Opinion
Curbing the Carnage On Our Roads
Road accidents are perennial problems of Nigeria. Almost daily road accidents are reported in this country with loss of lives and properties. This is very unfortunate. Those who are driving should always drive with great care while driving innocent citizens so that lives could be saved. In the meantime, ninety people died in an accident which occurred in Kogi State. According to reports, the ‘accident happened when a trailer carrying fertilizer lost control and ran into a market killing the victims and injuring thirty-eight others. The accident occurred in the Dekina Local Government Area of the State. Properties worth millions of naira were also destroyed.
In his remarks, the Governor of the State, Mr Ibrahim Idris described the accident as very tragic. He stated that it was the saddest day of his life. The Governor challenged officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps to buckle up and stop some of these road accidents by effectively checking the vehicles and their drivers before allowing them to go on the roads. Governor Idris who visited the scene to have a first hand information of the accident directed that the thirty-eight injured people receiving treatment at the intensive care unit of the Dekine General Hospital should be transferred to the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, and the State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, for proper medical treatment. He said, the state government would settle the bill of the medical treatment and pay the burial expenses of the dead persons. The accident occurred on Saturday, December 19, 2009. Also speaking, the sector Commander of Ankpa Unit of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Abdul Adejo said the accident was as a result of reckless driving on the part of the driver and brake failure.
Similarly fifty people were killed in an accident involving a trailer and fourteen other vehicles at the New Market area of Felele on the outskirt of Kwara State. The accident happened on March 9, 2010. According to reports, the trailer” developed a brake failure and ran into the victims. Also, seventeen people were killed in a road accident which occurred in Okeho in the Kajola Local Government Area of Oyo State. The deceased were burnt to death when the 1S-seater bus in which they were travelling skipped off the road and crashed into a valley. The dead bodies of the victims were given a mass burial at the Sango Cemetery, lbadan. The accident occurred on December 12, 2009.
As already noted, drivers should take extra care whenever they are driving innocent citizens. Life, it should be stressed, has no duplicate. Those who have died in these accidents cannot be brought back to life again. This is why we appeal to drivers to observe traffic rulers anytime they are on the drivers seat. Most of the accidents on our roads are caused by reckless driving by some drivers.
In the Isolo area of Lagos an accident occurred on December 19, 2009, that took some lives. According to reports, tile accident occurred when a trailer loaded with bags of rice lost control and killed the victims. Many others sustained various degrees of injuries. The trailer lost control while approaching Oke Afo after its brake failed. Some traffic police officers later arrived the scene to ascertain the cause of the accident.
Earlier on August 3, 2009, nine people were killed in a road accident on the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi Road. The accident occurred when a trailer crashed into an 18-seater Toyota Hiace commercial bus. The nine passengers died on the spot. According to reports, the accident happened when one of the tyres of the trailer got burst. Because of this, the driver lost control and hit the Toyota bus. The Federal Road Safety Corps Unit Commander, Mr Thomas Odia attributed the cause of the accident to over speeding. The bodies of the victims were later taken to the Iruephen Central Hospital Ekpoma. This accident occurred after twenty-two people were killed in an accident near Odogbohi in Ogun State. The accident happened on the Sagamu Ore-axis of Lagos-Benin Expressway. The” victims of the accident were Enugu bound traders. The victims, it was further learnt, were held captive by armed robbers when they were crushed. The armed robbers seized their luxury bus, ordered them out and asked them to lie with their
faces downward on the road side. The trailer which was trying to avoid obstacles mounted by the armed robbers ran over them killing them on the stop.
Bauchi State has also had its own share of road accidents. For instance, eleven people were killed while several others were seriously injured in a ghastly road accident which occurred in the Gudi village near Bauchi. The accident involved an Izuzu bus with registration number AA4B SKP belonging to the Bauchi State Government and a Peugeot State Wagon with registration number AA72NNG. The two cars were involved in a head-on collision. The injured were taken to the Bauchi State Specialist Hospital for treatment. In his remarks, the head of operations, Bauchi State Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps Mr Muazu Aliyu attributed the accident to over speeding and overloading. He called for regular workshop for drivers.
Drivers should avoid alcoholic drinks and hard drugs while on the steering. Drunkenness is one of the causes of road accidents in Nigeria. Traffic rules should be obeyed by drivers always. Drivers should make sure that their vehicles are in good condition at all times to avoid brake failures. If all these are adhered to road accidents will be minimal and loss of lives checked.
Dr Tolofari is a Fellow, Institute Of Corporate Administration of Nigeria.
Mann Tolofari
Opinion
Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Opinion
Checking Herdsmen Rampage
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
Opinion
Is Nigeria Democratic Nation?
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
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