FRSC Credits Correctional Service for Decline in Road Crashes, Traffic Offences in FCT

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has attributed the decline in road crashes and traffic violations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to its growing collaboration with the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), particularly through the non-custodial sentencing system.

FCT Sector Commander of the FRSC, Corps Commander Tijjani Iliyasu, made the assertion on Thursday during a courtesy visit to the Controller of Corrections, FCT Command, Christopher Peter Jen, at the Command Headquarters in Abuja.

Iliyasu said the establishment of a Non-Custodial Desk Office at the FRSC FCT Sector Command and the deployment of Correctional Officers to the Corps’ mobile courts had significantly improved compliance with traffic regulations.

According to him, the prompt prosecution of traffic offenders through the mobile courts has served as a deterrent, leading to a marked reduction in traffic offences and road crashes across the FCT.

“With the establishment of the non-custodial desk office here at the FCT Sector Command and the presence of Correctional Officers in our mobile courts that punish traffic offenders almost immediately, we have witnessed a remarkable reduction in traffic offences and road crashes in the FCT,” he said.

The Sector Commander, however, noted that recklessness, indiscipline and disregard for traffic laws remain major contributors to road accidents. He urged motorists and road users to take safety seriously and avoid allowing ignorance or poor driving habits to endanger lives.

Responding, Controller of Corrections Christopher Peter Jen thanked the FRSC leadership for the visit and reaffirmed the commitment of the Nigerian Correctional Service to strengthening collaboration with the road safety agency.

Jen outlined the Service’s mandate of reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders, adding that the NCoS would continue to support the FRSC’s efforts to improve road safety and reduce crashes in the nation’s capital.

The meeting also explored additional areas of cooperation between the two agencies aimed at enhancing public safety and promoting greater compliance with traffic laws.

FRSC Credits Correctional Service for Decline in Road Crashes, Traffic Offences in FCT

NSCDC Arrests Six Over Abuja Pipeline Vandalism, Fuel Theft

By: Michael Mike

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has arrested six suspected petroleum pipeline vandals allegedly caught siphoning Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from vandalised Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) pipelines in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The suspects, all males aged between 20 and 32, were paraded on Thursday at the crime scene in Pagada I, Dobi Ward, Gwagwalada Area Council, where the illegal operation was uncovered.

Addressing journalists, the FCT Commandant of the NSCDC, Dr. Olusola Odumosu, said operatives of the Command’s Anti-Vandal Squad acted on credible intelligence and a tip-off about suspicious activities around the pipeline corridor.

According to him, the suspects were apprehended while allegedly scooping petrol from pipelines they had punctured using drilling equipment and loading the product into jerrycans and plastic bags.

Recovered exhibits included two motorcycles, two locally fabricated firearms, four 25-litre jerrycans containing suspected stolen PMS, two empty jerrycans, a shovel and hand drilling machines used to puncture the pipelines.

Odumosu disclosed that preliminary investigations revealed the suspects had carefully studied the terrain and identified points where underground pipelines contained fuel residue. He added that one of the suspects, an indigene of Pagada I, allegedly recruited two accomplices from the Lambata area to participate in the operation.

He further alleged that three members of a local vigilante group were involved in the crime by providing protection and support for the vandals during the illegal operation.

The commandant said investigations were ongoing to track down other members of the criminal network, while the Nigeria Petroleum Storage Company had been notified to repair and secure the damaged pipelines.

Describing pipeline vandalism as economic sabotage, Odumosu warned that the Corps would not tolerate the destruction of critical national infrastructure.

“We condemn in strong terms any form of vandalism in the FCT, whether it involves petroleum pipelines, manhole covers, crash barriers, bridge aluminium, streetlights, armoured cables, transformers or railway sleepers. These are deliberate acts intended to undermine and cripple the nation’s economy,” he said.

He noted that pipeline vandalism not only contributes to fuel scarcity and environmental degradation but also exposes nearby communities to the risk of devastating fire outbreaks and threatens agricultural activities in affected areas.

The NSCDC boss vowed that anyone found vandalising public assets for personal gain would face the full weight of the law.

Odumosu also appealed to residents and traditional institutions to support security agencies with timely and credible information, assuring that informants’ identities would be protected.

“When you see something, say something, and we will do something,” he said.

Speaking at the event, the Councillor representing Dobi Ward, Gado Shuaibu, commended the NSCDC for its swift response and urged residents to desist from acts of vandalism, warning that he would not intervene on behalf of anyone arrested for such offences.

Similarly, the Village Chief of Pagada I, Abubakar Ibrahim, pledged the community’s continued cooperation with security agencies to protect critical infrastructure and prevent future incidents.

The latest arrests come amid renewed efforts by security agencies to curb pipeline vandalism and the theft of petroleum products, crimes that have continued to undermine Nigeria’s oil sector, threaten public safety and inflict significant economic losses on the country.

NSCDC Arrests Six Over Abuja Pipeline Vandalism, Fuel Theft

NIMC Seals Strategic Partnerships with Women Affairs Ministry, BOI to Deepen Digital Identity, Financial Inclusion

By: Michael Mike

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has stepped up efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s identity management system through strategic partnerships with

key government institutions, as part of measures to expand digital identity coverage, promote financial inclusion and drive socio-economic development.

The initiative, championed by the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, is anchored on the newly enacted NIMC Act 2026, which the Commission says provides a stronger legal framework for inclusive identity management and inter-agency collaboration.

As part of the engagement, Coker-Odusote led a NIMC delegation on a working visit to the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, where the team held discussions with the Minister, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, on expanding access to legal identity for women, girls and other vulnerable groups.

The discussions centred on leveraging the provisions of the NIMC Act 2026 to improve identity registration and support evidence-based policies aimed at empowering women and strengthening social interventions.

The Minister commended the Commission’s efforts in advancing Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem and pledged the ministry’s support, noting that a secure and inclusive identity system is essential for improving access to financial services, healthcare, education, social protection and other family-centred programmes.

In a separate engagement, the NIMC leadership visited the Bank of Industry (BOI), where Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Olasupo Olusi, described the NIMC Act 2026 as a landmark legislation with far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s financial sector.

According to Olusi, the law would significantly enhance identity verification, facilitate access to credit, strengthen risk management and improve the security of digital financial transactions.

He remarked that the legislation appeared “almost as if it was enacted specifically for the finance industry,” underscoring its potential to transform financial service delivery.

The Bank of Industry also reaffirmed its commitment to working with NIMC in deploying robust digital identity infrastructure to support inclusive economic growth and broaden access to financial opportunities.

The two engagements underscored a shared commitment by the institutions to expand access to secure digital identities—particularly for women and vulnerable populations—while strengthening financial inclusion, improving public service delivery and enhancing collaboration among government agencies.

NIMC said it would continue engagements with Ministries, Departments and Agencies on the implementation of the NIMC Act 2026 as part of efforts to build an integrated national identity ecosystem capable of supporting Nigeria’s development agenda.

NIMC Seals Strategic Partnerships with Women Affairs Ministry, BOI to Deepen Digital Identity, Financial Inclusion