Connect with us

E-News

Court Remands Two Pilots For Flying Expatriates Into Rivers

Published

on

A Port Harcourt Chief Magistrates’ Court, on Tuesday, remanded two pilots with the Caverton Helicopters, Samuel Ugorji and Samuel Buhari, in a correctional centre for allegedly disobeying the Executive Order of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.

The order had suspended flights into the state. The suspension of flights into the Port Harcourt International Airport, Air Force Base and other landing spaces in the state was aimed at checking the spread of coronavirus in the state.

Chief Magistrate D. D. Ihua-Maduenyi remanded the pilots in the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre till May 19, 2020, when their trial will commence.

Ihua-Maduenyi also ordered that the pilots be subjected to the COVID-19 test to ascertain their status.

The police arrested two pilots shortly after landing by the Rivers Taskforce on enforcement of directives against Coronavirus.

They were said to have been taken to the Rivers Police Command where Governor, Nyesom Wike visited them to assess the development.

The Governor was said to be worried that the identities of the expatriates were unknown and had demanded the company to fish them out to verify their medical status.

Wike had signed an executive order closing all land, air and sea borders as part of his numerous measures to contain the spread of the pandemic.

Rivers Police Commissioner, Mustapha Dandaura, who confirmed the development said that the command arrested the pilot and co-pilot of Carveton Helicopters who ferried unknown passengers to the State. He said that the pilots violated the regulations regarding the safety of the state.

He said: “Recall that when this coronavirus issues started, there was ban of local flight from coming into the State. Since that time we have been monitoring the activities of these private airlines.

“To our surprise, we received an intelligence report that an aircraft has landed at the Airforce base and that it was carrying some passengers. We have apprehended the Pilot and the Co-pilot by the NAF commander that’s why they alerted the chief executive Governor of the state who had given an order that on no account should any aircraft land on Rivers State without clearance.

“We don’t know the people they brought. Whether they are positive or negative of Coronavirus. Where are the heading to and where they came from

He commended Wike for his commitment to the protection of Rivers people.

He said: “To our surprise this morning this aircraft landed without any signal or permission from the authorities. We don’t know their mission here. Maybe they are coming here to sabotage the activities of the state and the security agencies that are putting efforts on ground to ensure that Rivers State enjoy peaceful atmosphere throughout this pandemic period”.

Wike declared his willingness to set aside his immunity to testify against persons violating the state’s border closure aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.

Speaking at the office of the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Wike said the two pilots of Carveton Helicopters operated illegally.

He said that the protection of Rivers people remained an important assignment that must be executed with the seriousness it deserved.

He said: “I am willing to drop my immunity as a governor as far as this case is concerned . I am ready to be a prosecution witness. ”

He charged the police to prosecute the matter to its logical conclusion to serve as deterrent to those interested in violating the regulations of the state regarding the fight against coronavirus.

He said: “I want to say this is a serious matter to us and police should handle it seriously. That’s why I am here at the state command to show the seriousness of this issue.

“No body says that you can’t go to any state but now we are in a war situation. This Covid-19 is even worse than a conventional war. We want to know who are those people you brought in, so that we have to trace them to know their identity and status. Luckily we have seen the pilot and the Co-pilot. They will assist the police to assist in identifying them”.

Wike reiterated that though the state government had no power to close airports, it had the right to check those coming into the state in order to ascertain their status.

He wondered why Carveton Helicopters decided to cut corners when the state government outlined the procedure for flying expatriates from Lagos into the state.

He said: “I have always said that we need the support of everybody. Nobody knows the status of those coming into Port Harcourt. Nobody knows whether they are positive or negative. I have said before that I don’t have right to close the airport. But I have the right of saying don’t enter my state because we want to know your status.

“The company wrote to us about bringing people which I forwarded to Commissioner of Police to perform security checks and the health officials to perform their duties before allowing them to come in. That is for those performing essential duties. But they decided to violate the regulations.”

Wike insisted that his administration was duty-bound to protect Rivers people from coronavirus.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Business

NAICOM Parleys FRSC, NHIA To Protect Motorists, Road Users

Published

on

By

The trio of National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) have agreed to strengthen their efforts in improving safety and emergency response on Nigerian roads through the Motor Third Party Insurance Scheme.
This development followed a courtesy visit by the FRSC Corps Marshall, Shehu Muhammed to the Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Olusegun Omosehin on Thursday in Abuja.

During the meeting, the Corps Marshal congratulated NAICOM on the signing of the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025 and acknowledged the Commission’s efforts in driving reforms in the industry.
He emphasised the need for enhanced data exchange between NAICOM and FRSC to develop a robust system for quick response to road accidents and compensation.
The Corps Marshal also stressed the importance of digitising the process for prompt emergency response and eliminating fake motor insurance policies.

Responding, the Commissioner for Insurance thanked the Corps Marshal for the visit and commended his efforts in upgrading the licensing system.
He also highlighted that NIIRA 2025 has strengthened the compulsory third-party motor insurance policy and established a fund for compensating road accident victims, which will be administered by a committee that includes FRSC representation.

The representative of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mr. Ajodi Nuhu Nasir expressed satisfaction at the collaborative efforts among the agencies, noting that this synergy will culminate in a robust system that not only safeguards our roads, but also ensures prompt and quality medical treatment for accident victims, thereby reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with road crashes.

The meeting culminated in the following agreements:

1. Data Sharing Integration: NAICOM and FRSC will integrate their data sharing systems to enable seamless information sharing.
2. Joint Awareness Campaign: The agencies will develop a joint awareness campaign strategy to educate the public on insurance benefits and road safety.
3. Enforcement Committee: A joint committee will be established to collaborate on enforcement of proper insurance coverage and address cases of fake insurance policies.
4. Inclusion of Insurance Requirements: FRSC will include insurance requirements, especially for valid third-party motor insurance, in its awareness and enforcement efforts.

The collaboration aims to promote road safety, ensure prompt treatment for accident victims, and protect the interests of motorists and other road users. A date will be announced for the inauguration of the joint committee.

Continue Reading

Business

13-year-old Wins Heirs Insurance Essay Championship, Gets N5m

Published

on

By

Heirs Insurance Group has announced the winners of the 4th edition of the Heirs Insurance Essay Championship, a nationwide competition promoting financial literacy and academic excellence among secondary school students and educators.
The grand finale, held in Abuja recently, brought together students, parents, and academic leaders for a celebration of knowledge and creativity. This year’s edition, which attracted over 5,000 entries from junior secondary school students nationwide, was anchored on the topic “The Role of Insurance in Keeping Families Safe and Secure”.
After a rigorous evaluation process by a panel of academic professionals, independently verified by Deloitte & Touche, 13-year-old Rhema-Love Abraham of Precepts Learning Field, Lagos, emerged as the overall winner, earning a N5 million scholarship and a N1 million grant for her school.
Bernice Michael of S-TEE High School, Lagos, claimed the second-place position, winning a N2 million scholarship, while Afopefoluwa Tofio-Jacobs of D-IVY College, Ogun State, took third place, receiving a N1 million scholarship.
This year, Heirs Insurance introduced the inaugural Teachers Prize, to honour teachers promoting insurance awareness within their schools and communities. This initiative was created to democratise access to insurance literacy, working collaboratively with teachers and educators.
Mr. Okpe James Chidi, a teacher at Urban Secondary School, Umuna Orlu, Imo State, emerged as the winner of the Teachers’ Insurance Awareness Prize, with a personal award of N1 million cash prize, and a N500,000 grant for his school. His project, which deepened students’ understanding of financial literacy and insurance, was praised for its innovation, reach, and measurable impact.
Speaking at the ceremony, Niyi Onifade, Sector Head, Heirs Insurance Group, commended all the participants for their creativity and drive, emphasising the Group’s commitment to nurturing future leaders through education.
He said, “We are proud of every student and teacher who participated in this year’s Essay Championship. Their creativity, curiosity, and dedication reflect the future we envision for our nation; one built on knowledge, innovation, and resilience. At Heirs Insurance Group, we believe financial literacy is a powerful tool for empowerment and transformation”.
The Heirs Insurance Essay Championship is a flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative of Heirs Insurance Group, created to build awareness of insurance literacy and critical thinking among young Nigerians. The introduction of the Teachers’ Insurance Awareness Prize further demonstrates the Group’s commitment to advancing insurance education and promoting financial inclusion at every level of society.

Continue Reading

Business

Leadway Assurance Wins Two At BAFI Awards

Published

on

By

Leadway Assurance won two awards at the 2025 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, as the Insurance Company of the Year and Excellence in Claims Leadership & Digital Innovation. This is the second consecutive year the company would be emerging as the insurance company of the year.
These recognitions reaffirm Leadway Assurance’s position as a trusted insurer, underpinned by 55 years of legacy of integrity, innovation, and customer focus.
In 2024 alone, the company paid out N117 billion in claims. Each payout reflects restored livelihoods and renewed confidence for families and businesses across the country.
Commenting on the milestone, Gboyega Lesi, Managing Director of Leadway Assurance, said: “These double honours are a worthy recognition of the dedication of our team and our commitment to serving customers better every day. The recognition motivates us to continue building systems and teams that ensure no one faces uncertainty alone. Each innovation and every claim fulfilled reaffirms our promise to provide protection. For Leadway Assurance, these accolades celebrate our sense of purpose, reliability, and the lasting strength of an indigenous brand built to endure.
“Winning the Insurance Company of the Year for the second consecutive year and adding Excellence in Claims Leadership and Digital Innovation awards reflects our consistent devotion to excellence, consistency, and innovation in delivering value. We thank the leadership of BusinessDay for celebrating our relentless pursuit of efficiency, transparency, and empathy in every customer interaction; from simplifying claims processes to leveraging technology for faster, smarter access to insurance policies, as we continue to redefine trust and innovation in the insurance industry.”
Leadway Assurance’s transformation of claims management has set a new benchmark in the insurance industry. Leveraging cutting-edge technology, the company has digitised its claims processes, enabling customers to file, track, and finalise claims seamlessly. This digital shift has significantly reduced turnaround times and elevated customer experience nationwide.

Continue Reading