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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.
A new video has emerged showing two men reportedly kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State, pleading for assistance to secure their release.
One of the captives, former Biu Local Government Area Chairman Hassan Biu Miringa, revealed that their abductors are demanding a $300,000 ransom.
Miringa said he and another individual were taken in December 2025 and have remained in the custody of the militants.
In the video shared by Zagazola Makama, Miringa introduced himself, saying: “I am Hassan Biu Miringa, former Chairman of Biu Local Government from 2020 to 2022. Four years after my tenure, we were kidnapped by the soldiers of Khilafa about two weeks ago. Alhamdulillah, we are still alive, but we urgently need help to save our lives.”
He added that negotiations with the kidnappers had been underway, with some preliminary agreements reportedly reached.
“We have engaged them on four separate occasions and reached an understanding. We appeal to our leaders, especially Borno State Deputy Governor Alhaji Usman Umar Kadafur, the National Assembly representative for Biu, Kwaya, and Shani Hon. Betera Aliyu, as well as our community leaders, to temper justice with mercy and assist us. We are their children and have been working together,” Miringa said.
He confirmed the ransom demand, explaining that each captive is expected to pay $150,000, totaling $300,000 for their freedom, and pleaded for urgent intervention to reunite with their families.
The video highlights ongoing concerns over kidnappings and insecurity in southern Borno State, which have persisted despite government efforts to curb insurgent activity in the region.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Saturday visited Port Harcourt City Local Government as part of his “thank you” visit across Rivers State.
Upon his arrival, a group of women displayed a symbolic gesture of loyalty by spreading their wrappers on the ground for his motorcade.
The women and supporters of the Minister were in a jubilant mode as Wike drove on the wrappers.
Wike has been going around local governments in the state to appreciate them for their support while reeling out moves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In the course of his visits, the Minister had fired several salvos at political actors in the state, warning that their sudden support for President Bola Tinubu won’t secure them any ticket in 2027.
Wike also renewed rivalry with Governor Sim Fubara over the leadership control of the political space in the state.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has officially reaffirmed that the impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, are ongoing and have not been suspended.
The Assembly said the process is still ongoing and is being conducted strictly in line with constitutional provisions.
This was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Petitions and Complaints, Hon. Enemi George.
According to the statement, the impeachment process, which began on Thursday, January 8, 2026, remains on course in line with the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
The lawmakers disclosed that separate notices of allegations bordering on gross misconduct have been served on both the governor and his deputy in line with Section 188 of the Constitution.
“The notices of allegations of gross misconduct against the Governor and the Deputy Governor have been duly forwarded to them by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule, and the House is awaiting their responses,” the statement said.
The Assembly maintained that it is constitutionally obligated to act in the interest of the rule of law and ensure that no public office holder acts outside legal boundaries.
Reacting to reports suggesting that the impeachment move had been halted, the House accused some individuals and media outlets of deliberately spreading misinformation to mislead the public and stir tension between the legislature and Rivers residents.
The lawmakers described such reports as false and insisted they would not succumb to intimidation, threats, or blackmail.
“We are aware of renewed attempts by certain persons and media platforms to misinform the public by claiming that the impeachment process has been discontinued. The public should disregard such falsehoods, as the process remains active,” the statement added.
The Assembly reaffirmed its commitment to democratic principles and constitutional responsibilities, stressing that it would not be distracted by what it termed “cheap propaganda.”
It also appreciated the people of Rivers State for their support and prayers amid the ongoing political developments and extended goodwill to Nigerians committed to the nation’s democratic journey.
JomogNews reports that during Thursday’s plenary session, presided over by the Speaker, the Majority Leader, Major Jack, formally read the notice of allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Fubara on the floor of the House.
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