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20 feared dead, scores missing in Bayelsa boat explosion
20 feared dead, scores missing in Bayelsa boat explosion
A devastating incident occurred on Wednesday along the Ezetu 1 community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa State, as a wooden cargo boat, identified as ‘Godbless Dickson,’ exploded and burst into flames, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 people.
The boat was carrying over 64 passengers and crew members, along with a cargo of farm produce.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported the tragedy on Thursday, with ASP Musa Mohammed, the Police Spokesman in Bayelsa, confirming the deaths of 20 people. Rescue efforts by the Marine Police unit and other responders are still underway, with many passengers yet to be accounted for.
The ill-fated boat was en route from a rural settlement to the Swali market in Yenagoa, a regular destination for farm produce. The exact cause of the explosion remains unclear, but the incident has sent shockwaves through the region.
Mr. Ogoniba Ipigansi, Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Bayelsa Chapter, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview. He noted that a rescue team from the union, comprising two speedboats, was dispatched to the scene to assist the stranded passengers.
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Despite the ongoing rescue efforts, the total number of casualties has not yet been determined. Several passengers remain unaccounted for, with some possibly stranded at a nearby fishing camp. Mr. Augustine Amayoro, a speedboat operator involved in the rescue mission, reported saving 10 people from the wreckage, but many others remain missing.
It was gathered that wooden cargo boats like ‘Godbless Dickson’ are exempt from the state government’s ban on night navigation in the waterways, due to their slower speed, which necessitates an earlier departure to reach markets on time. The boat had set sail in preparation for the busy market day at Swali waterside in Yenagoa, where farm produce is typically sold on Thursdays.
Chief Target Segibo, Chairman of Southern Ijaw LGA, expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of life, calling the disaster “regrettable.” He emphasized the need for concerted efforts from stakeholders to enhance safety regulations within the marine transport sector to prevent future tragedies.
As the community mourns the loss of lives, rescue operations continue in hopes of finding more survivors, while the cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
20 feared dead, scores missing in Bayelsa boat explosion
(NAN)
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Police parade suspected ritualists, armed robbers in Osun
Police parade suspected ritualists, armed robbers in Osun
The Osun State Police Command has said that it has arrested seven suspects for possession of human body parts.
The police made this revelation to journalists while parading the suspects at the Command headquarters in Osogbo on Wednesday.
The suspects paraded include Johnson Daniel, Adetunji Okunade, Olaniyan Azeez, Balogun Temitope Asimiyu, Oladapo Hammed, Kazeem Rasak and Asaka Rauf.
Addressing journalists, the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Giwa-Alade Emmanuel also said suspected human bone fragments, a female pant and note books were recovered as exhibits from the suspects at the point of arrest.
He said, “The above named suspects were arrested upon a credible information from a good spirited individual that, one Johnson Daniel ‘m’ a mortuary attendant at lpetu-ljesa sells portions of human remains deposited at the mortuary to native doctors whose names are listed above.
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“The said suspects use these remains gotten from the mortuary attendant (Johnson Daniel) for different ritual purposes. Daniel also confessed that, he conspired with one other mortuary attendant named Adetunji Okunade ‘m’ to sell remnant of water used in bathing corpses to interested native doctors.
“In the course of investigation, search were conducted at the residences of these suspects which led to the recovery of fragment of substances suspected to be human skull at Asaka Rauf ‘m’ and Oladapo Hammed ‘m’ residences while a female pant and a note book containing instructions on ritual practices were recovered from Balogun Temitope Asimiyu’s residence.”
Giwa-Alade hinted that the suspects have been charged to court.
Similarly, the police paraded Taiwo Adekunle, Adebayo Opeyemi, Hasan Ibrahim, Oba Wasiu and Olajide Oladapo for alleged armed robbery.
Exhibits recovered at the point of arrest include a Ford Jeep with registration number SMK945OS, Hunter motorcycle with registration number WWD604QF, one empty shell cartridge, one Iphone and one magnet.
Police parade suspected ritualists, armed robbers in Osun
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Troops kill many terrorists in Kaduna, hostages rescued, arms recovered
Troops kill many terrorists in Kaduna, hostages rescued, arms recovered
Many terrorists have been neutralised in Kaduna State after they were ambushed in a sting by troops.
The troops also recovered weapons, logistics and rescued hostages during the operation that took place on 17 September 2024.
The Nigerian Army announced the triumph in a statement on its social media platform on Wednesday.
According to the statement, acting on credible intelligence, the troops intercepted the terrorists while they are attempting to cross from Alawa Forest in Niger State to Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State.
“The ambush led to a fierce firefight, resulting in the elimination of two terrorists, while others managed to flee. Troops recovered two AK-47 rifles, two magazines, and three motorcycles at the scene,” it said.
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In a separate operation, troops acted on intelligence about the movement of terrorists at Hayin Nakwakina village in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
“Troops sprung an ambush against the terrorists, neutralizing two of them and subsequently restoring normalcy in the village that had been earlier displaced by the terrorists.
“Troops also recovered two motorcycles, a mobile phone, and machetes abandoned by the fleeing terrorists,” it said.
Responding to a distress call on Tuesday, 17 September 2024, troops rescued 20 hostages who had been abducted by marauding terrorists along the Kwaga-Polewire axis of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The troops successfully rescued the abductees after a shootout that overwhelmed the terrorists, compelling them to flee.
Troops kill many terrorists in Kaduna, hostages rescued, arms recovered
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Another boat capsizes in Zamfara, Four children dead, 12 hospitalised
Another boat capsizes in Zamfara, Four children dead, 12 hospitalised
Another boat carrying 46 passengers capsized in Mashayar Garba Rogo, Bukkuyum town, Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara state, resulting in the d3ath of four children.
The latest incident occurred around 10:30 am on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, barely a week after a boat mishap in Gummi Local Government Area of the state claimed over 30 lives.
According to a local resident, Malam Aliyu Umar Bukkuyum, two bodies of the children were recovered, while the other two remain missing.
Twelve people are currently unconscious and receiving treatment at General Hospital Bukkuyum.
One of the survivors, Buhari Usman (also known as Messi), reported that the boat had about 50 passengers, mostly children and a few adults, who were travelling across the Zamfara River to reach their farms.
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He explained that midway through the journey, the boat began to behave erratically and capsized despite efforts by the boat captains to stabilize it.
“I personally rescued 12 children and some adults. We managed to save a good number of the victims, but unfortunately, four died. Two bodies have been recovered, while the other two remain missing,” he said.
The Sole Administrator of Bukkuyum, Hon. Nasiru Muhammad (DG), confirmed the incident, attributing it to overloading, anxiety, and failure to follow proper boating guidelines.
He noted that the government is caring for the 12 rescued victims at the hospital and promised that measures would be taken to prevent similar accidents in the future.
Search efforts are ongoing to locate the two missing passengers.
Another boat capsizes in Zamfara, Four children dead, 12 hospitalised
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