles. This will enable them to share critical information on fire-related crashes, including incident locations, response times, and outcomes.
By combining their strengths and resources, the FRSC and FFS are poised to make a significant impact on road safety in Nigeria. This partnership serves as a model for future collaborations between agencies and underscores the importance of interagency cooperation in achieving shared goals.
The Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has taken more proactive action towards tackling the spate of tanker crashes in Nigeria, as he visits the national headquarters of Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch-National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Employers (NUPENG-PTD) in Abuja on Wednesday.
The visit, according to a statement by the Corps’ Public Education Officer, Assistant Corps Marshal Olusegun Ogungbemide, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), which was a prelude to the forthcoming critical stakeholders meeting organised at the expense of the Corps Marshal to discuss possible ways of bringing to an end, all challenges confronting the safety of lives and properties in the road transportation sector of the country.
While appreciating the support the Corps has received over the years from the Union, the Corps Marshal laid emphasis on the greater need for more collaboration and partnership, especially in the area of training and retraining of Petroleum Tanker Drivers and complying with minimum safety standards in haulage operations.
The National Chairman of the Union, Comrade Augustine Egbon who received the Corps Marshal, commended FRSc’s proactive approach towards enhancing safety in haulage operations in Nigeria. He accepted the need for more collaboration with the Corps in the area of training and retraining and further registered the readiness of the Union to support the Corps through mass media sensitisation campaigns.
The visit amongst other things forms part of Corps Marshal’s ongoing effort to ensure that all stakeholders play critical role in enhancing safety on the nation’s highways.
The meeting had Members of Management of the Corps as well as the Deputy National Chairman of the Union, Alhaji Shuaibu Leba, the National Trustee NUPENG-PTD, Otunba Salmon Akanni Oladiti as well as other Excos of the Union.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members, on Wednesday, engaged one another in a physical fight during a meeting of the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT, at the headquarters.
The altercation began when Sunday Ude-Okoye, a party chieftain, was ejected from the meeting.
Samuel Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye are contending over the position of National Secretary of the party.
Ude-Okoye had arrived the venue of the meeting before Anyanwu and acting National Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum.
But, when Anyanwu arrived, Ude-Okoye was forced out of the meeting by suspected thugs, a situation that led to an altercation.
