News
Yuletide/New Year: Peace Mass initiates extra measures for safety on highway
Industry leaders, Peace Mass Transit Limited, has initiated extra measures to ensure safety on the highway for its personnel and passengers this festive season and beyond.
A statement signed by the General Manager
Ifeanyi Enet said the multi pronged strategy is a combination of purpose-built solutions, aimed at achieving zero accident records this period, and reducing other avoidable disruptive incidences in the course of scheduled journeys, to the barest minimum.
Drivers, who are rated the main component in the road transport chain, have been made to go through special safe driving rehearsals, by PMT highly experienced internal regulators, led by Safety Manager, Sunday Igwegbe. Igwegbe, is a retired DSP and former Ebonyi State Traffic Commander .
The ongoing exercise he said is organised and seamless, as drivers who pull into the Emene, Enugu headquarters of the company, for special or scheduled maintenance, are taken in for quick safety drills, ostensibly to certify that they are still up to date with their highway codes, and crucially, that they have no inhibitive habits or health challenges, like drunkeness or poor eyesight.
Enet stressed that only a healthy driver, in good frame of mind, will be able to cope with the rigours of the busy highway, at all times , particularly during the busy festive season!
“Those refresher activities are in addition to the statutory certification trainings conducted for our drivers by the Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC), at least twice a year.
“Training and retraining of drivers are highly recommended by FRSC as regulatory agency as cardinal policy for reduction of accident on the highway.
“Peace Mass Transit has consistently won awards/commendations from FRSC which is empowered by law, to regulate road transport, for its diligence and priority attention given to driver training and welfare, since inception.
“To ensure maintenance matters are attended to promptly, the company has now had to decentralize maintenance operations for the PMT fleet, across the country. Under the new arrangement, every depot now has its own full compliment of resident maintenance personnel, comprising mechanics and auto electricians.
‘This new concept ensures that vehicles are double-checked on arrival at every destination point, to guarantee their road worthiness for seamless operations.
“Apart from timely maintenance of vehicles, drivers are required to request for replacement of tyres on attainment of a given mileage. PMT uses only brand new tyres for its fleet. Ditto, batteries.
“One other enduring policy that has served Peace Mass and its customers so well over the years, is prohibition of so-called “return journeys” by drivers on the highway route. Only drivers on short/local routs, not exceeding one hour, are permitted to do multiple trips.The expression of “Return Journey” in road transport refers to a driver getting to his destination, and promptly embarking on yet another journey!
“PMT, by this policy, reckon that drivers need adequate recovery time,to be in the best possible condition to travel safely , including good rest.
“The company has, unarguably,the largest bus fleet in the country, deep enough to meet even extraordinary passenger demands, in special seasons, and its drivers have enough recovery time.
PMT General Manager, Ifeanyi Enete, affirmed that extra measures had been taken to cope with the demands of the season, and going forward.
“We always look at where and where we need to tinker with the things we do and how we do them, to be able to serve the public better”, he explained.
” Safety is of paramount importance to us and every customer, so no price is too much to pay in terms of commitment of resources”
“The additional infrastructure we have put in place across our depots, means more personnel and higher budget, but we think they are all justified”, he assured.
“Our customers, who have kept faith with us all these years, deserve even more”.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police .
The six persons led by Mr Chukwuebuka Ohaechesi, include Emma Okonkwo, Jude Uwa, Gentle Okoro, Uchenna Dike, and Emmanuel Nwankwo who are said to be at large.
The were said to have fled to neighboring states in the South East hence signaling the other four Police Commands in the geopolitical zone to assist in the manhunt for them
The Police accused them of executing protests against the detaintion of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving jail terms in Sokoto Correction Center.
According to a statement issued by the Abia Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Eguavon Omokaro, the individuals are suspected members of IPOB who have allegedly participated in protests at various times and locations within the state.
The statement alleged that the protests were organised in connection with the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demands for justice through the judicial process.
The Police Command further stated that these protests have allegedly resulted in breaches of peace and disruptions to law and order in Abia State. Consequently, the Police Intelligence Department reportedly concluded that the named individuals were among the principal organisers and coordinators of the demonstrations.
The statement further alleged that; ;
“It should be noted that on every 30th day of May, these men and their cohorts convene for the so-called remembrance of Biafra, holding clandestine meetings at various locations in the name of the emancipation of the Biafran Republic and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to the police, the six individuals were invited on several occasions for questioning in relation to the allegations against them.
The statement indicated that the first invitation was issued on 18 December 2025, followed by a second invitation on 7 February 2026, and a third invitation on 3 March 2026.
The police alleged that the individuals failed to honour all three invitations.
The statement further asserted:
“These individuals were invited by the police on several occasions. Firstly, on 18 December 2025, they failed to honour the invitation. Again, they were invited on 7th February 2026 and failed to appear. Finally, they were invited on 3 March 2026, and they also failed to present themselves before the police.” It stated.
As a result, the Abia State Police Command announced that all six individuals had been formally declared wanted.
The police appealed to members of the public to provide any reliable information that could lead to their arrest and prosecution, stating that informants would be suitably rewarded.
The declaration of the six individuals as wanted persons is linked to allegations of their participation in pro-Biafra activities, demonstrations concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and their alleged association with IPOB, an organisation that has been the subject of extensive scrutiny and security operations by Nigerian authorities.
In a statement shared on social media, VeryDarkMan argued that Wike may not fully understand the pain and trauma experienced by parents of abducted children and affected teachers. He claimed that the minister’s children were educated abroad, away from the security challenges facing many Nigerian families.Nigerian entertainment news
The activist stated that insecurity, kidnapping, and attacks on schools remain serious national concerns and should not be dismissed or reduced to political issues. He stressed that the fears and frustrations of parents whose children face security threats deserve greater attention from public officials.
VeryDarkMan further warned that political power is temporary, urging leaders to remain accountable to the people and sensitive to the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
DSS Detains Novelist Okey Ndibe at Lagos Airport, Awaits Clearance from Abuja
Renowned Nigerian novelist, journalist, and academic, Okey Ndibe, was reportedly detained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday morning.
Ndibe disclosed his situation in a message sent while in custody, stating: “I’ve been with the SSS now for more than an hour. They’re waiting for clearance from some oga before they let me go.”
According to sources close to the writer, his detention follows a pattern that dates back to previous administrations, including that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, during which he was frequently stopped and questioned over his critical commentaries on Nigerian governance and public affairs.
However, associates noted that Ndibe has largely stepped away from active commentary in Nigerian media over the past two years, focusing instead on writing books and his academic responsibilities at University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches.
A close friend of the author and former Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, said similar incidents had occurred several times in the past. He explained that airport DSS officials typically contacted their superiors in Abuja before eventually releasing Ndibe.
“It is a pity that this agency doesn’t update its database to enable officers on duty at the airport to know that the agency no longer regards Prof. Ndibe as a security threat to the administration,” Adinuba said.
He added that on previous occasions, the DSS had apologized to the respected author after determining that his detention was unwarranted.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the DSS regarding the circumstances surrounding Ndibe’s latest detention. The development has raised renewed concerns about the treatment of government critics and the continued use of security watchlists affecting returning Nigerians.
Hegseth made the disclosure during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, where he said the directive was issued about a year ago after Trump became aware of attacks against Christians in Nigeria.
He explained that the operation involved behind-the-scenes coordination and deployment of military assets, adding that intelligence gathered during the mission contributed to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as ISIS’s second-in-command, during a joint operation involving U.S. and Nigerian forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
“Maybe a year ago, he heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS in Nigeria, and he said, ‘Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything we can to protect those Christians,’” Hegseth said.
According to him, the operation yielded significant results in the fight against terrorism in the region.
“And we got the assets there, and over the last month, and there hasn’t been much coverage of this, we killed ISIS number two in Nigeria, who’s most responsible for killing Christians and trying to target the U.S. homeland,” he stated.
Hegseth added that working on the Intel gathered, they have killed hundreds of ISIS members who were targeting and killing Christians in Nigeria.
The U.S. defence chief described the operation as part of the Trump administration’s broader commitment to counterterrorism efforts and the protection of vulnerable communities.
“So there are a lot of things we do that the media pays attention to, and a lot of things that the President empowers the Department to do on behalf of the American people that he deserves great credit for,” Hegseth stated.
ISIS second in command, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was killed in a coordinated U.S.-Nigeria military operation in northeast Nigeria earlier this month.
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