Business News
Louts, “Agbero” confront Opay, Gokada, and MAXng riders
A viral video online has suggested that some ‘Agberos’ are stopping popular motorbikes hailing services, Oride, Gokada, MAXng riders in Lagos demanding for N500 tax.
A video that recently went viral on social media shows that some Area Boys, popularly known as Agberos, stopped the riders of popular motorcycle-hailing services, Oride, Gokada and MAXng, from operating along Ojuelegba part of Lagos State.
A passenger, who shared the video via her Twitter handle said the Area Boys were stopping the riders and demanding a sum of N500 from them.
She said the ‘Agberos’ interrupted her ride, and as a result, she couldn’t continue with her journey. She asserted that the Lagos State Government is not ready for evolution or business.
[READ ALSO: Court issues arrest warrant against Okocha for alleged tax evasion]
Lagos is definitely not ready for business.
Agberos right now stopping oride, gokada and maxng bikes in Ojuelegba.
They want the riders to pay N500 for a N100 ticketMy trip has been canceled pic.twitter.com/GhuEvENilc
— WorldFamous Lammy (@olamideyelo) July 17, 2019
In 2012, Lagos State Government banned motorcycles from operating in over 467 areas in the State. This led to the emergence of the bike-hailing companies penetrating the market and offering over 20 million residents of Lagos options to their commuting life.
Lagos State is the biggest market for motorbike-hailing services in Nigeria and it is believed these bike-hailing services have obtained the rights to ply major roads, as their bikes are within the capacity specified by the Lagos Government.
Issue of tax: According to reports, Lagos State Government is not getting enough revenue from the them.
Most of these bike-hailing services are not registered under the Lagos state government but in the neighboring Ogun State. This is a source of worry for Lagos as most of them run in the State.
[READ MORE: OPay secures $50 million capital raise from Chinese investors]
An investigation carried by The Nation revealed that the riders of some of these companies such as ORide, U-Go Services, and MAX Okada have been serially harassed by men of the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) over the aforementioned issue and many have alleged that this must have resulted to the the situation being reported.
What this means for business: This issue posses serious loss for these companies if they are constantly harassed by ‘Agberos’. Customers of these popular services may not wish to use the services, knowing the danger ahead.
It is time these companies sorted out the problems and challenges facing them. They should work in accordance with the law and regulation guiding the State to avoid further harassment.
Reactions: Many Nigerians on Twitter were livid over the issue, as they blamed the Lagos State Government for employing touts to control their affairs.
Some argued that most of these motorbikes services pay taxes regularly to the government.
Companies that are already paying LIRS taxes? @jidesanwoolu @lirsgovng please address this issue before it cripples businesses.
— Nwando (@n_jekwe) July 17, 2019
See other reactions below.
I can totally relate, and if this continues, it will kill E-commerce in Nigeria because they rely on logistics. I run a logistics company and everyday I’m frustrated by these people.
— Bisola (@Mz_bzolah) July 17, 2019
Same for logistic companies. They are harrased by non-state agents and some using state agents to extort at major junctions.
Lagos is not opened for business at all if this remains unresolved.
— Bolu O (@bolu_oj) July 17, 2019
[READ FURTHER: Should Gokada and Max.ng be afraid of ORide?]
Economy & Politics
Breaking: Senatorial, State House of Assembly bye-elections postponed – INEC
Senatorial and State House of Assembly bye-elections slated to hold on October 31 in 11 states have been postponed by INEC.
The 6 Senatorial and 9 State House of Assembly bye-elections slated to hold on October 31 in 11 states of the Federation has been postponed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The vacancies were as a result of death and resignation of previous members.
According to the statement issued by its National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Festus Okoye Esq., INEC said the decision was taken after meeting with the 37 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on Thursday.
Breaking News: #INEC Postpones Bye Elections in 6 Senatorial Districts, 9 State Constituencies. pic.twitter.com/RWiUomBsC6
— INEC Nigeria (@inecnigeria) October 22, 2020
Though the commission did not categorically state the reason for the postponement, feelers are that it may not be unconnected with the raging #EndSARS protests across the nation.
Details shortly…
ENDSARS
#EndSARS: President Buhari issues stern warning to hoodlums
The President has issued a warning to hoodlums who have hijacked the #EndSARS protest to promote unrest.
President Buhari, in his state of the Nation address to Nigerians this evening has warned hoodlums and the conflict entrepreneurs who have hijacked the #EndSARS protest to promote unrest.
The President explained that the choice to demonstrate peacefully is a fundamental right of citizens as enshrined in Section 40 of the Constitution and other enactments.
“I must warn those who have hijacked and misdirected the initial, genuine and well-intended protest of some of our youths in parts of the country, against the excesses of some members of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS),” he said.
President Muhammad Buhari frowned against the desperate and inhumane actions of mobsters, arsonists and hoodlums which has led to the loss of human lives, sexual violence, attacks on correctional facilities, as well as public and private properties which were completely destroyed or vandalized.
He explained that these bad actions will not be tolerated, as it is not in line with the legitimate expression of grievance of the youth of the country. He reiterated that the Government shall continue to ensure that liberty and freedom, as well as the fundamental rights of all citizens, are protected.
What you should know from the President’s State of the Nation address
The President reiterated that the government has the obligation to protect lives and properties, and ensure that the citizens go about their daily businesses freely and protected from acts of violence.
However, he appealed to protesters to note and take advantage of the various well-thought-out initiatives of this administration designed to make their lives better and more meaningful, and resist the temptation of being used by some subversive elements to cause chaos with the aim of truncating our nascent democracy.
The President, however, warned the youth that doing otherwise will amount to undermining national security as well as law and order, which under no circumstances will be tolerated.
President Buhari thus called on the youths to discontinue the street protests and constructively engage the government in finding solutions, as their voices have been heard loud and clear.
ENDSARS
#EndSARS: President Buhari tells Youths to discontinue street protests
The President has advised the protesters to discontinue the street protests, but rather, engage the government in finding solutions.
President Muhammadu Buhari has called on the #EndSARS protesters to discontinue their street protests and rather constructively engage the government in finding solutions.
The President disclosed this during his national broadcast on Thursday.
He said, “I call on our youths to discontinue the street protests and constructively engage government in finding solutions. Your voice has been heard loud and clear and we are responding.
“The choice to demonstrate peacefully is a fundamental right of citizens as enshrined in Section 40 of our Constitution and other enactments; but this right to protest also imposes on the demonstrators the responsibility to respect the rights of other citizens, and the necessity to operate within the law.
“And I call on all Nigerians to go about their normal businesses, and enjoin security agencies to protect lives and properties of all law-abiding citizens without doing harm to those they are meant to protect.”
The choice to demonstrate peacefully is a fundamental right of citizens as enshrined in Section 40 of our Constitution and other enactments; …
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) October 22, 2020
Breaking: Senatorial, State House of Assembly bye-elections postponed – INEC
#EndSARS: President Buhari issues stern warning to hoodlums
#EndSARS: President Buhari tells Youths to discontinue street protests
#EndSARS: President Buhari asks international community not to make hasty decisions on developments
Breaking: Some Nigerians mistook promptness of FG response as sign of weakness – Buhari
COVID-19 Update in Nigeria
Daily Parallel Market Exchange Rate – ₦461/$1
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