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Nine killed, 78 injured in 13 road crashes during Sallah

Published

1 week ago

June 19, 2024

Nine killed, 78 injured in 13 road crashes during Sallah

The command also said 78 others who sustained varying degrees of injury in the crashes, involving 21 vehicles and 128 people, were swiftly conveyed to hospitals across the zone, while 41 other persons were rescued without injuries during the period.

Reviewing activities in the first three days of the command’s special operation for Sallah, which started on Friday, covering major routes within its jurisdiction in a statement obtained in Osogbo, the acting Zonal Commanding Officer, Leye Adegboyega, further said the corps deployed a total of 3,018 personnel, 57 patrol vehicles, five ambulances and two heavy-duty tow trucks, during the period.

According to him, the personnel from the command covered about 65 major routes across the zone daily to ensure good visibility to reduce avoidable speed-related crashes, while standby rescue teams were also stationed across all commands in the zone for quick response to distress calls from accident scenes.

The statement further read in parts, “The 2024 Eid El Kabir Sallah Special Patrol Operation is scheduled to be held between Friday, June 14 and Friday, June 21, 2024 across the country. Zone RS11 Osogbo of the Corps, which comprises Osun, Ondo and Oyo states, has keyed into the mission of the operation, which is to ensure a free flow of traffic, minimise the occurrence of RTCs, provide prompt rescue services in the event of crashes and ensure timely clearance of obstructions on all major roads and the critical corridors across the three states of the zone during and after the Sallah festivities.

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“For the zone to achieve the mission of the operation, a total of 3,018 personnel (comprising 2,155 Regular Marshals and 863 Special Marshals), 57 Patrol Vehicles, five ambulances and two Heavy Duty Tow Trucks have been deployed across the component commands.

“Included in the roads we cover on a daily basis are the following critical corridors which we give particular attention: i. Ibadan-Lagos Expressway;

I. Ibadan-Ife Expressway; iii. Ife-Ilesa Expressway; iv. Ilesa-Ipetujesa-Akure Expressway; v. Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway and vi. Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomoso Expressway.”

The zonal commander said in the first three days of the operation, they recorded the following achievements: i. The arrest of 737 traffic offenders who were duly contravened for 766 various traffic offences that might otherwise have led to avoidable road traffic crashes. ii. Execution of 219 various public enlightenment activities across the news media, motor parks, churches, mosques and other public places, to drive home the road safety message and create public awareness on the need for safety consciousness. Others were the provision of prompt rescue services for the victims of 13 RTCs which involved 21 vehicles and 128 people, out of which nine unfortunately lost their lives and 78 others sustained varying degrees of injuries and were swiftly conveyed to hospitals across the zone where they sustained cordial relationship, for treatment and 41 other persons who were rescued without injuries and continued their journeys.

On the plans of the command for the future, Adegboyega on behalf of the zone, appealed to the public and all road users to use the roads responsibly and contribute their quota to reduction in the loss of lives and valuable property.

Nine killed, 78 injured in 13 road crashes during Sallah

metro

19-year-old transformer vandal electrocuted in Enugu

Published

3 hours ago

June 29, 2024

Trends Admin

19-year-old transformer vandal electrocuted in Enugu

A yet-to-be-identified suspected electricity vandal has been electrocuted while attempting to steal transformer cable which belong to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company.

A statement on Friday by the Head, Corporate Communications of EEDC, Emeka Ezeh, said the incident happened in the early hours of Friday.

Ezeh, who described the incident as “tragic and very unfortunate,” lamented the increasing rate at which vandals attack electricity installations within the EEDC’s network daily.

Ezeh said, “In the early hours of today (Friday), the lifeless body of a yet-to-be-identified vandal suspect was found within the space of a distribution transformer belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc located around Missionary Avenue, Coal Camp, Enugu.

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“From all indications, it is presumed that the power supply must have been restored while the deceased was cutting the armoured cables, which resulted in him being electrocuted.

“Vandalism has been a big challenge to the company, and there is no way this can be addressed without the support of critical stakeholders.”

Ezeh lamented the increasing rate at which criminals plunder electricity installations within EEDC’s network daily, noting that it has adversely impacted not just the quality of service to its customers but also its revenue.

Meanwhile, the organisation in a statement on Friday, said, “The attention of the EEDC has been drawn to a video circulating on the social media space, made by one Mazi Okechukwu Cyril Nwuche who claims to be a lecturer at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, and the Anambra State Chairman of South East Electricity Consumers Association, purporting that EEDC is calling on its customers to apply for a free prepaid metre.

“This information is not only incorrect but laced with mischief aimed at misleading unsuspecting customers and creating confusion within the space.

“Whilst EEDC encourages its customers in need of meters to apply and have their premises metered, it is important that they are armed with the right information, and that they also understand the procedure in place for metre acquisition.”

19-year-old transformer vandal electrocuted in Enugu

metro

Court remands man for defiling eight-year-old daughter in Ondo

Published

3 hours ago

June 29, 2024

Trends Admin

Court remands man for defiling eight-year-old daughter in Ondo

A Family Magistrate Court sitting in Akure, Ondo State, has ordered the remand of a man, Mufutau Taiwo, for allegedly defiling his eight-year-old daughter.

The 35-year-old defendant was arrested by policemen for committing the offence at Ayedun Quarters, Akure, a few weeks ago. He was later charged in court on one count charge of rape.

According to the police prosecutor, Mr Martins Olowofeso, the defendant was apprehended on June 18, 2024, following a report made to the Anti-kidnapping Unit of the command at Alagbaka (Akure) that the defendant was involved in an incestuous act with his daughter.

The charge sheet reads, “That you, Mufutau Taiwo, 35, male, on June 5, 2024, at about 4 pm at No. 40 Egbe-Road, Ayedun Quarters, Akure, did have carnal knowledge of your daughter, (name withheld), female, aged eight years old, of the same address, and thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 25(a) of the Ondo State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law 2021.”

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Olowofeso informed the court that the Investigating Police Officer conducted a test in Akure, which revealed that there was penetration into the victim’s private part and she had been bleeding for three days.

He added that the defendant had confessed to the alleged crime during interrogation by the IPO.

The prosecutor, through an application, urged the court to remand the defendant at the Olokuta Correctional Centre pending the issuance of advice from the Department of Public Prosecutions.

The counsel to the defendant, G.O. Omoedu, told the court that his client had just served and he would need time to respond on points of law, urging the court to adjourn the case to enable him to reply to the remand application.

In her ruling, the magistrate B. A. Alipohul ordered that the defendant should be remanded in police custody and adjourned the case till July 4, 2024, for a hearing.

Court remands man for defiling eight-year-old daughter in Ondo

metro

Eight killed as one-storey building collapses in Kano

Published

3 hours ago

June 29, 2024

Trends Admin

Scene of a building collapse [File photo]

Eight killed as one-storey building collapses in Kano

At least eight people were feared dead when a one-storey building collapsed in the Kuntau area of Gwale Local Government Area, Kano State.

The incident occurred early Friday morning while laborers were working on the construction site.

Sources from the area reported that at least 15 individuals, including the building owner, were trapped when the structure gave way.

The owner, referred to as Sharu, was constructing the new storey to attach to his existing home. Some of the trapped individuals were passersby who had sought shelter from the rain.

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Upon hearing the news, Sharu’s wife reportedly rushed to the site, crying for help. Neighbors and passersby quickly mobilized to rescue those trapped under the rubble. Seven people were rushed to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, and one person died on the way.

A staff member of the Kano Fire Service, who sought anonymity, confirmed that the building trapped 15 people, with seven fatalities reported so far. Buses from the Kano State Fire Service, along with police personnel from the Dorayi Division, left the area around 7:30 p.m. to ensure no one remained trapped in the building and as a precautionary measure.

Preliminary reports suggested that the collapse was due to the use of substandard building materials. Efforts to reach the Kano State Fire Service’s public relations officer were unsuccessful.