metro
Tanker fire razes Anambra community as angry residents stone firefighters
A tanker fire incident at the Nkwelle Ezunaka area, near Onitsha, Anambra State, raged for hours on Saturday as angry residents chased away firefighters for reportedly responding late to their distress call.
A tanker carrying petroleum product fell into a ditch in the community and was engulfed in flames, causing panic among the people in the area.
The tanker driver was said to have lost control, making the articulated vehicle to fall into the ditch, spilling its content and resulting in a major fire.
It was gathered that the residents fled their homes for fear of being caught up in the flame.
Firefighters deployed in the area were chased back by irate mob, who protested their delay in arriving at the scene.
The mob attacked the firefighters with stones and other dangerous weapons, causing the firefighters to make a U-turn and left the area for fear of their equipment being destroyed too.
Confirming the incident, the head of Anambra State Fire Service, Mr Martin Agbili, lamented the poor attitude of members of the community towards the firefighters.
Agbili, however, said police operatives and members of Nkwelle Ezunaka community vigilante were able to render assistance.
He added that two persons involved in pelting stones at his men had been arrested, while others had fled the scene.
He said, “My men and the first fire trucks got to the fire scene of T-Junction, Nkwelle and people started throwing stones at them. People should understand that fire service is only coming to render help when there is a fire outbreak and they are not the cause of the fire.
“Having engaged the Nigeria Police Force and the Vigilante, two persons among those that threw stones on my men have been arrested and some identified ones are still on the run.
“The team of Nigeria Police and Local Vigilante led my men back to the fire scene. Our firefighters and fire trucks are back at the fire scene again to complete the fire fighting operation, and finally, the fire has been controlled.
metro
Bandits gun down 23 villagers in Kaduna community
Bandits gun down 23 villagers in Kaduna community
Bandits on Wednesday night attacked Anguwar Danko village under the Kakangi constituency of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna and killed 23 persons.
It was gathered that large number of bandits invaded the community on Wednesday, fired gunshots sporadically, and abducted dozens of residents.
Residents said the bandits operated freely in the community, located about 10 kilometres from Dogon Dawa village in the same LGA.
Yahaya Musa Dan Salio, the representative for Kakangi Ward in the State House of Assembly, confirmed the attack, stating that 23 residents were killed, with five others injured.
He said some abducted villagers managed to escape into the bush during the chaos.
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“There were casualties following Wednesday’s invasion in my constituency because so far 23 people were confirmed killed by the bandits. 19 at Anguwar Danko while 4 were killed at Kanawa village. They were buried this morning (Thursday),” he said.
He said cows were also rustled from the community during the attack.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Interim Local Government Chairman of Birnin Gwari LGA, Alhassan Ibrahim Saulawa also confirmed over 20 casualties.
He mentioned that the Interim Chairman, Salisu Isah, visited the community to offer condolences and support to the affected villagers and the injured.
According to him, the exact number of people abducted remains unknown as many are still missing, having fled into the bush during the attack.
The state Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansur Hassan, promised to provide further details upon reaching out to the area for information when our correspondent contacted him with the update on the casualties following the Wednesday incident.
Bandits gun down 23 villagers in Kaduna community
(DAILY TRUST)
metro
Boy, 19, nabbed for raping 9-year-old girl in Kwara
Boy, 19, nabbed for raping 9-year-old girl in Kwara
In Kwara State, one Jamiu Akande has been apprehended for allegedly defiling a nine-year-old girl.
The incident happened at the Pakata Area, Ilorin in Ilorin West Local Government Area of the state.
19-year-old Akande was apprehended by the Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The suspect was said to have started having carnal knowledge of the victim late last year and had been having constant sex with her.
The Public Relations Officer of NSCDC, Ayoola Michael ASC, confirmed the incident.
He said the suspect, who is a regular visitor to Babareke house in Ipata Oloje, started assaulting her sexually on December 1, 2023.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect frequently visited the victim’s residence under the guise of seeing his friend, thereby gaining access to the victim.
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“He lured the victim to an uncompleted building on December 1, 2023, and sexually assaulted her. Subsequently, on April 16, 2024, he sent her to buy bread for him and then led her to a dilapidated building where he subjected her to additional sexual abuse.
“The victim disclosed that the suspect had been sexually assaulting her since December 2023”, the NSCDC said.
He disclosed that on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at approximately 20:30hrs, the case was reported to the gender unit of the command by Alhaja Yusuf Mariam Joke, The Director of Child Ministry of Woman Affairs, following a distress call from Babareke House, Ipata Oloje Area in Ilorin.
“Without delay, the command swiftly responded and apprehended the suspect after painstaking efforts by officers of the Command,” he said.
Ayoola said that the suspect had confessed to the crime and would be charged to a court of competent jurisdiction for onward prosecution.
The state commandant of the NSCDC, Mohammed Umar, expressed great dismay at the alarming surge in cases of rape and defilement of minors, stressing that those who commit such awful acts would be punished severely.
He urged parents and guardians to remain watchful and ensure that their children are always near them.
Boy, 19, nabbed for raping 9-year-old girl in Kwara
metro
16 killed as Borno bus runs over ISWAP explosives
16 killed as Borno bus runs over ISWAP explosives
No fewer than 16 persons were feared dead and 20 others injured when a commercial vehicle plying the Baga-Kukawa Road in the Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State drove over an Improvised Explosives Device suspected to have been planted by ISWAP terrorists.
Credible military intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in the Lake Chad region, that the incident occurred on Wednesday, April 17.
Although Zagazola Makama reported 10 feared dead, credible sources told The PUNCH they were no fewer than 16.
The spokesman for the 7 Division, Lt. Col. Ajemusu Jingina, said, “I will not comment on the incident, as the location falls under the jurisdiction of the Multi-National Joint Task Force, which is headquartered in Ndjamena, Chad Republic.”
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However, a resident of Baga, Bukar Wakil, told The PUNCH on the phone, “We heard that the IED was planted with the intent of killing troops, but the unfortunate commercial vehicle drove over it before any military vehicle did, killing about 16 people and injuring about 20, mainly passers-by.”
A Maiduguri-based security expert, Abdullahi Abubakar, raised concern over the resurgence of sporadic attacks by ISWAP across the Lake Chad basin.
“You should look at the current resurgence of attacks from three angles.
“One, troops have claimed degrading Boko Haram to virtual non-existence; two, ISWAP, a rival of Boko Haram, has invaded the Chad basin, not only unleashing terror but attempting to crush Boko Haram in incessant battles for supremacy; and three, ISWAP wants to show the Nigerian military that they are very much around and are very much uncrushable.
“Until troops completely crush ISWAP, the terror group will never, in my view, allow Chad basin to rest. This explains the sporadic attacks, especially in northern Borno.”
16 killed as Borno bus runs over ISWAP explosives
Bandits gun down 23 villagers in Kaduna community
Netizens knock Tinubu aide, Onanuga, over comment on Yahaya Bello arrest
Boy, 19, nabbed for raping 9-year-old girl in Kwara
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