From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
It was a Monday morning in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. A motley crowd, comprising mostly youths and middle-aged persons, surrounded an elderly man that lay prostrate on the ground by the sidewalk along the Custain-Customs Highway. The man on the ground had just been knocked down by a tricycle, popularly called Keke NAPEP, and was groaning in pain from the brushes on his left ankle and arm.
The scene attracted the attention of a traffic policeman and two Civilian JTF men (state-backed youth vigilantes) who tried to clear the congestion on the highway created by the crowd. The traffic officer had barely moved to the middle of the road when another tricycle, apparently in a hurry, rammed into a posh car from behind, causing serious damage to the car and injuring the three passengers on board the Keke NAPEP. The confusion that trailed the incident lasted for about 20 minutes, leading to a gridlock.
Such incidents are replicated in many tricycle accidents experienced daily by residents of Maiduguri. Many residents lament that the Keke NAPEP has become one of their major headaches in an area just coming out of insurgency. And the authorities seem confused on how to address the situation.
“Driving on any busy road in Maiduguri is a pain,” Patrick Mark, a resident, lamented. “It’s very challenging because of the recklessness of tricycle operators and the zero knowledge of traffic rules. Hardly would your car escape their assault in a day. This is the situation in Maiduguri, with a population of nearly 2.5 million people.”
Keke NAPEP was adopted as a means of transportation in Borno in mid 2014 after the state banned the use of motorcycles, otherwise known as okada, which had then gained notoriety in the area. Apart from incessant accidents associated with the motorbikes, they were also used by Boko Haram terrorists to trail and kill residents, after which the insurgents would escape to the outskirts of the city. Government was, therefore, compelled to ban the motorcycles. About 5,000 new tricycles, were then distributed to former okada riders to address the deficit created by the ban. The state government said the tricycles were given out to former okada riders and unemployed youths on soft loan basis to create jobs.
“The introduction of Keke NAPEP is to serve two purposes, to engage many of our youths who have lost their means of livelihood as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency. It will also address the transportation problem caused by the ban on motorcycles,” Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, said at the distribution of the first batch of tricycles in 2014.
At the time, residents received the Keke NAPEP with open arms, savouring the seeming comfort that the three wheelers brought to the transport system in the state. However, the euphoria that trailed the introduction of Keke NAPEP did not last. Soon, residents began to see the tricycles as a menace capable of causing even more havoc than the outlawed motorbikes.
“Tricycle accidents often claim more casualties than those of motorcycles because of its capacity to transport at least three passengers at a time,” Musa Lawan, a teacher explained. “Most operators of keke lack basic knowledge of traffic rules.”
Similar views were expressed by Yusuf Adamu, a civil servant who had been involved in two Keke NAPEP mishaps.
“I have suffered twice from Keke NAPEP accidents and I realised that most of the drivers have no knowledge of traffic regulations. Many of them don’t even understand the different types of traffic lights. They just hit the road, over-speeding and overtaking anyhow and anywhere,” Yusuf told Daily Sun.
Some residents also blamed the state government for not organising any training on traffic laws before distributing the tricycles to the youths. Hannatu Mohammed, an undergraduate, decried the poor handling of the operations of Keke NAPEP in the state.
“There is no regulation and that is why operators of Keke NAPEP drive the way they like. This has caused many of them a lot of problem too. To me, the loose system gave room for some sort of lawlessness to the extent that even underage boys ride Keke NAPEP,” she said.
A retired police officer who preferred anonymity also supported Hannatu’s claim. “I have handled accidents caused by tricycles on many occasions and underage riders are usually the cause,” he said. He also attributed lack of designated parks or bus stops in the city for the Keke NAPEP as a reason for the incessant violation of traffic rules by the tricycle operators. He said many of the tricycle drivers often stop in the middle of the road to pick passengers.
A senior nursing officer at the State Specialist Hospital told the reporter that the hospital often received victims of road accidents involving Keke NAPEP, adding that victims of bomb attacks, however, always got more attention due to the severity of their injuries.
Some clinics and pharmaceutical shops in the city visited by the reporter confirmed that Keke NAPEP accidents were a common feature on Maiduguri roads.
“It is a regular thing. Hardly would a day pass without our clinic treating accident victims from Keke NAPEP,” a nurse told the reporter.
The Borno State secretary, Keke NAPEP Participants Development Association (KENAPDA), Isiaka Alhaji Ado, however, appealed to residents to be patient with the tricycle operators. He said the association had constituted a task force to sanitise the situation.
“We have a task force that goes round to monitor the activities of Keke NAPEP riders. We are out to curtail recklessness and violation of traffic rules,” he said. He solicited the cooperation of residents to halt the growing menace of operators of tricycles in the metropolis: “We need the cooperation of the people. We should correct the riders whenever they drive recklessly or abuse traffic regulations rather than abuse them.”
Ado disclosed that the association has also commenced an enlightenment process among members at the different units in the metropolis in a campaign that would be held for about one month. He said the group was liaising with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to ensure that the activities of KENAPDA members do not compromise the emerging peace and security of the state.
He said KENAPDA had disciplined about 2,100 members over traffic violations but noted that the body was more interested in correcting members than pushing them out of business.
“The situation we find ourselves in here in Borno State requires caution and does not encourage arrest of members anyhow,” he said. According to Ado, the association has registered about 9,500 tricycles in the capital with black identification numbers, even as he urged residents to be wary of unregistered ones. “They could be used by some people to perpetrate criminal acts,” he said.
In the face of the outcry from residents, how has the federal agency responsible for the maintenance of road rules been regulating the activities of Keke NAPEP operators?
Sector Commander of the FRSC in Borno State, Shehu Illiyasu, said his command intended to train 400 tricycle riders in December. He noted that the six-year insurgency was responsible for the perceived lawlessness of the Keke NAPEP riders.
“People should know the state is just coming out of insurgency and with some level of lawlessness of the past, it will be challenging to return the people to order easily. People have been used to such lawless acts in the last six years and they need time to adjust.
“Things will get better, especially the way the state government is tackling the challenges,” he said. He explained that the training would also involve other stakeholders, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, which would educate the operators of tricycles on the danger of drugs.
Honour for The Sun MD in Lagos,
Igbo group rolls out the drums for Osagie, Ukiwe, others
By Job Osazuwa and Gilbert Ekezie
Igbo traders in Lagos, under the auspices of Ndigboamaka, South East, recently rolled out the drums in honour of some personalities they noted have distinguished themselves in different fields.
Among those garlanded was the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun Publishing Limited, Mr. Eric Osagie.
The group, which comprises 58 major market associations and professionals residing in the state, says it has been at the forefront of fostering unity, social and economic advancement of the Igbo.
It was a convivial evening, with an array of prominent Igbo sons and daughters. The event provided ample opportunity for friends and business associates to exchange pleasantries and interact, as most of the members wore white and red outfit, which added colour and splendour to the arena where the event took place.
Comedian, Mr. Udemezue Chinedu, fondly called Mr. Melody, kept the venue alive as he thrilled the audience with jokes. Igbo songs intermittently reverberated inside and beyond the hall.
Founder and national coordinator of Ndigboamaka, Mr. Basil Osuokwu, said the award night was part of activities to celebrate the association’s fifth anniversary.
“We founded the association to better organise the markets dominated by the Igbo, to eliminate all the crises that are associated with market activities. We champion the welfare of our people and also liaise with government in policy-making for the good of the state. Our agenda is also to sensitise Igbo traders on their rights and to give them a strong voice in the scheme of things.
“We have come a long way and have seen the need to celebrate this progressive movement. Our people and some friends of Ndigboamaka were honoured today for their immense contributions to the country,” he said.
He poured encomiums on The Sun’s MD, describing Osagie as a detribalised Nigerian who has not only distinguished himself in journalism but also helped in nation-building through his incisive articles. He said Osagie’s award was well-deserved.
Corroborating the founder’s position, the association’s public relations officer, Prince Chidi Nwafor, described Osagie as a patriotic Nigerian whose affiliation cuts across tribes and religions.
“The Igbo community holds him in high esteem because he is pragmatic. He has done so well in journalism for the development of the country. His type of person is rare to find in our present generation. Though he is not an Igbo man, he is doing for the Igbo, through his position, what many of our people have not done. We need more people like him in our country, so that Nigeria can be more united and proudly called one nation. That is why we found him fit to be recognised today,” Nwafor said.
He said, so far, Ndigboamaka has been able to unite traders in Lagos to pursue a common goal.
In his response, Osagie described the award as a great honour to The Sun newspaper. He promised that the newspaper would continue to serve the people, by standing on the side of the truth.
HE said, “On behalf of the publisher of The Sun, Dr. Orji Kalu, this award is wonderful to us. The newspaper will continue to serve humanity and the country. It will also continue to project the interest of Ndigbo as well as other regions.”
Those that accompanied Osagie to the event include the Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Steve Nwosu; Executive Director, Special Duties, Mr. Bolaji Tunji; Editor, Saturday, Mr. Bruce Malogo; General Manager, Special Publications, Mr. Kunle Solaja; and General Manager, Finance Mr. Obioma Ogukwe.
Chairman of the occasion, Chief Okey Ezeibe, explained that the traders were not carried along in the affairs of Ndigbo. That was the reason for the formation of Ndigboamaka five years ago.
Ezeibe described Igbo people as hard-working and intelligent people who have all it takes to rule the country. He said it was time that they put their house in order so as to take over the mantle of leadership in Nigeria.
“We are proud to be identified as Ndigbo. I see Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as a good leader who put Nigeria in the right direction. It showed that Igbo could do it better,” he said.
Vice President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Ejiofor Onyia, who represented the President-General, Gary Ighariwe, also commended Ndigboamaka for its developmental drive but advised the members to always remember to invest in their hometowns. In his words: “We should stop the idea of investing outside while our home is empty.”
He also urged them to join hands to achieve every laudable Igbo cause, even as he called on all Igbo groups to totally support Ohanaeze Ndigbo in achieving peace and progress.
Former Vice President, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (rtd), affirmed that the Igbo were in need of a stronger voice to translate desires into reality.
Ukiwe, who was honoured as patron, called on members of the group to remain committed and focused, noting that peace was paramount for development and sustainability.
“We, as Ndigbo, should remain focused and hardworking and remember where we come from. Most importantly, we should see ourselves as one,” he said.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Capital Oil and Gas, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, also expressed joy over the bold steps Ndigboamaka took in organising the event, pointing out that it would go a long way in strengthening the people to face their challenges.
He described Ndigboamaka as another eye for Ndigbo in Lagos, as he called on the Igbo to be politically conscious.
He said: “We need an eye and, therefore, should be more interested in partisan politics because we cannot continue to be servants to others. We can see that the development of Nigeria in the next 50 years is in the hands of the same set of people without a single Igbo person. In fact, something has to be done to correct the anomaly.”
Ubah, who was also honoured as patron, called on Ndigboamaka to build an institution for Igbo people, where they can further be tutored on the language as well as the preservation of Igbo culture and tradition.
Chairman of Greenlife Pharmaceuticals Limited, Dr. Obiora Chukwuka, also commended Ndigboamaka for the programme and called on Ndigbo to do everything possible to be organised, so as to be more formidable in fighting their common cause.
Others who received recognition include Gen. Ike Nwachukwu (rtd), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Colonades Hotels and Resorts Limited, Chief Charles Udunukwe, President of Aka Ikenga, Chief Goddy Uwazurike, and Chief Executive Officer, Chelsea Hotels, Chief Patrick Chidolue, among others.