20022021 - INSECURITY Give us state police now - Govs

SATURDAY Vanguard, FEBRUARY 20, 2021—9
How 204 persons were crushed in January 2021
Continues from page 8
world with 74.5 deaths per 100,000
inhabitants. The world average is 17.4;
Africa is 26.6; and, according to the
International Transport Forum, ITF, Road
Safety Annual Report for 2018, the fatality
rate for South Africa is 21 while Norway has
the least road fatality with two deaths per
100,000 inhabitants.
As of March 2018, the NBS put the
number of registered vehicles in Nigeria at
11,653,871. With an estimated population of
200 million, the vehicle per population ratio
is 0.06.
To reduce carnage on Nigerian roads, the
FRSC, Public Education Officer, Bisi
Kazeem, reportedly said that the FRSC
had ensured full use of the services of the
National Traffic Radio 107.1 FM, including
its live stream on social media platforms to
reach out to the motoring public.
He encouraged drivers to obey traffic
laws and regulations and cooperate with
traffic officers, as it was in their best
interests and that of other road users.
The report said a total of 5,535 people got
injured in the road traffic crashes recorded.
This represents an average of 61 persons
per day in three.
The NBS further said, “major causative
factors of road crashes in the period under
review are speed violation, wrongful
overtaking, use of handsets while driving,
dangerous overtaking and other factors”.
“Speed violation accounted for 47 per cent
of the total road crashes reported,” the
bureau said, adding that “wrongful
overtaking followed closely as it accounted
for 10 per cent of the total road crashes
recorded, while dangerous overtaking
recorded the least of the total road crashes
reported”.
According to NBS, a total of 3,334 vehicles
were involved in road traffic crashes in
those months, with cars reported to be the
major type of vehicle involved in road
crashes.
“Cars accounted for 28 per cent of the
vehicles involved in road crashes reported
followed by motorcycle and minibus as they
both accounted for 24 and 15 per cent
respectively.”
FRSC spokesperson Bisi Kazeem said a
total of 2,656 road crashes were reported
between July and September, adding that
the road police agency had not relented in
its efforts at reducing carnage on the
highways.
He attributed most of the
road crashes and deaths
that occurred along various
routes in the country within
the period to over-speeding.
Kazeem urged the
motoring public to
cooperate with the FRSC,
saying that it would go a
long way in preventing
incessant crashes on the
roads.
The spokesperson
appealed to motorists to
desist from buying used or
fake tyres and opt for good
ones to save lives and
properties.
Kazeem encouraged
drivers to obey traffic rules,
regulations and cooperate
with traffic officers, as it
was in their best interests
and that of other road users.
Deadly road accidents are
frequently reported in
Nigeria, often caused by
overloading, bad condition
of roads and reckless
driving.
Timeline of accidents in
January 2021
January 2: The Emir of Daura, Alhaji
Umar Faruq’s younger brother, Abdullah I
Umar and two of his friends died in motor
accident along Katsina-Daura road
January 2: Chief of protocol to Governor
Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, Tosin
Ogunbodele and his driver died in an auto
crash along Ilesa- Akure Road, Ondo State.
January 4: A truck driver killed a middle
He attributed most
of the road crashes
and deaths that
occurred along
various routes in
the country within
the period to overspeeding
aged man on Owerri Road, Onitsha,
Anambra State while the deceased was
crossing the highway.
January 5: Six persons were confirmed
dead while 9 others sustained injuries in an
accident involving articulated vehicles and
a Toyota bus around Car park C on Lagos-
Ibadan Express way
January 7: 22 persons
lost their lives in accident
involving a truck, a bus
and a car in Apata, Lokoja,
Kogi State. The FRSC said
26 persons were involved.
January 10: No fewer
than 37 persons died in
two accidents in Bauchi
and Nasarawa. While 20
persons died in the Bauchi
crash, a family of six was
among the 17 that perished
in Nasarawa. The Bauchi
accident occurred at
Tirwun village, a suburb
along Bauchi-Maiduguri
Expressway. The victims
were burned beyond
recognition.
January 12: 21 persons
died while 14 others
sustained injuries in two
crashes in Niger and Oyo
states. The Niger crash
happened at Panti village,
Bida on Mokwa Road. 13
people died, 14 sustained
injuries. The Oyo accident
occurred at Ibadan-Ife Expressway.
January 12: Eight people died in an
accident at Celica area of Ibadan, Oyo State.
January12: A young boy, Ayuba Raji, was
crushed to death by a truck loaded with
cattle at Challenge Junction, Ibadan.
January 14: No fewer than 29 lives were
lost in two road accidents in Kogi and Borno
states.
In Kogi, 14 persons including five
children lost their lives in the accident on
Anyingba-Ajaokuta Road. Nine were
injured.. In Borno, 15 people perished after
two commuter buses collided near Mainok
village in Kaga LGA, alonh Maiduguri-
Damaturu Road.
January 19: Three people died and four
were injured when a tanker exploded along
the Presidential Boulevard, Kuto, Abeokuta,
Ogun State. The tanker had brake failure
while descending the Kuto Bridge.
January 20: A middle-aged man was
crushed to death by a speeding driver along
Ihiala-Owerri Road, Anambra State.
January 20: A woman and her baby girl
were crushed by a tipper truck that rammed
into a moving tricycle in Effurum, Uvwie
LGA of Delta State. The driver was evading
a police van that was chasing the vehicle of
a suspected fraudster.
January 20: Two persons lost their lives
while three sustained injuries in an
accident at Erinmo Junction along Ilesa-
Akure Expressway in Oriade LGA of Osun
State.
January 22: Six persons died when a
petro-laden tanker crushed an intra-city
commercial bus in Owerri, Imo State.
January 23: 15 students of Adekunle
Ajasin University, Akungba were killed in
an accident close to the university gate.
January 23: No fewer than 19 persons
died in road crashes in Kaduna and Kwara
States. 15 persons died on the Kaduna-
Abuja Highway crash while four died in
Kwara.
January 24: Four persons died and seven
sustained injuries in an auto crash at Otte
village along Ilorin-Ogbomoso expressway,
Kwara State.
January 26: A middle-aged man was
crushed to death in Bolade, Oshodi, Lagos
during a stampede caused by commercial
bus drivers, who were trying to evade
taskforce officials.
January 28: An official of Lagos State
Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA
was killed by a motorist at Mile Two, Lagos.
January 30: No fewer than 20 personsdied
in an accident at Olokonla, along Bode -
Saadi-Jebba Expressway in Moro LGA of
Kwara State. 17 of the victims were burnt to
death.
2023: Why y Badagry y Division must t produce
Lagos governor
—Adediran, an, Ogunsanya
By Clifford Ndujihe,
Politics Editor
Aleading governorship aspirant in
Lagos,
Alhaji Abdul Azeez Olajide Adediran,
and former Secretary to Lagos State
government (SSG), Princess Adenrele
Adeniran, have urged other parts of Lagos
to back Badagry Division to produce
the next governor of the state in 2023.
Among the five administrative divisions
of Lagos, Badagry is the most neglected
and yet to produce governor of the state
whether military or civilian.
Ikeja Division hosts the seat of
government and produced AlhajiLlateef
Jakande. Ikorodu Division had late
Group Captain Gbolahan Mudashiru
and Sir Michael Otedola as helmsmen
of Lagos. Lagos Division produced
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; and Epe
produced immediate past governor, Mr.
Akinwunmi Ambode while Badagry
Division is yet to occupy the topmost
seat.
Making a case for Badagry, Alhaji
Adediran, and Princess Ogunsanya
spoke shortly after Adediran
revalidated his membership of All
Progressive Congress, APC, in his
constituency and Ilewe home town,
Ward G under Ojo local government Lagos,
said Badagry had been neglected by
successive governments in the state.
Also known as Jandor, Adediran said if
elected he would make Lagos work for
Lagosians, lamenting that Badagry Division
where he hails from is the only division in
Lagos that has never produced a
governor.
‘’Our roads are the worst in the entire
Lagos. Look at Badagry express way,
and you can’t even pass through it. This
project is personal to us, the priorities
are there looking at us in the face. In
terms of infrastructural development,
we are far behind. It appears like a
deliberate act of those ruling us in
Lagos to just impoverish us, to ensure
that we are not among those that can be
called part of Lagos like Victoria Island
and Lekki. Governance is beyond that
but we are coming to bring that
promise of a better tomorrow.
‘’We have gone round, and if you look at
the proximity of this Island to the
mainland, I think with the state that is
making a huge amount of money, it will
not cost us anything to have
bridges linking everywhere,
not just a bridge for us, it
is going to be a very
iconic one, the moment
you see it, you can tell
that this is part of
Lagos. But
unfortunately, what
we have had in the
past two decades is
nothing but a total
neglect of this part
of Lagos,’’ he said.
The Visioner of
Lagos4Lagos
movement commended
APC leaders for the membership
revalidation and registration exercise,
noting that turnout of members was
impressive.
‘’This revalidation is not just a revalidation
for us, as you can see how our people
trooped out and seemed very excited about
what has happened today. So the
significance for us is just beyond
revalidation of party membership. To us, it
signals that promise for a better tomorrow,
for this region and Badagry division and
Lagos State as a whole.’’ he said.
•Azeez
Also speaking, former Secretary
to Lagos State government
(SSG), Princess Adenrele
Adeniran Ogunsanya, who
accompanied Adediran to the
revalidation exercise, said she is
throwing her weight behind Jandor
for the governorship position in
2023 because he is a suitable and
competent hand.
Princess Adenrele said: ‘’We
keep getting a governor that
is not from here
(Badagry), and when
you are not a part of a
system, you don’t feel
what those within it
feel. This is a matter of
fairness.
We in Lagos
accommodate
everyone, we should
balance it well, and
that is what we are
asking for. We also
want a change for certain areas that
have been really deprived. I am from
Ikorodu, we have been okay but it could
be better. I saw that Jandor had courage
because a lot of our people lacked
courage, and that is why we are in the
position we are today. I stand by him, I
believe in him, I believe in what he is
doing, nobody is a custodian of
knowledge, but I know that he will do
well. I pray that it will be him. Some of
you don’t know the battles that we fight
and we are being victimized for them.’’