The Enugu State Government has unveiled plans to restrict the movement of tricycles (Keke), yellow buses, and minibuses on five major corridors within the state capital as preparations intensify for the rollout of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.

The Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Obi Ozor, disclosed this on Monday during a consultative meeting with transport unions and stakeholders at the ministry’s headquarters in Enugu.

According to him, the affected corridors include:

• Okpara Avenue – Abakaliki Road – New Haven Junction – Naira Triangle – Emene Airport,
• Ogui Road – Chime Avenue – Naira Triangle,
• New Haven Junction – Bisala Road – Rangers Avenue – WAEC – Nkpokiti – Zik’s Avenue,
• Ogui Road – Presidential Road – WAEC – Nkpokiti, and
• The entire Agbani Road axis.

These routes, he explained, will become dedicated BRT lanes as part of Governor Peter Mbah’s vision to reposition Enugu as a modern, multimodal, and globally competitive urban centre.

Dr. Ozor stressed that tricycles were not built for high-speed roadways, noting that their presence on major highways endangers lives and obstructs smooth traffic flow.

“This reform is not about displacing anyone,” he said.

“It is about reorganizing the transport ecosystem so BRT buses operate on primary routes, yellow buses serve secondary roads, and tricycles provide last-mile connectivity. Everyone retains a place in the value chain.”

He also revealed that the state had taken delivery of 200 CNG-powered BRT buses and 4,000 electric taxis, to be assembled at ANAMMCO in Enugu.

The first batch of 1,000 taxis is expected within three months.

As part of the evolving transport network, the government has constructed 84 modern bus shelters, built around safety, accessibility, and affordability.

With approximately two million daily commuters in Enugu, Dr. Ozor said the city requires a minimum of 8,000 buses to meet demand.

The newly acquired BRT buses, he said, come equipped with padded seating, functional air-conditioning, WiFi, and safety monitoring systems.

“No passenger stands in these buses,” he noted. “Every vehicle is monitored from our central command centre, and BRT fares now enjoy a 47% subsidy to ease transportation costs.”

The commissioner announced resolutions reached at the stakeholder meeting, including:

• Transport unions interested in BRT or terminal operations must submit proposals and financial models for government assessment.
• The state’s electronic fare system, Ije Card, will be decentralized, with sales points expanded to reach five million residents within the next 90 days.
• Allocation of loading bays at new terminals will be finalized soon following ongoing review processes.

He urged transport operators to explore financing options that would enable them acquire buses or participate directly in BRT operations.

Stakeholders expressed broad support for the reforms.

Comrade Chidiebere Aniagu, Enugu State Chairman of RTEAN, said the union endorsed the transformation agenda but appealed for government attention to members’ concerns.

NURTW Chairman, Engr. Augustine Agu, also praised Governor Mbah’s developmental strides: “Governor Mbah has achieved in two years what others couldn’t deliver in eight.”

“His private-sector discipline is clear. We support him fully,” he said, while urging the state to consider unions in the operation of BRT buses and terminals.

Representing the Amalgamated Tricycle Riders Association, Comrade Kingsley Edeh noted that the state has over 18,000 tricycle riders and appealed for taxis to be made accessible for members wishing to transition.

The transport commissioner has since inaugurated a joint review committee made up of ministry officials and transport union representatives to finalize operational guidelines ahead of the full rollout of the BRT scheme.

The launch date will be announced soon.

A fresh wave of violence hit Imo State on Sunday as gunmen attacked motorists in Amala, Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area, killing a driver and abducting several travellers.

The Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday.

According to him, the assailants emerged from a nearby bush around 5:50 pm, opened fire on a Toyota Highlander SUV, and fatally shot its driver.

They then proceeded to abduct all occupants of another vehicle, a Lexus SUV.

“Upon receiving the information, officers from the Ngor-Okpala Division swiftly mobilised to the scene, secured the area, and evacuated the victim to a hospital, where he was confirmed dead,” Mr Okoye stated.

He did not disclose the number of persons abducted.

Mr Okoye added that the Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has ordered an immediate manhunt for the perpetrators.

A combined team of police officers, other security agencies, and vigilante operatives has begun extensive bush-combing operations around the Amala forest axis in an effort to track down the kidnappers and rescue the victims.

He urged residents to remain calm and assist with useful information that could aid the ongoing search.

The attack occurred just days after the governors of Abia and Imo States, Alex Otti and Hope Uzodimma, launched a joint security taskforce to tackle rising insecurity along the Aba–Owerri Expressway, which connects both states.

According to Ferdinand Ekeoma, media aide to Governor Otti, the joint taskforce was established during an emergency security meeting held at the Imo State Government House, Owerri.

The team comprises military personnel, police officers, operatives of the State Security Service, and other security agencies, with a mandate to conduct surveillance from Owerrinta in Abia to Owerri and adjoining areas.

The initiative followed an attack, two days earlier, on three security aides attached to Governor Otti in Owerri.

Imo State, like much of the South-east, has witnessed a troubling escalation in violent crime, including attacks by kidnappers, armed robbers, cult groups, and separatist militants.

Several government officials, security agents, and civilians have been targeted in recent months.

Hundreds have been killed, injured, or abducted during these incidents across the region.

The federal government continues to blame the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for many of the attacks, an allegation the group has repeatedly denied.

IPOB, which is campaigning for the creation of an independent Biafran state, has seen its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, recently convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa has reiterated the total ban on the sale and unauthorized use of fireworks, popularly known as knockouts or bangers, as the yuletide season approaches.

The directive, according to the police, is part of renewed efforts to prevent criminals from hiding behind fireworks to perpetrate offences, reduce unnecessary public panic, and ensure the safety of lives and property throughout the festive period.

The warning was contained in a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Daniel Ndukwe and made available to DAILY GAZETTE on Monday.

CP Giwa cautioned individuals, traders and entertainment outlets against dealing in fireworks, stressing that anyone found selling or setting them off in violation of the ban will be arrested and prosecuted.

He also appealed to parents and guardians to discourage their children and wards from purchasing or using fireworks, emphasizing that compliance will help maintain public order.

Beyond the fireworks prohibition, the Police Commissioner also raised alarm over the dangers of bush burning during the harmattan season, describing it as a reckless act that has historically led to destructive fires.

He warned that such incidents could result in loss of life, destruction of property, and displacement of families, adding that offenders will face legal consequences.

CP Giwa urged residents to remain vigilant, law-abiding, and supportive of the police as they intensify security operations across the state.

He encouraged the public to promptly report suspicious persons or activities using the Command’s dedicated emergency lines: 08032003702, 08086671202, 112, 09134666668, and 09134448093.

The Commissioner assured citizens that the Police Command remains fully committed to providing a secure, peaceful, and crime-free environment throughout the festive season and beyond.

Troops of the 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army/Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke, have averted a robbery attack, rescued kidnapped travellers, and recovered arms in a series of coordinated operations across Taraba State.

The Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Umar Muhammad, disclosed this in a statement issued in Jalingo on Monday.

He said the operations were conducted between December 6 and 7 in Manya, Kufai Amadu, and Garin Sambo within Takum Local Government Area.

According to him, soldiers deployed at Manya responded swiftly to a distress call after armed robbers blocked the Manya–Takum Road and began attacking motorists.

He said the troops immediately launched a clearance operation, forcing the assailants to flee and abandon their weapons.

Items recovered at the scene included one AK-47 rifle, an AK-47 magazine, and three rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.

Lieutenant Umar also reported that troops rescued two kidnapped travellers in another operation carried out on December 7 at Kufai Amadu.

The victims, identified as Yusuf Musa and Muhammed Umar, were abducted in Amadu Town while travelling from Bauchi State to Baissa in Kurmi Local Government Area.

He explained that the travellers, unfamiliar with the terrain, were attacked after stopping to ask for directions.

“Following an aggressive search-and-rescue mission, the two abductees were found after escaping from captivity,” he said, adding that efforts were ongoing to locate two remaining victims, Musa Danji and Yusuf, as troops continued combing nearby forests.

The Army spokesman further revealed that on December 6, troops acting on intelligence raided Garin Sambo in Tau Village, Ardo Kola Local Government Area.

During the operation, they recovered two pump-action rifles, 13 cartridges, two motorcycles, and four mobile phones, while arresting suspects linked to the weapons.

Those arrested, identified as Baba Wura Sambo and Mallam Adamu Darda, are currently undergoing investigation.

The Court of Appeal in Enugu has reversed the acquittal of Henry Ugwuede, finding him guilty of multiple offences related to land fraud and sentencing him to seven years imprisonment.

The appellate court nullified the earlier decision of the Federal High Court, which had discharged Ugwuede on the grounds that his refund to the victims amounted to restitution and thus invalidated the criminal charges.

Ugwuede was originally arraigned by the Enugu Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice R. O. Dugbo Oghoghorie on a six-count charge involving forgery, uttering, and obtaining by false pretence totalling ₦2,910,000.

According to the EFCC, he fraudulently collected the money from Captain Agbor Ubachukwu Solomon after falsely presenting himself as the owner of Plot 244 at Emehelaku Layout, Nike, in Enugu East LGA.

The complainant later discovered that the property did not belong to Ugwuede and that the signatures on the Deed of Lease were forged.

One of the charges read:
“That you, Henry Ugwuede… with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of ₦1,700,000 through your First Bank account… by false pretence when you represented yourself as the owner of Plot 244… which pretence you knew to be false…”