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Uber receives over 3,000 sexual assaults reports in 2018
Ride-hailing firm Uber Technologies Inc said it received more than 3,000 reports of sexual assault related to its 1.3 billion rides in the United States in 2018, in a report aimed at assuring drivers and the public that it was serious about safety.
The figure represents a 16-percent fall in the rate of incidents from the previous year in the five most serious categories of sexual assault reported, Uber said on Thursday in its first biennial US Safety Report.
The company also said that reports of assaults on passengers overlooked the risks for drivers. Riders, in fact, accounted for roughly half of the accused parties in cases of sexual assault, it said.
The 84-page report comes almost two weeks after Uber said it would appeal the loss of its license to carry passengers in London over a “pattern of failures” on safety and security.
Uber, which in the past has faced criticism over safety on its platform and has been repeatedly hit with lawsuits due to driver misconduct, last year committed to releasing a safety report in a sign of a cultural turnaround under its new CEO.
The firm, which operates in 70 countries, said the report showed its commitment to transparency to improve accountability and safety industry-wide. It said it would use what it learned producing the report for its “next steps” in other places.
“I suspect many people will be surprised at how rare these incidents are; others will understandably think they’re still too common. Some people will appreciate how much we’ve done on safety; others will say we have more work to do. They will all be right,” tweeted Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi.
In the report, Uber said 99.9 percent of its 2.3 billion US trips in 2017 and 2018 ended without safety incidents.
It said it received 235 reports of “non-consensual sexual penetration” last year and 280 of “attempted non-consensual sexual penetration” – nearly all filed by women. The remaining assault reports included incidents of unwanted kissing or touching of body parts.
It also detailed 10 fatal physical assaults in 2017 and nine in 2018 – eight victims were riders, seven were drivers using Uber’s app, and four were third parties such as bystanders.
At an event on Wednesday, Khosrowshahi said he prioritized improving Uber’s culture and safety when assuming his role in 2017. At the time, Uber was dealing with regulatory fallout and a public backlash over its business practices, forcing former CEO and founder Travis Kalanick to step down.
“We had to change the culture internally and we simply got to do the right thing,” Khosrowshahi said, adding that Uber was not hiding anything by publishing internal information.
Rival Lyft Inc in a statement said it was committed to releasing its own safety report and sharing information on unsafe drivers. It did not state a release date for its report.
Uber said it puts drivers through a rigorous background check before accepting them on its platform. In its report, it said one million drivers failed to pass the screening in 2017 and 2018 and more than 40,000 were removed from the app after extra screening layers.
Regulators have long said Uber’s screening process was insufficient and inferior to those in place for taxi drivers, with several US cities attempting to compel Uber to mandate fingerprinting of its drivers.
New York City is currently the only US city where Uber drivers have to provide fingerprints and undergo the same licensing requirements as regular taxi drivers.
The New York City Transport and Limousine Commission – in response to Uber’s safety report on Thursday – said there was no substitute for background checks based on fingerprinting.
“They are the best way to prevent against drivers with criminal records,” its Acting Commissioner Bill Heinzen said in a statement.
An Uber spokeswoman on Thursday said the firm’s screening process was robust and rigorous, and was more reliable than the sometimes incomplete database for fingerprints.
News
UK-Based Blogger Maureen Badejo Set For Court Appearance
Popular UK-based Nigerian blogger and social commentator, Maureen Badejo, is set to appear before the Federal High Court on Monday to answer to a multiple -count charge being proposed by the police legal team to find fault, her lawyer, Barrister George Ogunjimi, has disclosed.
Chief Ogunjimi, the Bamofin of Ojo, Lagos and a dual jurisdiction practitioner revealed that Badejo recently returned to Nigeria in connection with an appeal court matter scheduled to hold in Ibadan on the 16th of February 2026 prior to her encounter with law enforcement authorities.
According to him, Badejo was arrested and interrogated by operatives of the Cybercrime Unit at Adekunle Police Station, Yaba, Lagos, following a petition reportedly filed by Apostle Johnson Suleman.
He clarified that contrary to speculation, the blogger voluntarily honoured the police invitation herself, presenting at the station without resistance.
“She was not picked up or abducted. She went to the police station personally in response to the invitation,” Ogunjimi said.
The lawyer added that while she was still at the station, another petition allegedly emerged, this time from the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Pastor Daniel Olukoya, which subsequently led to her being held and later detained at the Alagbon detention facility.
Despite the development, Ogunjimi expressed confidence in her legal prospects, assuring supporters that his team is fully prepared to defend her.
“We are optimistic. The alleged offences are bailable, and by God’s grace, we will secure her bail on Monday,” he stated.
The case has since drawn public attention, particularly among Badejo’s followers both in Nigeria and the diaspora, as proceedings at the Federal High Court are expected to begin next week.
As of the time of reporting, the police had not issued an official statement explaining the legal basis for Badejo’s arrest or detention.
Badejo has previously been involved in legal disputes with Apostle Suleiman, including a 2022 UK High Court ruling that dismissed his defamation claim and ordered him to pay her £19,601 in costs.
She has also publicised allegations made by a former MFM pastor against Dr Olukoya.
The case has sparked renewed concerns over press freedom and the use of cybercrime laws in Nigeria.
News
Photos: Dakore Akande And Timini Lay Father To Rest
Nollywood siblings Dakore Akande and Timini Egbuson have finally laid their father to rest.
Earlier this year, actor, Timini Egbuson, had announced the passing of his father. He said he never thought he would start the year by saying RIP to his dad, and promised to continue to make him proud.
His sister, Dakore Akande, expressed how heartbroken she is, yet glad that he was free from pain. She expressed gratitude for the memories and laughter, the legacy of excellence that he instilled in them, and his love for music and looking stylish.

Taking to his Instagram page, Timini shared photos from his low-key burial ceremony, which was attended only by family.
In his caption, he revealed that they said their final goodbyes as he bade his father farewell. The popular actor said his father’s strength and love will always guide them.
“We said our final goodbyes. Rest well, Papa. Your strength and love will always guide me”.

News
US Mission Decries Horrific Kwara Massacre, Pledges Support For Tinubu’s Security Strategy
The United States Mission in Nigeria has condemned the horrific and senseless attacks in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State that reportedly claimed over 160 lives.
In a statement released on February 6, 2026, the U.S. expressed its condolences and backed President Bola Tinubu’s immediate security and humanitarian response.
JomogNews reports that while the Nigerian Police Force said 75 persons were confirmed killed in the assault on Woro and Nuku communities, local sources and international observers put the death toll significantly higher.
In a statement on X on Friday, the US Mission in Nigeria described the attack as “horrific,” saying more than 160 people were feared dead, with many still unaccounted for.
“The United States condemns the horrific attack in Kwara state in Nigeria, which claimed the lives of more than 160 people, with the death toll still unconfirmed and many still unaccounted for.
“We express our deepest condolences to the families of those affected by this senseless violence,” the statement read.
It welcomed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to deploy security forces to protect affected communities.
“We welcome President Tinubu’s order to deploy security forces to protect villages in the area and his directive to federal and state officials to provide aid to the community and bring the perpetrators of this atrocity to justice,” the statement added.
The reaction adds to international condemnation of the attack, which had earlier drawn rebukes from the United Nations and the Republic of Türkiye.
Tinubu had ordered the deployment of an army battalion to Kaiama and approved the creation of a new military command to lead the operation, following the assault on Woro and Nuku communities.
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had also ordered the immediate deployment of tactical and intelligence teams to Kaiama and surrounding communities to restore calm and prevent further attacks.
Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, said the deployment of troops under Operation Savannah Shield would help deter further violence, adding that security forces were already on the ground.
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