The Bauchi State Yankari Express Corporation has embarked on a three-day capacity building of its drivers on traffic rules and regulations so as to ensure safe driving and avoid road crashes in the state.

Speaking before the commencement of the training in Bauchi on Wednesday, Engr. Babaji Yunusa, the General Manager of the Corporation said that he had liaised with professionals in the field to give out their vast experience to the drivers.

According to him, the world is dynamic and there have been some certain changes in the way the transport system in the country is operated, hence, the need for the drivers to be abreast of new happenings for effective safe driving.

“As you are aware, this is a transportation corporation and virtually every day, our vehicles go round the country from one state to another.

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“So, in this kind of situation, we need our drivers to be getting capacity buildings, training and retraining and that’s the reason for this training.

“We liaised with professionals in the field who had been into the system for quite a long time to give out their vast experience to our drivers.

“We have been saying that our drivers are professionals but you can’t be a professional without training and that is why we are doing this training because what you know sometimes, you need to be reminded of it,” he said.

He added that road experts that would be sensitising the drivers included the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Vehicle Inspection officers (VIO) as well as some highly recognised driving schools in the state.

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While emphasising that the training was timely as it coincided with Ember Months, the General Manager added that safety is paramount in road transportation and one could not be on a safer side without knowing the rules and regulations of the road.

Also speaking, Mr Silas Bankondi, Director, Chittado International Driving School, said that the purpose of the capacity building was to deliver awareness to the drivers in line with the traffic rules and regulations.

This, he said, would further remind them of the fundamental factors of the driving techniques essential in every driver to save his life, that of his passengers and other road users.

Speaking on behalf of the drivers, Mohammed Auwal appreciated the management of Yankari Express Corporation and other road experts for coming up with the training.

He promised that the drivers would make effective use of the knowledge that would be gathered and apply to their day to day driving activities.

Two brothers, identified as Isaac and Victor Olayere, who were kidnapped on November 8 along Adughe and Imoga Road have miraculously escaped from kidnappers’ den.

The two brothers were taken into the bush as soon as they were kidnapped, throwing Uma/Imoga community into confusion, as the kidnappers demanded N22 million ransom.

While the community was still at a loss over how to raise the ransom, the victims called their father with an unknown number, telling him they had escaped from the kidnappers den.

The Okpahi of Imoga Kingdom, Oba Patrick Obajoye revealed this during a telephone interview.

He called on the authorities to come to the rescue of Imoga, a town he said, shares border with Ondo and Kogi, thereby making it prone to kidnapping activities.

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He said, “The two brothers were kidnapped on November 8 along Adughe and Imoga Road and were taken into the bush.

“Later, the kidnappers reached out to the family and demanded a ransom of N22 million, throwing the ancient community of Uma/Imoga in Akoko Edo Local Government Area, Edo State.

“I swiftly reported the incident to the Ibillo Police Station with the hope that the rescue effort will lead to the release of the brothers.

“It was said that somehow, the kidnappers suddenly went into a deep slumber in the forest, enabling their victims to escape. They were found by the vigilante of Adughe, a neighbouring community in Kogi that speaks the same Okpameri language with Uma/Imoga in Akoko Edo.

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“The vigilantes called Imoga people and the youth mobilised and entered the forest, but they could not see the kidnappers who had woken up after their captives had escaped and fled.

He noted that the activities of kidnappers and armed herders have become a major problem in the community, urging the authorities to create a police post in the area.

He added, “We need police presence in Imoga. If a police post is created here, the officers will patrol the community which will give the resident rest of mind.

“Imoga is the largest village in Akoko Edo, particularly in terms of land mass, into which many herders have entered en masse. It is the link between Edo State and the northern part of the country.”

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Edo State Command, have arrested thirty-nine (39) suspected drug traffickers with 2,477.59 Kg of narcotic drugs.

Mitchell Ofoyeju, state commander of the NDLEA made this known in a statement titled: operational scorecard for October 2025, which he made available to newsmen in Benin on Monday.

According to the statement, the suspects consist of twenty-seven (27) males and twelve (12) females.

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The statement added that, within the period under review, three cannabis sativa farms measuring 6.711192 hectares with an estimated yield of 16,777.98 kg were also destroyed.

A breakdown of the total 2,477.59 kg of seized drugs indicates that Cannabis Sativa 2,476.87 kg; Tramadol 0.3575 kg; Nitrazepam 0.068 kg; Bromazepam 0.8141 kg; Diazepam 0.084 kg; Swinol 0.0036 kg; Danabol (Molly) 0.013 kg; Methamphetamine (abandoned) 0.0465 kg and Codeine Syrup 0.1 litre.

According to the statement, three cannabis farms located in the Ugbodo Forest of Ovia North East Local Government Area, covering an area of 6.71 hectares, with an estimated yield of 16,777.98 kg of illegal crops, were eliminated.

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The command’s prosecution unit also made significant strides in the ongoing fight against drug trafficking.

“October saw the conviction of eleven individuals involved in drug-related offences and eleven new cases charged in the courts. Currently, there are 121 pending cases at the Federal High Court in Benin City.

“Our commitment remains steadfast as we continue to enforce the law, educate members of the public, and rehabilitate affected individuals who have problems using drugs.

“The fight against drug trafficking is relentless, and those who continue to engage in this illegal trade will face not only heightened enforcement but also stiffer penalties,” the statement reads.