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Passengers assaulted as Lagos bus drivers protest alleged extortion
There was confusion on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos on Tuesday as commuter bus drivers protested alleged extortion by officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) and council officials.
The protest grounded public transportation in the axis as the protesters reportedly whipped passengers inside few buses that defied the no-work order and the effects extended to other areas, leaving many passengers stranded at various bus stops, according to The Nation’s report.
Commuter bus operators last week also downed tools in the Ikotun and Igando areas of the state over allegations of extortion that led to the killing of one of their colleagues.
Commuters were forced to trek from Iyana-Isolo to Mile Two as the protesters ordered them off defiant vehicles.
At Cele Bus Stop, a bus driver and a commercial motorcyclist were injured by armed hoodlums who joined the protests.
A motorcyclist, who attempted to defy the stop- work order, was slashed on the hand with a machete by a thug as he sped off with his fare.
The Nation gathered that the protesters set up bonfires on the expressway, inward Oshodi and prevented commercial vehicles, motorcyclists from operating on both sides of the road.
But private vehicles and tricycles were not prevented from operating, a development that saw tricyclists increasing their fares by 50 per cent.
Passengers, who succeeded in boarding commercial vehicles or motorbikes, were ordered to disembark.
Most passengers were forced to trek long distances in order to meet up with their engagements.
Displaying placards with inscriptions such as “End LASTMA brutality” “End Taskforce wahala”, “End LASTMA blocking, blocking with Taskforce” and “End Taskforce in Lagos State”, the protesters chanted “No more Taskforce.”
According to them, the officials routinely and indiscriminately seize their vehicles and made them pay huge amount of money before they are released.
A bus driver, who gave his name as “Sefiu” lamented his ordeal in the hands of the officials.
He said two of his buses were recently impounded “for no reason” by Taskforce officials.
“I paid N55, 000 to recover one of them. They are always harassing us. The road we follow to the airport has been blocked for repairs, yet when we follow the alternative route, which is one-way, they’ll arrest us,” he lamented.
Another protester, Kingsley, claimed they were being intimidated by government officials.
“Their wahala is too much. We want Governor Babajide (Sanwo-Olu) to help us,” he added.
Chibuike, who identified himself as a bus driver and member of the National Union of Road Transport Worker (NURTW), also accused the officials of extortion.
He urged the state government to intervene.
Contacted for reaction, the Public Affairs Officer (PAO) of Taskforce, Femi Moliki, said no official of the agency operates between Toyota and Mile 2, adding that the agency was reorganising its operation to prevent illegal taskforce operatives in the metropolis.
Moliki said 16 suspects were arrested for allegedly taking advantage of the peaceful protest to carry out violence and rob commuters.
He said the miscreants were caught molesting passersby and destroying public facilities.
The Nation
Auto
Jetour attributes Nigeria’s award to customers loyalty, innovation
Jetour attributes Nigeria’s award to customers loyalty, innovation
Jetour has been declared the fastest growing auto brand in Nigeria.
The award was announced on Wednesday December 11, 2024 in Lagos at an impressive ceremony organised by the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA).
Jetour representative in Nigeria, Jetour Mobility Services, has taken to its Facebook page to celebrate its customers for making this to happen, attributing the success to its commitment to innovation in creating remarkable driving experiences.
Jetour known for its luxury offerings is one of China’s most revered auto brands, a marque of Chery Holding Group established in 2018.
It mainly produces crossovers and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs).
The recognition of Jetour as the Fastest Growing Auto Brand in the country is coming about a year after its introduction into the Nigerian market.
Jetour arrived in Nigeria in the last quarter of last year. And the SUVs available for this market are X70 – Liberty, X70 Plus – Elegance, X90 Plus – Cruise and Dashing.
Chairman of the NAJA Awards Organising Committee, Mr Theodore Opara, said despite being new in the Nigerian market, the brand was quickly able to secure a prominent place for itself in the highly competitive industry and received considerable attention from new car enthusiasts.
The committee, he added, had no difficulty in picking the brand as the fastest growing in the Nigerian auto market.
The name “Jetour” is a combination of the word “jet” and “tour”, which according to the automaker signifies a “convenient journey”. And its models try to depict this connotation in designs and performance.
Jetour Mobility Services said it considered the award a great honour, adding that it was a validation of its commitment to innovation and creating remarkable driving experiences.
The firm celebrates the award on its Facebook page with the following comments:
“We’re honoured to be named the Fastest Growing Auto Brand of the Year at the prestigious NAJA Auto Awards, powered by the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association.
“This achievement is a testament to our commitment to innovation, quality, and creating unforgettable driving experiences.
“A huge thank you to our amazing customers and everyone who has been a part of the journey — your trust propels us forward! Cheers to more milestones ahead!”
Jetour says its focus is to be a leader in mobility as well as provide reasonable travel solutions for individuals and families.
Its goal is to provide an excellent vehicle that demonstrates individuality for today’s young people, it adds.
As in the global market, the brand users in Nigeria are said to be an uncompromising group of individuals, unwilling to settle for less.
Jetour is not only winning in Nigeria, it is also a toast of a section of the Saudi market. One of its models, Dashing, recently won the Best Midsize Crossover Award for 2023-2024.
National Automotive Supply Company, the authorised distributor of Jetour vehicles in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, announced that the new and advanced Jetour Dashing won the “Best Midsize Crossover” award during the awards ceremony of the 11th edition of the “PR Arabia National Automotive Award” in Saudi.
Jetour Dashing was announced as the winner at the ceremony held in mid-November in Jeddah under the patronage of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and in the presence of several princes and VIPs, as well as representatives of regional offices of automotive brands.
Auto
Yuletide: Chisco deploys new luxury, mini buses, top quality services
Yuletide: Chisco deploys new luxury, mini buses, top quality services
…hails Tinubu for 50% fare rebate
Nigeria’s Transport Company of the Year, Chisco Transport Ltd, has deployed in various routes nationwide its newly procured new luxury and mini buses with the latest innovative features in the industry.
It assured the travelling public of safe and top quality services on all its routes this Christmas/New Year season, and beyond.
It stated this in a statement released on Tuesday, adding that the company, which had been one of the country’s front runners in long distance passenger transportation and logistics for over 45 years, recently inaugurated about four new branches in order to bring its services closer to its teeming customers.
It listed some of the new branches that had helped to boost service delivery this Yuletide season as in Awka, Enugu, and on Okota Road (near Cele Bus Stop on Oshodi-Apapa expressway), Lagos.
It stated, “This is in addition to embarking on a comprehensive maintenance of the existing fleet of buses in order to ensure they are in roadworthy shape for trips across Nigeria and the Lagos-Cotonou-Lome-Accra international route.
“Apart from advanced safety features like real-time GPS tracking and efficient safety systems, the new-look Chisco Transport fleet, featuring state-of-the-art buses, has all it takes to guarantee that passengers travel in style with their comfort and safety prioritised this season.”
It stated that the updated fleet had enhanced the popular Chisco 24 to 48-hour nationwide mail and parcel services.
All these, the leading transport solutions and logistics provider said, are part of deliberate efforts to ensure seamless and comfortable bus and logistic services to the customers during the 2024 Yuletide season and thereafter.
Chisco’s Head of Business Operations, Mr Buchi Ochuba, in the statement explained that the same commitment to ensuring safe and comfortable trips out of major cities and towns before Christmas, would also be deployed to return journeys in the new year.
He said that the management was aware that the huge investments the company had been making towards upscaling its services recently earned it the Transport Company of the Year at the recent Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) Awards in Lagos.
Ochuba reiterated Chisco Transport’s resolve to sustain the high standards that earned the company an enviable reputation, as well as continue investments in safety and comfort of travellers that have earned it the confidence of the travelling public and the auto journalists’ award.
“We appreciate the fact that in adjudging Chisco Transport the Transport Company of the Year, NAJA must have taken into consideration the high standards of our services, the over 50 new air-conditioned buses we procured recently, the new branches we inaugurated, our customer reward scheme and other investments we made to enhance passenger transportation and logistics,” Ochuba stated.
According to him, everything is in place to make certain that the teeming Chisco Transport customers all over Nigeria and on the international route enjoy top quality services, adding “We wish them a wonderful Christmas and a highly prosperous 2025.”
Chisco Transport also applauded President Bola Tinubu for the gesture of subsidising inter-state luxury bus transport fares by 50 percent this Christmas season.
Drawing attention to the importance of infrastructure to the road transportation business, the statement further commended the President for the appreciable allocations for the sector in the 2025 budget.
“We, therefore, wish to urge members of his cabinet to put in more deliberate efforts to help the President attain his vision with speedy and prudent execution inspired by patriotism.”
On the current sharp increase in fares across the routes, the award-winning transport company blamed the situation on rising costs of maintaining the buses, as well as on the high pump prices of diesel and petrol.
The Head of Operations, however, added that at the peak of every Christmas season, long distance buses are almost empty during return trips, which leads to a situation whereby the fares for the first journeys are raised to cushion the losses incurred during reverse trips.
Auto
Coscharis Motors clinches Nigeria’s Multi-Luxury Company Award as Range Rover Autobiography emerges Luxury SUV
Coscharis Motors clinches Nigeria’s Multi-Luxury Company Award as Range Rover Autobiography emerges Luxury SUV
It is a double honour for Coscharis Motors Plc, one of the subsidiaries of the respected conglomerate, Coscharis Group, as it was declared Multi-Luxury Company of the Year and one of its iconic luxury brands, Range Rover Autobiography, was adjudged the Nigeria’s Luxury SUV of the Year at the 2024 edition of the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association Awards.
The well attended event was held recently at the prestigious Oriental Hotels, Lagos.
Coscharis Motors, a household name in topnotch globally respected luxury automobile brands in Nigeria, has been the exclusive representative of the British iconic luxury brand of the Jaguar Land Rover and the German pride in the luxury segment of the BMW brand over many decades.
The company in 2023 added another new luxury brand from United Kingdom into the Nigeria market which is the Grenadier from the Ineos group in UK. The Grenadier is a brand new product globally which is equally being represented in Nigeria by Coscharis Motors as a new addition to its existing ‘House of luxury’ when it comes to automobile of repute.
The luxury SUV category was keenly contested with other tested luxury brands but the Range Rover Autobiography came tops, according to the organizers, after strong consideration of the market acceptance of the Autobiography in all ramifications.
The All New Range Rover Autobiography variant is revolutionary, reliable and a class on its own with its special appeal, style that resonates with its priority audience when it comes to luxury, class, comfort and performance.
Receiving the award on behalf of Coscharis Motors, the General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Coscharis Group, Mr. Abiona Babarinde, dedicated the award to all the Coscharis Motors customers, especially the luxury brand enthusiasts for their acceptability of all the luxury brands in the Portfolio namely the Jaguar Land Rover, BMW and the new Grenadier respectively as their preferred luxury automobile of choice.
He said, “These awards only reconfirm our expertise in delivering top notch luxury experience to our premium customers while maintaining the global standard of brand positioning to discerning customers in the ever dynamic Nigerian market.
“Representing these globally respected iconic brands over the years exclusively in Nigeria involves consistent delivering of value for money that involves the total luxury experience from the point of brand awareness to the purchase stage and the aftersales service experience to deliver the peace of mind required.”
Group Managing Director of Coscharis Motors Plc, Mr. Josiah Samuel, also dedicated the awards to the company’s ever loyal customers for their patronage and acceptance of the brands with a promise to continually create more value in the automobile industry in Nigeria.
He said, “There can’t be another best way to end the business year in 2024 than with these set of prestigious awards despite all the business challenges in the year and more importantly that the awards are coming from a very critical stakeholder / partner like the media.”
The award event attracted various stakeholders that are players in the automotive sector in Nigeria.
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