By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A social initiative to encourage parents to pay closer attention to their children’s emotional well-being and create space for open conversations has been launched by a global mobility and delivery platform, inDrive.

It is based on inDrive’s Cancel the School Trip campaign, first launched in Kazakhstan in April 2026.

Encouraged by the significant public interest in the project, inDrive intends to roll out the initiative across other markets within its global presence, including Nigeria.

As part of the initiative, users taking morning rides to school received a push notification asking whether they wanted to cancel the trip after the ride had already started. The message appeared to be an app error, but in reality, it served as a communication trigger — a way to pull parents out of their daily routine and redirect their attention to their child’s emotional state.

School bullying remains one of the most widespread — and at the same time one of the least visible — issues affecting teenagers worldwide. According to UNICEF, millions of children regularly experience bullying, yet many never speak about it to adults.

“We need to talk to children more often. Not just ask How are you? But genuinely notice their emotional state, mood, and changes in behaviour. Sometimes, even a short conversation can help identify a problem a child may be afraid to talk about,” the Country Lead for inDrive Nigeria, Mr Timothy Oladimeji, stated.

The symbol of the campaign became the back seat of a car — a space where parent and child are alone together and can talk without distractions. The organisers believe there is not always a need to create entirely new communication rituals; sometimes, it is enough to pay more attention to moments that already exist in everyday life. Even a few minutes of conversation on the way to school can help a child feel heard and safe enough to share their concerns.

In addition to digital tools, installations shaped like car seats were placed across Almaty in shopping malls and at busy city intersections. As part of the initiative, an online platform with practical recommendations for parents was also developed together with child psychologists.

The platform includes materials on recognising signs of bullying, starting difficult conversations with children, and supporting them in challenging situations.

The campaign was followed by a roundtable discussion in Kazakhstan that brought together psychologists, parents, influencers, and representatives of the creative industry. Participants discussed why bullying often remains hidden, how teenage aggression is evolving and which communication approaches help build trust between adults and children.

A separate part of the discussion focused on how to talk to children about difficult emotions and experiences. According to psychologist Kseniya Lych, standard questions are often ineffective because children answer them automatically. Instead, prompts involving imagination and open-ended thinking tend to reduce tension and encourage dialogue.

The initiative received strong public attention and positive feedback from parents, psychologists and the professional community. As a result, inDrive is already planning to expand the campaign to other markets where it operates, adapting it to each country’s local context.

“We see that bullying is an equally painful issue across different countries and cultures. That is why we want to develop this initiative internationally and launch similar projects in other inDrive markets. For us, it is important not only to raise awareness about the problem, but also to help parents pay closer attention to their children’s emotional well-being and start conversations in time,” says Yevgeniy Gavrilchenko, co-author of the idea and Creative Lead at inLab by inDrive.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Shehu Mohammed, has kicked against an alleged violent attack on the traffic enforcement team of the organisation by a motorist, who was later identified as a security operative.

In a statement signed by the Deputy Corps Commander for Public Education, Mr Osondu Ohaeri, in Abuja on Friday, it was claimed that the motorist was suspected to be an official of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Narrating the incident in the statement, the FRSC said on Thursday, May 21, 2026, its officials flagged down a Toyota Carina driver for a suspected traffic violation at about 3:20 pm, but he refused to stop and proceeded dangerously until he was eventually held up by traffic close to the Command in Idu, Abuja.

“Upon approach by the patrol team for routine checks of vehicle and driver documents, the offender became hostile, verbally aggressive, and resisted lawful enforcement procedures.

“Despite several tactical and professional attempts by FRSC personnel to de-escalate the situation, the offender escalated the confrontation by physically advancing toward officers and later drawing a pistol, which he fired twice within the vicinity of the Command.

“In the face of imminent danger to lives and property, FRSC personnel acted with remarkable restraint, professionalism, and tactical discipline to swiftly disarm the assailant without loss of life. One Marshal sustained minor bruises during the process,” the statement narrated.

It was disclosed that the suspect was immediately handed over to the Nigeria Police Force at Life Camp Police Station alongside the firearm, ammunition components, and the vehicle involved, with the matter transferred to the appropriate State Command for further investigation.

In the statement, Mr Mohammed praised his men for the courage, professionalism, and maturity displayed by them, saying he’s impressed with how they resisted provocation and ensured that the situation did not degenerate into chaos, despite growing public outrage at the scene.

He further stated unequivocally that no individual, regardless of status, rank, or agency affiliation, is above the law, emphasising that security personnel are expected to lead by example through compliance with established traffic regulations and respect for constituted authority.

He called on all security agencies to continue strengthening inter-agency cooperation, mutual respect, and operational discipline in the collective interest of national security and public safety.

“Firearms and official status must never be used as instruments of intimidation against law enforcement officers carrying out legitimate duties,” he stressed.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Nigeria’s interstate transport ecosystem has been digitalised by the introduction of a ticket vending platform by one of Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce companies, Interswitch.

This comprehensive digital solution was designed to transform ticketing, streamline operations, and enhance service delivery.

At the core of the solution is a secure, token-based system that allows travellers to purchase digital tickets across multiple channels, including web, mobile, and dedicated point-of-sale (POS) devices deployed at transport terminals.

These tokens serve as verifiable digital vouchers, which are validated and redeemed at boarding points, significantly reducing inefficiencies associated with manual ticketing, cash handling, and fragmented sales processes.

It was developed as both an operational management system and a digital marketplace to allow transport operators, particularly small and medium-scale businesses, to digitise their end-to-end processes while connecting to a broader customer base through the Quickteller ecosystem.

With this innovation, operators can seamlessly create and manage routes, oversee terminal activities, track sales, and access real-time performance insights from a single, centralised platform.

It also introduces a marketplace experience that enables travellers to search, compare, and select transport options across multiple operators based on routes, schedules, and pricing. This not only simplifies journey planning but also promotes transparency and choice for commuters.

The platform also supports corporate and institutional users by enabling bulk token purchases, offering a flexible and efficient solution for organisations managing employee or group travel.

In addition, it delivers value to regulators and stakeholders within the transport ecosystem by providing access to structured data and actionable insights that can support oversight, licensing, and consumer protection efforts.

“Transportation remains a critical backbone of Nigeria’s economy, yet much of the sector still operates with fragmented systems and manual processes that limit efficiency and growth.

“With the Ticket Vending Platform, we are introducing a scalable digital infrastructure that empowers transport operators to modernise their operations, expand their reach, and deliver a more seamless experience to travellers.

“Beyond ticketing, this is about creating a connected ecosystem, one that brings together operators, commuters, and regulators on a unified platform, while driving transparency, efficiency, and long-term value across the industry,” the Managing Director for Industry Ecosystems at Interswitch, Ms Chinyere Don-Okhuofu, said.