There was pandemonium on Friday when fire gutted A1 Petroleum Filling Station, an independent oil dealer located on Isawo Road, off Agric Bus Stop in Ikorodu, Lagos.

As of 1 p.m., the extent of property destroyed and possible casualties had not been confirmed. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Men of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, supported by other emergency responders, were at the scene battling to contain the inferno, which reportedly began from a diesel-laden truck within the premises.

READ ALSO: Fire Destroys 28 Shops At Popular Kwara Market

The Department of State Services (DSS) has brought terrorism charges against two senior commanders of Ansaru, an Al-Qaeda-linked terror group, over their alleged role in violent attacks across Nigeria.

The suspects are Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar, who is described as the Emir of Ansaru, and his deputy Mahmud al-Nigeri, also called Malam Mamuda. They were recently captured during security operations.

According to the DSS, the charges against them include leading a terrorist organisation, funding its activities, recruiting members, and planning violent operations nationwide.

READ ALSO:Prove You Are Not Terrorist Organisations, Falana Challenges APC, PDP

Their arraignment at the Federal High Court in Abuja is expected soon.

Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA), said the two men were behind the July 2022 Kuje prison attack, where more than 600 inmates, including Boko Haram suspects, escaped.

Ribadu explained: “Abu Bara was the coordinator of terrorist sleeper cells across Nigeria and the mastermind of several high-profile kidnappings and armed robberies used to finance terrorism.”

READ ALSO:FG Captures Two Ansaru Terrorist Leaders

On Mamuda, Ribadu revealed that he trained in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under foreign jihadists from Egypt, Tunisia, and Algeria, specialising in handling weapons and making explosive devices.

The NSA also linked the suspects to the 2013 abduction of French engineer Francis Collomp in Katsina, the 2019 kidnapping of Musa Uba, Magajin Garin Daura, and the kidnapping of the Emir of Wawa.

Ribadu described their arrest as “a turning point”, noting that the duo maintained strong networks in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

The Nasarawa State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a 22-year-old woman accused of attempting to abduct three children in Mararaba, Karu Local Government Area.

SP Ramhan Nansel, the command’s spokesperson said the suspect, identified as Aisha Hashiru, was arrested on Thursday evening at the busy Orange Market, after vigilant members of the public raised an alarm while she allegedly tried to escape with the minors.

“She was about to be lynched when the Divisional Police Officer of Mararaba ‘A’ Division mobilized his team, rescued both the suspect and the children, and moved them to the station for safety,” Nansel explained in a statement.

READ ALSO:Police Arrest Suspected Fake Lawyer In Ogun

He added that preliminary investigations revealed that Hashiru allegedly sneaked into the home of Ramatu Auwal at about 5:00 p.m. on the same day and abducted her three children: Fatima (4), Shafiyi (5), and Amina (6).

According to police, the suspect confessed to luring the children under the guise of buying them biscuits.

Nansel stated that the case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Lafia for further investigation.

READ ALSO:Police Mourn Ex-IG Arase’s Death

Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa Command, has directed detectives to intensify efforts to resolve other reported cases of missing children in the state.

He also commended residents of Mararaba for their vigilance, while urging communities to remain alert.

“The Command assures the public of its unwavering commitment to protecting lives and ensuring the safety of children across Nasarawa State,” Nansel added.