Kubwa Explosion: Vehicle Crashes Into Gas Outlet, Damages Nine Shops

Panic broke out in Kubwa, Abuja, on Sunday morning after a gas explosion rocked the Liberty Junction area, following a vehicle crash into a roadside gas retail outlet.

The incident occurred at about 6:15 a.m., sending a powerful blast through the area and causing nearby buildings to shake, while thick smoke and flames rose from the affected facility.

The vehicle reportedly veered off the road and crashed into the gas outlet, triggering the explosion and subsequent fire.

The impact affected several businesses around the junction, with reports indicating that nine shops were damaged or destroyed by the ensuing fire.

A nearby police traffic post was also reportedly uprooted by the force of the explosion, while other structures and sections of the surrounding area were damaged.

The vehicle involved in the crash was badly burnt in the incident. Emergency responders, however, reportedly rescued the driver and a child from the wreckage.

The injured driver was taken to a medical facility for treatment, while emergency personnel worked to prevent the fire from spreading to other shops and properties in the densely populated area.

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The explosion triggered panic among residents and commuters, with people reportedly rushing away from the scene as the fire continued to burn.

Emergency response agencies, including the Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Police Force, were deployed to the scene.

Firefighters battled the flames for hours before the situation was brought under control.

The incident also caused significant traffic disruption around Liberty Junction and the Kubwa axis, as motorists slowed down and emergency responders worked at the scene.

Security personnel subsequently moved people away from the immediate area and helped manage traffic while the damaged vehicle and other debris were cleared.

Initial reports did not indicate a confirmed death from the explosion, although the driver was reported to have sustained injuries.

Authorities had yet to provide a detailed official account explaining why the vehicle veered off the road or confirming the full extent of the damage and injuries as of the time of reporting.

The incident has again drawn attention to safety concerns surrounding gas outlets located close to busy roads, shops and residential areas, particularly in densely populated parts of the Federal Capital Territory.

Further assessment by relevant authorities is expected to establish the precise circumstances of the crash, the extent of the property damage and whether any safety breaches contributed to the incident.

Kubwa Explosion: Vehicle Crashes Into Gas Outlet, Damages Nine Shops

Newlywed Arrested After Allegedly Excreting 72 Cocaine Wraps at Enugu Airport

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested a 53-year-old Nigerian passenger at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, after he allegedly ingested 72 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.253 kilogrammes.

The suspect, identified as Lovely Chukwulobelu, was arrested on December 3, 2021, during the outward screening of passengers travelling on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Enugu to Rome, Italy, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According to the NDLEA, the suspect was detected during the airport’s screening process after operatives suspected that he had ingested drug pellets.

He was subsequently placed under observation, during which the 72 wraps of cocaine were recovered after he excreted them.

The total weight of the recovered cocaine was put at 1.253kg, according to the anti-narcotics agency.

During questioning, Charley allegedly told NDLEA officials that he was expected to receive €4,000 after successfully delivering the drugs in Italy.

The suspect reportedly told investigators that he had been living in Italy for more than 20 years and attributed his alleged involvement in the drug trade to the downturn in his business during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The arrest formed part of a wider series of drug-trafficking interceptions reported by the NDLEA at Nigerian airports and other locations at the time.

At the same period, the agency reported the arrest of another Nigerian passenger, Uzoh Ndubuisi Johnson, who allegedly arrived at the Enugu airport from Brazil through Addis Ababa with 6.7kg of cocaine concealed in clothes.

The NDLEA also reported the arrest of John Kadja, a 25-year-old passenger of Ghanaian and Nigerian parentage, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, with 2kg of methamphetamine allegedly concealed in the false bottom of his luggage.

The agency said the arrests demonstrated the methods being used by suspected drug traffickers to move illicit substances through Nigeria’s international airports.

The then Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended officers involved in the interceptions and urged them to remain vigilant in efforts to prevent the trafficking of illicit drugs.

The agency has continued to deploy passenger profiling, luggage searches, body scanning and other screening measures at international airports to detect attempts to move cocaine and other illicit drugs across Nigeria’s borders.

The Enugu case also illustrates one of the methods used by suspected traffickers, in which drug pellets are allegedly swallowed before a passenger boards a flight and later recovered under controlled observation.

The allegation against Charley was made by the NDLEA, and the reported arrest and drug recovery do not by themselves constitute a conviction. Any criminal liability would ultimately be determined through the appropriate judicial process.

Newlywed Arrested After Allegedly Excreting 72 Cocaine Wraps at Enugu Airport

Deputy Director’s Death: NLC Shuts Delta Secretariat, Begins Indefinite Strike

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared an indefinite strike in Delta State following the death of Unity Ekpevbughe Adeda, a Deputy Director in the state Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.

The decision followed growing tension among workers over the circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death at the Prof. Chike Odozien Secretariat in Asaba, with organised labour demanding a thorough investigation and assurances over the safety of workers in government offices.

The Delta State NLC, led by Goodluck Ofobruku, directed workers to withdraw their services indefinitely as it protested the death and demanded accountability over what it described as an unacceptable incident involving a public servant.

The development led to the shutdown of the state secretariat, with workers staying away from their offices as the labour union escalated its response.

The circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death remain the subject of investigations, with different accounts emerging over what happened before the Deputy Director died.

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Labour-linked accounts alleged that Adeda was assaulted during a confrontation at the secretariat. However, Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Kingsley Ashibogwu, denied ordering anyone to attack the deceased.

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Ashibogwu also gave a different account of the incident, alleging that Adeda physically confronted him.

The conflicting accounts have heightened calls for an impartial investigation to establish what happened and determine whether anyone bears responsibility for the Deputy Director’s death.

The Nigeria Police Force has commenced an investigation and arrested Lucky Adoh in connection with the incident.

Police also declared a manhunt for Enos Attah and Oputa Okestine, who were identified as persons allegedly connected to the incident.

Investigators are expected to examine available video recordings, eyewitness accounts and medical records as part of efforts to establish the sequence of events and circumstances surrounding Adeda’s death.

The Delta State Government has also established an eight-member Administrative Panel of Inquiry to investigate the incident.

The panel is chaired by Charity Ehimen, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Head of Service, and includes representatives of the NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council.

The panel has been given two weeks to submit its report and findings.

The government’s decision to constitute the panel followed the escalation of the dispute and the labour union’s declaration of an indefinite strike.

The investigation is expected to determine what happened before Adeda’s death, the circumstances surrounding the confrontation reportedly involving him and other individuals, and whether any action or omission contributed to his death.

As of the latest reports, there has been no conclusive official finding establishing the cause of Adeda’s death or confirming allegations of a fatal assault.

The police investigation and the administrative inquiry are therefore expected to provide separate but complementary findings on the incident.

The Delta NLC strike will remain in force pending further developments, while workers and organised labour await the outcome of the investigations into the death of the Deputy Director.

Deputy Director’s Death: NLC Shuts Delta Secretariat, Begins Indefinite Strike