metro
Police identify woman set on fire in deadly New York City attack
Police identify woman set on fire in deadly New York City attack
Police in New York City have named a woman who was set on fire and burned to death last week on a subway train in Brooklyn.
Debrina Kawam, 57, of New Jersey, has been identified as the victim of the seemingly random 22 December attack that burned her body beyond recognition.
Sebastian Zapeta, 33, is accused of starting the blaze with a lighter while Ms Kawam was asleep. He allegedly fanned the flames with a shirt and then watched the fire grow from a bench outside the subway car.
Last week, a grand jury indicted Mr Zapeta, who claims to have no memory of the incident, on four counts of murder and one count of arson.
Julie Bolcer, a spokesperson for New York City’s Office of Chief Medical Examiner, said the death was ruled a homicide and caused by “thermal and inhalational injuries”. She made the identification public on Tuesday.
“The identity was confirmed by the medical examiner yesterday through fingerprint analysis, following a multi-agency effort with our partners in law enforcement,” she said.
It took authorities more than a week to identify Ms Kawam’s body.
At a press conference on Tuesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said that Ms Kawam had recently spent time at a city homeless shelter.
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“It really reinforces what I’ve been saying, people should not be living on our subway system, they should be in a place of care. And no matter where she lived, that should not have happened,” he said.
Eric Gonzalez, the Brooklyn district attorney, said at a press conference early in the investigation that authorities had worked to collect DNA evidence and fingerprints from Ms Kawam’s remains.
“It’s a priority for me, for my office, for the police department to identify this woman, so we can notify her family,” Mr Gonzalez said.
False and unverified information about her, including a fake AI-generated picture, had circulated online in the aftermath of the attack.
There was also an outpouring of support, including a vigil held for the then-unidentified victim last week.
Police say that Ms Kawam was motionless, apparently asleep, on a stationary subway train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue Station in Brooklyn early on 22 December when Mr Zapeta allegedly approached her with a lighter.
The pair never interacted, and police believe they did not know each other.
Jessica Tisch, New York’s police commissioner, said that the smell of smoke drew police officers and Metropolitan Transit Authority personnel to the fire and they extinguished the flames.
“Unbeknownst to the officers who responded, the suspect had stayed on the scene and was seated on a bench on the platform just outside the train car,” Ms Tisch said.
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Authorities declared Ms Kawam dead at the scene.
Ms Tisch described the incident as “one of the most depraved crimes one person could possibly commit against another human being”.
In a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, prosecutor Ari Rottenberg said Mr Zapeta told investigators that he had been drinking and did not remember the incident, but did identify himself in photos and surveillance video showing the fire being lit.
The suspect, who is originally from Guatemala, was deported from the US in 2018 and later re-entered the country illegally, immigration authorities said.
He is due back in court on 7 January, prosecutors said.
Despite a decline in crime rates on New York City’s subway, the incident is one of a string of attacks that has raised concerns for riders on America’s largest mass transit system.
The subway safety issue arose again on Tuesday afternoon when someone was pushed on to the tracks in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood in front of an oncoming subway, according to New York City police.
The unidentified male victim was admitted to hospital with a head injury, authorities said. Police later detained a suspect, according to local media.
Police identify woman set on fire in deadly New York City attack
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metro
Viral Threesome Video: Sisi Alagbo’s Husband Accepts Responsibility, Seeks Forgiveness
Viral Threesome Video: Sisi Alagbo’s Husband Accepts Responsibility, Seeks Forgiveness
The husband of popular Nigerian social media personality Eniola Fagbemi, widely known as Sisi Alagbo, Akeem Adesola has publicly apologised following the circulation of a private video involving himself, his wife and another woman that triggered widespread reactions online.
The video surfaced earlier this week and quickly spread across WhatsApp groups, Telegram channels, gossip blogs and other social media platforms, generating intense public debate and criticism.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page on Thursday, Adesola Akeem accepted responsibility for the incident and expressed remorse over the embarrassment and disappointment caused by the controversy.
“I write with a deep sense of responsibility and sincere remorse to extend my heartfelt apologies to my family, friends, business associates, religious leaders, fans, loved ones, and the entire Nigerian public over the recent incident involving a leaked scandal,” he wrote.
“I acknowledge the disappointment, embarrassment, and concern this situation has caused, and I take full responsibility for my actions.”
Akeem said his behaviour fell below the standards expected by people who had supported and trusted him over the years. He also apologised specifically to his family members, supporters, business associates and religious community.
“To my fans and supporters, I deeply regret letting you down,” he added.
According to him, the incident has become a period of personal reflection, noting that he intends to rebuild trust and make better decisions moving forward.
“I am committed to making better decisions, rebuilding trust, and upholding integrity in both my private and public life going forward,” he stated.
Sisi Alagbo had earlier reacted to the controversy through a statement shared on her verified Facebook account on Wednesday. She apologised to followers and supporters, saying the situation had left her emotionally distressed.
“I own my mistakes, and I apologize with all sincerity for the video circulating online. I am deeply sorry to everyone who felt disappointed in me,” she wrote.
The incident has continued to dominate conversations on Nigerian social media, with reactions ranging from criticism to calls for privacy and restraint in sharing sensitive personal materials online.
Some social media users also raised concerns over the growing trend of leaked private content and cyberbullying, urging the public to avoid further circulation of the video.
Sisi Alagbo became widely known online through her promotion of herbal products and lifestyle content. She gained additional national attention during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco after a viral moment involving Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen.
The couple has not disclosed whether legal action will be pursued regarding the source of the leaked material.
Viral Threesome Video: Sisi Alagbo’s Husband Accepts Responsibility, Seeks Forgiveness
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metro
Lagos faces major power outage after twin failures at Egbin, transmission line
Lagos faces major power outage after twin failures at Egbin, transmission line
Lagos is facing a widespread power outage after a critical double disruption knocked out a major chunk of electricity supply to the nation’s commercial hub.
The Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) said a sudden shutdown of the Egbin Power Station and a transmission line failure had significantly weakened power delivery to the state, forcing emergency load-shedding measures.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the system operator disclosed that the Egbin plant suffered a major operational disturbance late on April 28, wiping out its entire output and tightening supply constraints across Lagos.
The incident has also sparked unconfirmed reports of a contractor’s death at the facility, though officials have yet to verify the claim or provide details on what may have occurred.
According to NISO, the disruption happened at about 8:21 p.m., when Egbin’s generation abruptly dropped from approximately 641 megawatts to zero.
The outage was traced to critical equipment failure within the plant, specifically the breakdown of its central compressor and a malfunction in the circulating water pump system. The faults forced an immediate shutdown of all generating units to protect the facility from further damage.
The situation was further worsened by a transmission constraint limiting power flow into Lagos.
“Power supply to the Lagos region is currently further restricted due to the forced outage of the Osogbo–Ikeja West 330kV transmission line,” the operator said, noting that the fault has hampered the evacuation of available electricity into the Lagos load centre.
The combined impact of the generation collapse and transmission failure has created a major supply gap, prompting authorities to ration electricity to stabilise the grid and prevent a broader system failure.
NISO said contingency measures have been activated, including redistributing available power among distribution companies and prioritising critical infrastructure.
Efforts are also underway to ramp up generation from other plants to cushion the impact on consumers.
The agency apologised for the disruption, acknowledging that Lagos and surrounding areas have been hardest hit, and assured residents that stakeholders are working to restore normal supply as quickly as possible.
Located in Ikorodu, Egbin Power Station remains Nigeria’s largest thermal plant on the national grid, with an installed capacity exceeding 1,300MW. Its strategic importance means any outage typically triggers immediate and widespread supply shortages, especially in Lagos, the country’s biggest electricity market.
The Osogbo–Ikeja West 330kV line is equally vital, serving as a key transmission backbone that channels power into Lagos from other parts of the country.
The latest incident once again underscores the vulnerability of Nigeria’s power infrastructure, where isolated failures in generation or transmission can quickly cascade into large-scale outages, highlighting the urgent need for system upgrades and improved maintenance.
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Cyberbullying: Police Confirm Arresting Rolex Dee Over Taye Currency’s Petition
Cyberbullying: Police Confirm Arresting Rolex Dee Over Taye Currency’s Petition
The Oyo State Police Command has confirmed that efforts are underway to track and arrest controversial social media personality, Rolex Dee, following a cyberbullying and defamation complaint reportedly filed by popular Fuji musician, Taye Currency.
Police authorities disclosed that the matter is currently under investigation after receiving a formal petition accusing Rolex Dee of using social media platforms to allegedly harass, threaten, and defame the musician.
According to police sources, detectives attached to the command’s cybercrime unit have already commenced digital tracking and intelligence gathering aimed at locating the suspect.
The command said the investigation followed several online videos and livestream sessions allegedly containing defamatory remarks and offensive statements directed at Taye Currency.
A senior police official familiar with the case reportedly confirmed that steps were being taken to ensure the suspect is apprehended and questioned in line with provisions of the Cybercrimes Act.
“We have received a complaint, investigation has commenced, and efforts are ongoing to track and arrest the individual involved,” the source said.
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The development comes after tensions escalated on social media between supporters of the Fuji singer and followers of Rolex Dee, with several viral clips generating heated reactions online.
Taye Currency, whose real name is Alhaji Taye Akande Adebisi, is one of the leading Fuji musicians in the Southwest and has maintained a strong fan base for years.
Sources close to the musician alleged that repeated online attacks against him and members of his family forced him to seek police intervention.
The controversy has further sparked debate over the increasing use of social media for personal attacks, cyberbullying, blackmail, and reputational damage among celebrities and influencers in Nigeria.
Legal experts say the Nigerian Cybercrimes Act empowers law enforcement agencies to investigate online harassment, cyberstalking, threats, and publication of false information capable of causing emotional, psychological, or reputational harm.
Meanwhile, supporters of Rolex Dee have reacted online, with some insisting that the issue should be resolved amicably rather than through criminal prosecution.
Human rights advocates have also urged security agencies to ensure that investigations respect constitutional rights, including freedom of expression, while distinguishing criticism from criminal cyber harassment.
The police command has, however, warned social media users against abusing digital platforms to intimidate, threaten, or spread harmful content against others.
Authorities reiterated that individuals found guilty of cyberbullying, cyberstalking, or online defamation could face prosecution under Nigerian law.
Cyberbullying: Police Confirm Arresting Rolex Dee Over Taye Currency’s Petition
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