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Vanguard, OCTOBER 25, 2015 08116759757
LAGOS MANUFACTURER’S ABDUCTION SAGA
‘Kidnappers kept me for 42 days after collecting huge ransom’
•Says wife negotiated his release from Canada BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA & EBERE AHAM THE home of Chief James Uduji, Chairman of Cometstar Manufacturing Ltd, who was abducted on September 7, has become a Mecca of sort as friends and relatives have been trooping in to felicitate with him after his release. Uduji, who narrated his ordeal to Sunday Vanguard when we visited, gave a vivid account of how he was kidnapped on his way back from office by four heavily armed men, six weeks ago. He claimed that while in captivity, his family was divided into three. “I had just returned from Canada where I visited my wife who gave birth a month ago. One week after , I was kidnapped. My other children were in boarding school. My wife and I were communicating through my abductors. They allowed me to communicate with her,”the victim narrated. “On the day I was kidnapped, I was returning home from my office. That was around 4:30 pm, in broad daylight. The abductors took me to an unknown place. I could not see anything or guess where I was
because I was blindfolded throughout. I was kidnapped by the four men close to my house.One of my drivers was driving the car while another sat with him in the front passenger seat. I sat at the rear. One of the drivers was shot, while the windscreen injured me at the back. But, thank God, the shot driver survived. I was sleeping. It was the sound of gunshots that woke me up and, immediately, the four armed men dragged me out of the vehicle into their own vehicle
One of the drivers was shot, while the windscreen injured me at the back. But, thank God, the shot driver survived
and zoomed off. “I really thank God that I survived the ordeal because being in captivity for six weeks is no joke. Not everyone can survive what I went through. I also thank God for the lion heart he gave me to be able to go through the trial. The gunshots I heard helped me to stay strong for myself and my family. “The six weeks were terrible. I do not wish my enemy that kind of experience. They actually gave me VIP treatment. I wasn’t beaten. I was given whatever I wanted to eat. I was allowed to shower once a day and that was only when I was not blindfolded. I savoured a little bit of freedom. The abductors kept monitoring news both in the print and broadcast media, they read news papers frequently, and they knew what
•Chief James Uduji was going on in the outside world. I was the only victim in my room, so I don’t know if there were other prisoners. I know it wasn’t done in their right minds and I pray that God forgives them. “The police did not do anything. I was kidnapped 4:30pm, in broad daylight. The abductors shot into the air and took me away and no policeman came. “For security reasons, I don’t
want to say the amount that was paid (as ransom) but my family met their demands before I was released. Although the experience was terrible, I am not scared, neither do I have plans to relocate from the country. The police didn’t play any role in my release. Our security system is very poor. My wife came back from Canada with our baby on Monday, the same day my abductors released me”.
You don’t need to run from new generation cars — Olayisade, Nationwide Motorwerks boss
BY WALE AKINOLA rince Kehinde Olayisade is the P CEO and Managing Director of Nationwide Motorwerks, based in Lagos.The United States (US) trained health management administrator also trained as an auto specialist out of his sheer passion for cars. In this interview, Olayisade says new generation cars are not difficult to maintain, contrary to the thinking in many quarters.
The cars of today are so fundamentally different from those of the past. Many people even believe today’s cars are over engineered that they are not fit for our clime. What are the differences really between the old and the new? I will not say today’s cars are over engineered. The issue is that, everyday, our technology is improving. The cars of today are powered by sensors and computers. That is why you need specialized equipment and technicians to keep them on the road. Innovations and technological advancement
makes them efficient, both in performance and energy efficiency. At Nationwide Motorwerks, we are positioned to tackle the new generation cars’ challenges. The cars of today, many people think they are difficult to
maintain. How true is that notion? Today’s cars are very complex. There is no doubt about that. That is why, like I said,you need specialized equipment, from diagnostics to mechanical and technical perspectives. You need the right diagnostic equipment. You need different scanners and Engine Analyzers to properly diagnose. But, you need more than scanning. For the diagnosis to be thorough, you need the engine analyzer. The analyzer analyses the engine, checks the performance parameters,all the components and can pinpoint where there is a deficiency. An engine analyzer is a complex, multi-function instrument, sometimes called a scope, that can help diagnose engine and engine-related problems or assist in tuning following an overhaul. An engine analyzer can be used with gasoline and diesel powered vehicles. What are the common problems that come with the new generation cars that sort of make people want to avoid them?
Like I said, the cars are powered by sensors and computers. Once the sensors and computers start malfunctioning because they have lifespan, you have to replace them. It is like the crankshaft sensor, if the sensor goes bad, the engine will not work well. But the moment the sensor is replaced, you get the best of the car. How do you describe the sensor to a layman? Today’s vehicles are obviously
I will not say today’s cars are over engineered. The issue is that, everyday, our technology is improving. The cars of today are powered by sensors and computers
more complicated. Some of this complication is the result of legislated exhaust emissions and safety regulations. Some of it is due to the vast array of power accessories and luxury conveniences on all but the most basic cars. Digital computers now control engines. Luxury cars have “body computers” to control luxury features. And all of these computers rely on fast-acting, reliable car engine sensors. On the plus side, these digital electronic systems make it easy to constantly monitor vital engine parameters like oil pressure, coolant temperature and exhaust emissions and report back to the driver when something is amiss. Car engine sensors continually monitor major systems, sending real-time signals to on board computers. And these computers keep track of everything, alerting the driver only when something is wrong or when the vehicle is due for service. Injector, fuel system and alignment Continues on page 27