Tragedy As Building Collapse Kills One In Lagos
A tragic incident unfolded early on Thursday morning as a two-storey building situated at number 34 Oloto Street, Borno Way, off Freeman Street, Oyingbo, in Lagos collapsed, claiming the life of an elderly woman reported to be in her 80s. The unidentified woman gave up the ghost immediately the structure collapsed on her around 7:45 am on Thursday. Following the distress call, responders and concerned citizens swiftly gathered at the scene to provide assistance and address the situation. Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyitolu, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), confirmed the fatality, noting no additional injuries in the tragic incident. “LASEMA received distress calls at approximately 8:30am, and our response team arrived promptly at 8:42 am,” Oke-Osanyitolu said. “Upon arrival, we discovered a partial collapse of a storey building, caused by the collapse of an internal suspended beam within a room due to the structure’s aging and lack of maintenance.” “Regrettably, an elderly woman lost her life due to the partial collapse,” he added. As of the latest update at 10 am, a joint search and rescue operation is underway at the scene, which has been cordoned off for safety measures. Emergency response units, including the LASEMA Response Team, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, paramedics, and the Lagos Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), are actively engaged to ensure safety and maintain order. “The affected area has been cordoned off, and we have alerted LABCA (Lagos State Building Control Agency) for further necessary actions,” Oke-Osanyitolu emphasized.
Israel/Palestine War: UN Mourns 101 Staff killed In Gaza
Flags at United Nations (UN) offices around the world are flying at half-mast in memory of the 101 UN staff members killed so far in the Gaza war. Staff held a minute’s silence to mourn and honour colleagues from UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) who were killed in the war. The UN relief body said in a statement on Monday that “the UNRWA death toll, already the highest in UNhistory, has continued to increase.” It added that the dead were among the 13,000 UNRWA staff working in Gaza, many of them killed with their families. They were teachers, school principals, health workers, including a gynaecologist, engineers, support staff and a psychologist, the agency said. Tom White, the Director of UNRWA in the Gaza Strip said “UNRWA staff in Gaza appreciates the UN lowering the flags around the world. “In Gaza however, we have to keep the UN flag flying high as a sign that we are still standing and serving the people of Gaza,’’ White said from Rafah. Meanwhile, UN agencies in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and elsewhere posted photos on social media of flags at half-mast in front of and on their office buildings.
Tragedy As Two Children Die In Niger Boat Mishap
Two children have been confirmed dead while two others sustained various degrees of injuries in a boat mishap that occurred in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger. The Overseeing Director-General of Niger Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) /, Alhaji Salihu Garba, disclosed this in Minna on Saturday. He said the incident occurred on Friday at about 6pm when the boat engine caught fire due to a mechanical failure and inflamed a gallon of petrol stored inside the boat. He said that 145 passengers were in the boat, adding that they were from Danbo community in Kogi. Garba disclosed that the passengers were on their way back from Katcha Market when the incident occurred. He said that the body of one of the deceased children had been recovered while the search for that of the second missing child was still ongoing.
Tragedy As Transformer Explosion Kills Many In Plateau
In a devastating incident, Gada Biu community, located in the Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, was rocked by a fatal electric transformer explosion on Saturday. The incident, which occurred around 3 a.m., not only claimed several lives but also caused significant damage to residential buildings and shops in the area. Witnesses on the scene recounted a harrowing scene, describing how the transformer explosion ignited a fire that quickly spread, leading to multiple casualties. Among the victims, four individuals from Kabong village in the Gada Biu community were tragically electrocuted. Moreover, the extent of the disaster remains uncertain, as more people were reportedly trapped in the inferno, with their fates yet to be determined. John Silas, a resident of the community, expressed the shock and grief that enveloped the area, stating, “The people of Kabong village in the Gada Biu community woke up this morning around 3 a.m. to mourn the death of four persons. They were electrocuted due to an electric transformer explosion in the area. I understand that more others were trapped in the fire, and we don’t know their fate now.” Plateau State Police Command’s Spokesman, Alabo Alfred, confirmed their awareness of the tragic incident. He revealed that several individuals sustained injuries and were promptly transported to the hospital for medical attention. In response, the police force has dispatched its officers and personnel to the affected area to conduct a thorough investigation and shed light on the circumstances leading to the catastrophe.
Tragedy As Illegal Fuel Depot Explosion Claims 34 Lives in Benin Republic
At least 34 individuals lost their lives in a devastating explosion at an illicit fuel depot near the Nigeria-Benin Republic border. Interior Minister Alassane Seidou conveyed this grim news during a press briefing. The incident unfolded in the town of Seme Podji, where a catastrophic fire erupted due to contraband fuel storage. Among the victims were two infants, their bodies tragically charred by the intense blaze. Additionally, Minister Seidou disclosed that 20 individuals sustained injuries and were currently receiving medical treatment, with some in critical condition. Fuel smuggling is a prevalent issue in the region, particularly along the borders with Nigeria. This illicit activity has been exacerbated by the Nigerian government’s previous fuel price subsidy, which incentivized smuggling due to lower petrol costs. The tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with illegal fuel depots and the urgent need for measures to combat such activities and enhance safety along border regions.
Gunmen Kill 10 Persons, Injure One In Plateau
Tragedy struck the peaceful community of Kulben in the Gindiri District of Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau, as a group of gunmen unleashed a horrifying attack. The assailants, in a senseless act of violence, claimed the lives of ten innocent individuals while leaving one person critically injured. The harrowing incident unfolded on a fateful Sunday night, forever altering the lives of the community’s residents. Mr. Jerry Datim, a distressed member of the community, recounted the terrifying events that transpired. “Last night, at about 8:40 p.m., some gunmen attacked Kulben community, killed 10 persons and injured one,” he painfully shared. The attackers descended upon the village, their bullets tearing through the tranquility of the night as they fired indiscriminately. Panic swept through the community as people scrambled for safety, but tragically, some were unable to escape the hail of bullets, their lifeless bodies discovered later. In the midst of the chaos, the community did what they could to alert the security forces to the unfolding tragedy. “We alerted the security personnel, but before they got there, the attackers had moved from the community,” Mr. Datim revealed. The swift and ruthless nature of the assault left little time for intervention. Despite the urgency of the situation, attempts to reach out to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Alfred Alabo, for an official statement were met with unavailability. However, an unnamed senior police officer confirmed that the law enforcement agencies had launched a comprehensive manhunt to track down and bring the attackers to justice. Axccording to him, the full force of the law would be employed to ensure that those responsible for this heinous act faced the consequences of their actions.
Tragedy as 4 siblings die in Enugu building collapse
The Enugu Capital Territory Development Agency (ECTDA) has confirmed four children of the same family killed in a building collapse in the Agric Quarters in the Mgbemena axis of Coal Camp in Enugu. The Chairman of ECTDA, Mr Uche Anya, made the confirmation to journalists on Saturday after inspecting the site of the collapsed building. Anya noted that the bungalow building located at the Agric Quarters in Coal Camp area collapsed on Friday night around 8pm after a downpour. He said the structure was approved for animal husbandry but was converted for residential. While lamenting that the collapsed building was not healthy for human residence, the ECTDA chairman revealed that the structure had 44 rooms with about 200 residents. “As soon as we got the intelligence, we rushed to the place. Four children died in the episode. “It was danger waiting to happen. The construction was irresponsible. “The place should never have been occupied by human beings. In fact, go there and see. “Apparently, they claim that they are doing animal husbandry and poultry there but it turned out that there are 44 rooms that human beings are occupying and there must have a population of over 200 people there. “The fence line was totally unacceptable, nobody does that, and unfortunately, the people we lost in that tragedy are innocent children and it is very painful,” Anya added. The chairman said that the agency would continue to sensitise the public on the need to live a more conducive environment to avoid future occurrence of the unfortunate incident. According to him, the compliance unit of the agency under his leadership would ensure that structures erected by landlords and contractors adhere strictly to the approval plan. The ECTDA also gave immediate quit notice to residents of the building and four other buildings close to the scene of the incident.
Oil spill has destroyed Aleto, Eteo communities’ source of water -Group
Health of Mother Health Foundation (HOMEF), has again decried the recent oil spills that ravaged Aleto and Eteo communities in Eleme Local Government of Rivers State, saying it has crippled farming and fishing activities in the area. HOMEF said the spills also destroyed the communities’ only source of potable water. HOMEF and members of Oilwatch Nigeria that paid visits to the two scenes recently for an on-the-spot assessment to ascertain the level of response and possiblecleanup of the affected environment, said it met the environment still in asorry situation as nothing is being done to salvage or clean the pollutions caused by the spills. A statement by HOMEF on Saturday signed by the Media and Communication Lead, Kome Odhomor, Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey, expressed displeasure that the oil companies are neither decommissioning their aged infrastructure nor ensuring that their facilities are in good working condition. He regretted that rather than remediating the harm caused by their activities, more investments are being made by the oil companies to expand the areas of threat. Bassey further lamented that two months after the spill occurred, the companies have yet to respond and interface with the communities in any meaningful way. “It was heartbreaking to listen to the lamentation of the community women who now have no source of potable water and cannot process their cassava, a major staple due to the pollution of their stream. The insensitivity of the polluters andregulatory agencies is appalling. These atrocious incidents are also compounding the work of HYPREP. While the agency is working to cleansome areas, these polluting incidents are threatening to erase their efforts.” During the site visits, coordinator, Peoples Advancement Centre (PAC), and member Oilwatch Nigeria Celestine Akpobari, called on NOSDRA andother relevant agencies of government to do the needful and send reliefmaterials to the starving people immediately. “It is sad and very embarrassing that a spill of this magnitude at Eteo would happen in very close proximity to human habitation and the NPDC and the government ofNigeria carries on as if nothing has happened to the people. It is worse that the spill has affected the community’s only source of drinkingwater. It is not enough to just sneak in at night to clamp the pipe, the right thing must be done.” While receiving the team of CSOs who visited his palace, His Royal Highness Emere Emmanuel T. Akobe the Paramount ruler of Eteo communityexpressed shock over the attitude of the NPDC saying, “Our beautiful stream is dead, my people don’t deserve this type of treatment and afterwe have brought the notice of the National Assembly, there is still noresponse from them, and my people continue to suffer the impact of thespill.” HOMEF reiterates that Aleto and Eteo communities and the entire Niger Delta must not be treated like disposable or sacrifice zones forprofit-seeking endeavours. NOSDRA should be more proactive in meeting thechallenging situations of oil spills in the region, while the polluting companies should urgently halt their polluting activities, clean uptheir spills, and pay compensation to affected individuals andcommunities. The CSOs also demanded that oil companies decommission all aged pipelines and facilities in the region in line with UNEPrecommendations in the assessment of the Ogoni environment.