Nigerian Newspapers
The new Lagos riders
In Lagos State, cycling is gaining momentum according to this report by Joe Agbro Jr.
It was a bright day, perfect for outdoor activities. And for Komolafe Ademola and two of his friends in the highbrow Allen Avenue, Ikeja area, part of enjoying the day meant taking turns to leisurely ride a bicycle in the estate grounds.
“I love to cycle,” Ademola gushed after his turn, bustling with the energy of a contented young man. Hitherto, eyebrows would have been raised at the actions of Ademola and his friends. Except in the rural areas, In Nigeria, riding of bicycles is largely considered children’s pastime. But, that is not the situation in Lagos anymore. “It is good exercise and my two children have bikes of their own too. Atimes, instead of driving you can just go around with it. That guy (referring to one of his friends) has two cars,” Ademola said. “But he still loves riding.”
Ademola and his friend are not alone in this new found love for cycling. Indeed, many residents are beginning to adopt cycling as not only sports but also as a means of movement. And in different parts of Lagos, young people, especially boys and men can be seen pedalling away – either in the course of work or leisure.
For 15-year old Olakunle, a student of Oduduwa Grammar School, Mushin, riding a bike is fun. Though, he said only rides his bicycles within his Mushin residence. According to Olakunle, it is his brother who is a mechanic that uses the bicycle most of the time. “If he has a job to do somewhere,” he said, “that is what he uses to go there.”
While Olakunle rides just for fun, to Tunde Olaoye, a graphic artist who resides in Surulere, cycling is his mode of transportation to and fro work daily. “It is very easy and cheap for me,” he said. “I don’t have to worry about hold-up or transport fare. I just get on my bike and go where I want to.”
Indeed, on nearly every nook and cranny of the state, there is someone pedalling, even contesting the use of the road with motorists. Asked whether he worries about being knocked down by other vehicles, Olaoye offered his advice offhandedly. “Anyone who is not expert enough should not ride on busy roads.”
Also, it seems the introduction of the Lagos State Traffic Law which banned commercial motorcycles of categories of 200CC engine capacity or less from 475 roads in the state, has increased the number of bicycles on the road.
One of those affected is Benjamin Okpokri who works as an office assistant in Ikeja and blames his biking on the absence of commercial motorcycles popularly called Okada. “In the course of my work, I have to move around at short notice,” he said. “Because they (government) have banned Okada, I can’t do that anymore. Since there is no law against bicycles, it was decided I could be using it to move around. At first I didn’t like the idea. But, I am now enjoying it.”
Because of this renewed interest in cycling, second-hand bikes have flooded the market, and bicycle sellers are having a field day. Akeem, a bicycle seller at the Computer village, Ikeja said he has been enjoying huge patronage. “I used to sell only used computer parts before,” he said. “But, for the past two years, I’ve been selling bicycles and it is moving well.”
The costs of these second-hand bicycles range from about N10, 000 to N35, 000 depending on the functionality. Also, adornments such as crash helmets are available but so at the moment, traffic law enforcement officials hardly look at that. Hence, it is a common sight to see many of the riders get on highways without the proper safeguards such as crash helmets, shin guards, and knee pads. In addition, reflective lamps, and headlights are often missing on many of the bicycles.
The risky activities of these riders however have come to the notice of the Lagos State Safety Commission headed by Mrs. Dominga Odebunmi, the director-general. According to her, bicycling is a legal form of transportation which the Lagos state government recognises. She however that caution must be adhered to by the riders.
“The fun must be done in a safe manner,” she said. “If anything happens to them, it’s not going to affect only them. I notice that we don’t have as many bicycles as so many other countries. But, we want to encourage that bicycle riders should make use of their personal protective equipment which is their hard hats, knee pads, chin pads, and ride not in between vehicles. They should ride where the vehicle drivers can actually see them in the mirror. And they should lower their speed. They don’t race against vehicles on the road.”
Good advice for the riders. And while some people believe biking is just a fad, there is no doubt that it is fast catching on. And whether for work or leisure, it seems this way of getting from point A to point B is going to be around for sometime. Anyone in doubt just needs to move around Lagos to see the citizens’ growing passion towards biking.
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Source: The Nation Newspaper
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Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Kamaru Usman has raked in a mammoth £1.1million, about N584.2 million after his impressive knockout victory over Jorge Masvidal on Saturday night, Sportivation.com.ng reports.
The Nigerian Nightmare has been handsomely rewarded for his stunning performance and he was the best-paid fighter on the card which was witnessed by 15, 000 fans in Florida.
According to Daily Mail, Usman earned £538,000 to show up, £459,000 pay-per-view bonus, a £43,000 sponsorship bonus and a well deserved £35,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Jorge Masvidal also earned £358,000 to show, £186,000 in pay-per-view money and a £28,000 sponsorship bonus.
This is the biggest payday of Usman’s career so far and the Welterweight champion also benefited from the fact that Masvidal is also a top draw for the fans.
Kamaru Usman is a Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler.
Sourced From: Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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