In spite of high  transport fares, Lagos residents  have continued to travel for Christmas and New Year celebrations.

A correspondent, who monitored activities at some motor parks  in Lagos on Tuesday, reports that commuters  queued to get tickets for their travels.

The motor parks visited include the popular Maza Maza and Okota motor parks.

Transport companies visited include Young Shall Grow Motors, Peace Mass Transit, Okeson, Chisco and GUO motors.

A trip to the eastern part of Nigeria from the motor parks with a bus cost as much  N56,000 on Tuesday.

daily Asset also observed that many commuters booked for seats online, making it easy for the buses to get filled up.

Some of the passengers who spoke with newsmen said that they needed to travel to their villages.

They also said that it was delightful to visit home during festive periods.

According to a businesswoman, Mrs Bridget Okonkwo, home is interesting.

“Home is sweet. From the beginning of every year, we plan to visit home during Christmas, making contributions toward that; so, no matter the cost, we will go.

“There are so many activities at home. It is also an opportunity to meet people we have not seen for a very long time,” she said.

Another commuter and student, Ms Chinasa Ekwe, who said that she was travelling with her siblings to attend a wedding ceremony.

Ekwe, who decried the high cost of transport,  said she needed to travel for the ceremony.

“Last week, the fare was around N35,000 and N40,000. This is really not good.

“We moved from one transport company to another sseeking a reduced  fare before we settled for this one.

“Three of us paid N165,000,” she said.

A banker, Mr Emmanuel Onyeka, said that  he travelled  every Christmas season to be with his family members who, he said, were residing in Enugu.

“This period is an opportunity for me to be with my family; so, no matter the cost, I have to be at home in Enugu.

“It is really unfortunate that the situation in our country is like this.

“I can remember the period we paid around N7,500 to travel down east,” he said. (NAN)

Gov. Hyacinth Alia has declared a two-week holiday for civil servants in the state to celebrate Christmas and New Year.

Alia made the declaration on Tuesday in Makurdi in his Christmas message to Benue people.

The governor said that the holiday commenced on December 24 and ends on January 6, 2025.

He said the essence of the long holiday was to allow workers to enjoy the season with their loved ones.

Alia enjoined them to use the period to engage in farming activities to boost food production and reduce poverty.

“In the spirit of the Yuletide and in conjunction with the Benue Executive Council, I’m pleased to announce an elongated Christmas and New Year for the state workforce.

“This decision underscores our commitment to supporting the well-being of our workforce.

“While you use it to enjoy this festive season with your loved ones, it is also expected that the holiday afford you the time to attend to your various agricultural engagements.”he said

The governor, however, said all essential service providers would devise a schedule to work during the said period.

He listed those offering essential services to include financial institutions, energy providers, security agencies, hospitals, telecommunications, fire service, and water board, among others.

Alia advised the people of the state to continue to imbibe in the spirit of love and peace while remaining committed to a better Benue.

The governor prayed for a peaceful Christmas and New Year celebration (NAN).

The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Dr Olukayode Egbetokun, said the Nigeria Police Force made remarkable achievements in 2024 in spite of challenges.

Egbetokun said this on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening of his end of year conference with strategic police managers, consisting of officers from the rank of commissioners of police and above.

“Reflecting on 2024, it is clear that both the Nigeria Police Force and the country at large faced a range of security challenges, but we also achieved notable successes.

“We dealt with a variety of internal threats, such as banditry, insurgency, kidnapping, and armed robbery, as well as external threats posed by groups like ISWAP and the Lakurawa terrorists in the North West.

“The country also confronted other critical issues, including cultism, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, terrorism financing, money laundering, and cybercrimes, especially among our youth.

“Protests and civil unrest added to the challenges,” he said.

The I-G said in spite of the difficulties, the Nigeria Police Force had shown remarkable resilience, collaborating with sister agencies to ensure law and order.

According to him, throughout 2024, we made substantial strides in enhancing the safety and security of Nigerians.

He said the force displayed remarkable dedication in combating criminal activities across urban and rural areas.

“Through revitalised crime prevention efforts, we have made significant progress in reducing crime, ensuring public safety and improving service delivery.

“These accomplishments reflect our firm commitment to holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.

“Our efforts have been comprehensive, leveraging modern technology, intelligence gathering, and community policing,” he said

Egbetokun said that the strategies had not only increased the operational efficiency of the force, but fostered stronger collaborations with local communities as well as building trust between the police and the public.

“While we acknowledge the complexity of the challenges, the Nigeria Police had remained steadfast in its resolve to continue to address the challenges head-on to secure the future of the country.

“Despite our best efforts to foster trust and confidence with the public and our strong emphasis on discipline and professionalism, a small number of our officers have unfortunately continued to engage in behavior that damages our reputation.

“This has been a significant challenge for us in 2024 and to make matters worse, we have also faced false publications aimed at tarnishing our organisation’s image.

“This not only undermines our credibility but also erodes the trust we have worked hard to build with the community,” he said.

He said the force would be committed to addressing the challenges head-on, exploring innovative solutions to promote transparency, accountability and excellence.

Egbetokun said the force had achieved major successes in tackling crime, leading to the arrest of 30,313 suspects for a range of serious offenses, including kidnapping, cultism, murder, rape, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of firearms.

According to him, we also recovered 1,984 assorted firearms, 23,250 rounds of ammunition, 1,438 stolen vehicles and rescued 1,581 kidnapped victims.

“In the fight against kidnapping, we intensified our efforts and achieved substantial success. A prime example is the rescue of one Nigerian and three Indian nationals on June 30 in Ogun.

“Despite being ambushed by gunfire, the victims were safely rescued, and two kidnappers were neutralised in a subsequent raid.

“We also recovered five AK-47 rifles, ammunition, and communication equipment. This operation demonstrates our capacity to combat kidnapping and criminal enterprises effectively,” he said. (NAN)