Lagos – The Federal government has been urged to tackle, with urgency, the various killings, shootings and kidnapping by unknown gunmen that daily attack Nigerians on various highways across the country.
The attacks, which are mostly not reported in the dailies, have caused many homes sorrow and pain and also put fear in the minds of travellers across the country.
Mr. Giwa Osagie, a financial analyst and building project manager, while narrating his ordeal to INDEPENDENT said on June 18, 2017, on his way with his family members from Yenagoa to Port Harcourt, that he was accosted by some unknown gunmen who came out from hiding in the bush and opened fire on their vehicle whilst shooting sporadically.
He said he did not stop but kept driving only to discover later that bullet had hit his two year old daughter on her left knee.
“On our way from Yenagoa to Port Harcourt, along the highway, some armed men came out of the bush and started shooting sporadically at our vehicle.
“I did not stop but kept driving only to discover later that bullet had hit our two years old daughter “Aisosa” on her left knee,”
Speaking further, he said he and his wife Claris managed to get first aid for their baby along the road in order to stop the bleeding before they took her to University of Port Harcourt teaching hospital for full medical treatment. Ever since, she has been undergoing therapy for her to regain full motion on her leg because the injury incurred affected some nerves.
“We were referred to University of Benin teaching hospital for follow up treatment but due to medical officers’ industrial strike we continued the treatment with a private therapy centre, off Iyaro Quarters, in Benin city”.
He called on the federal government to increase the number of security personnel on major highways in Nigeria, especially along the Yenagoa – Port Harcourt Road.
“I am using this medium to call on various government security agencies to ensure the safety of Nigerians especially travellers”.
In the same vein, Nnimmo Bassey, an environmentalist, in a media parley said government must do all within its power to ensure that those who are not entitled to be in possession of arms are not permitted. He added that the number of security points on the highways should be increased as a way of reducing arms attacks of the citizens.
He said it is not the duty of the citizens to stop people from carrying arms but that of government to withdraw such weapons from circulation.
“If you drive along our highways what you find are people wearing T-shirts and sandals carrying rifles, they even stop you telling you they are special anti -robbery squad. Now we have people who dress casually and carry weapons and say they are security officers, we need to check and stop such practices to guide against misuse of such weapons by unauthorized individuals,” he said.
The post FG Urged To Tighten Security On Highways appeared first on Independent Newspapers Nigeria.
FG Urged To Tighten Security On Highways
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