News

Accident: Hope Of Rescuing Two Passengers From Lagoon Dim – NEMA

Published

1 year ago

April 10, 2024

Editor

The Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, says the hope of rescuing the two passengers who fell off a bus into the Lagos lagoon following an accident on Wednesday has become dim.

He spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the scene of the accident in Lagos.

This is just as the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said that the remaining occupants of the bus were seriously injured.

The impact of an accident earlier on Wednesday, according to Farinloye, left two adults thrown off an 18-seater bus into the Lagos lagoon.

Farinloye had said this in a statement, adding that personnel of the Marine Police were in search of the two adults, a male and female, who fell off the LT 18-seater bus.

He said that the crash occurred by Adeniyi Adele axis inward Lagos Island on the Third Mainland Bridge.

He said that the driver of the vehicle, who was on speed, swerved off the road and hit the bridge railings, with the impact pushing the two passengers off the bus into the Lagos lagoon.

Speaking with NAN correspondent who was at the scene, Farinloye said that personnel dispatched from the agency, joined by two teams from the Nigerian Police Marine Corps, had been assisting in the rescue operations.

“However, by now, we are not looking at search and rescue again, but recovery.

“This is because the male passenger was said to have floated about three times before he was finally drowned, while the woman did not even surface at all.

“Therefore, the possibility of anyone of them surviving is slim,” he said.

According to him, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) had, however, mobilised more local divers to join the team for the recovery operations.

Mr Jonathan Owoade, Zonal Coordinator, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), also corroborated the explanation by the NEMA official.

Owoade said that other victims in the bus had been rescued and taken to a nearby general hospital for treatment.

“We are on our way to the hospital to see their state of being and also commiserate with them,” he told NAN.

According to him, the accident seemed to have occurred as a result of speeding by the driver, given the impact.

NAN reports that the emergency response agencies were seen on ground at the scene of the accident, comprising marine police, LASEMA, FRSC, NEMA, and the local divers.

The bus involved in the accident damaged part of the railings, and pieces of its shattered windshield littered the scene.

Meanwhile, LASTMA, in a statement by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Mr Adebayo Taofiq, said the 18 other passengers rescued in the bus accident and taken to the hospital were seriously injured.

He said that LASTMA officer Olamide Ojo-Oniyun (One Alpha, Zone 1 Lagos Island), who led the recovery operations, confirmed that his team had evacuated the LT Commercial bus off the road for unhindered vehicular movement inward in the Adeniji Adele area of Lagos Island.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, also cautioned motorists to obey speed limits and ensure their vehicles are properly checked before embarking on any journey within or outside the state.

Recall that the Federal Government reopened the third mainland bridge on April 4, setting the speed limit at 80 km per hour, following extensive repairs over a period of five months.

Wednesday’s accident occurred on a day Muslims were celebrating Eid-el-Fitr.

It came days after the Lagos Sector of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) reiterated the call for safe driving on the newly reopened Third Mainland Bridge after an accident occurred on it on Thursday.

A collision involving three vehicles occurred on the bridge on Thursday, the day it was fully reopened to traffic after months of partial closure.

The FRSC described the Thursday incident, which involved three vehicles inward Iyana Oworo axis of the bridge, as an avoidable crash and blamed it on negligence.

The Sector Commander, Mr Babatunde Farinloye, had told the NAN that though there was no injury in the accident, there was minor damage to the vehicle.

The sector commander advised motorists to drive cautiously, reiterating the need to comply with the 80km per hour speed limit on the bridge.
(NAN)

News

PHOTOS: Brazil Welcomes Tinubu With Full Military Honours In Brasília

Published

11 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

Brazil on Monday rolled out full military honours at the Planalto Palace in Brasília to receive President Bola Tinubu.

Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this on X on Monday.

Onanuga said Tinubu was welcomed by his host, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

He wrote, “More photos of the official reception for President Tinubu at the Planalto Palace in Brasília, Monday, August 25, 2025. Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva welcomed President Bola Tinubu with full military honours.”

News

Tinubu Signs Direct Flight, Other Agreements With Brazil

Published

11 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed a landmark Bilateral Air Service Agreement with Brazil, signalling the establishment of direct air links between Nigeria and South America’s largest economy.

The agreement was formalised on Monday during Tinubu’s official state visit to Brasília.

Media aide to the minister, Tunde Moshood, made this known through a statement, made available to The PUNCH.

At the signing ceremony which was witnessed by Messrs Nigerian President, Tinubu and the Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brasilia also had the Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, signed the agreement on behalf of Nigeria, while Brazil’s Minister of Transport, Silvio Costa Filho, also signed for the host country.

The BASA creates a new framework for direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil, with the potential to significantly enhance trade, tourism, investment, and diplomatic relations.

The statement further noted that, “ It also marks a key step in Nigeria’s broader efforts to strengthen international partnerships and improve global connectivity.”

Tinubu had arrived in Brazil with a delegation that included Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu; Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari; and other senior government officials.

According to the statement, the Brazilian President welcomed the agreement, expressing his administration’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Nigeria in sectors such as aviation, agriculture, and infrastructure.

He described the BASA as a reflection of the strong ties between both countries and an opportunity to deepen economic and cultural collaboration.

Tinubu is also scheduled to hold meetings with key Brazilian government officials, including the President of the Senate, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, and the President of the Supreme Federal Court.

The two-day visit will include high-level discussions between Nigerian and Brazilian delegations across various sectors, as both nations explore opportunities for mutual growth and development.

The statement reads, “The ongoing state visit will also see President Tinubu meeting the President of the Brazilian Senate at the National Congress, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, and the President of the Supreme Federal Court.

“The working visit, which continues tomorrow, will also feature high-level engagements between Nigerian and Brazilian delegations across various sectors, underscoring both nations’ commitment to building a future of mutual growth and prosperity.”

News

NAFDAC Warns Of Fake Postinor-2 In Circulation

Published

12 hours ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control on Monday issued a public alert, warning the public about confirmed counterfeit batches of Postinor-2 (Levonorgestrel 0.75 mg) now circulating in Nigeria.

The alert follows a report from the Society for Family Health, the marketing authorisation holder, confirming that they did not import the suspect batches.

Postinor-2 (Levonorgestrel 0.75mg) is a brand of emergency contraceptive pill containing the active ingredient levonorgestrel.

NAFDAC revealed there are noticeable labelling discrepancies between the authentic and fake products.

It said, “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) hereby notifies the public of falsified Type 1 and 2 batches of POSTINOR 2 (Levonorgestrel 0.75mg) product in circulation.

“The noticeable difference was found to be as follows: The font size of the text on the pin verification sticker appears smaller and has a wrong spelling of the word Veify instead of Verify on the fake; meanwhile, the text font on the sticker of the original appears bigger and more visible. There is also a wrong spelling behind the pack of the fake “Distnibuted in Nigeria” instead of distributed in Nigeria”, NAFDAC said.

NAFDAC identified the original Postinor-2 as batch T32458H, manufactured in February 2023 with an expiry date of February 2027 and registration number 04-6985.

The agency, however, confirmed two falsified versions: Counterfeit Product (Type 1), batch T36184B, manufactured in August 2024 with an expiry date of August 2028; and Counterfeit Product (Type 2), batch 332, manufactured in March 2023 with an expiry date of February 2027, both carrying the registration number 04-6985.

It said that due to the potential presence of incorrect, substandard, or harmful ingredients, improper dosages of levonorgestrel, and a lack of sterile manufacturing conditions, poses significant risks to individual health and public safety.

“The risks of administering falsified Postinor 2 (Levonorgestrel 0.75mg) include failure of contraceptive effect, toxic or harmful contaminants, unpredictable side effects, delayed or missed opportunity for genuine emergency contraception, and potential long-term reproductive health impact. Unexpected side effects: Unknown substances can trigger allergic reactions, organ damage, or death.

“Counterfeit medicines are unregulated, untested, and illegal, making their safety and efficacy impossible to guarantee. Patients should only obtain Postinor-2 from verified pharmacies or licensed healthcare providers.

“Although Investigations are still ongoing regarding the source of the falsified product, all NAFDAC zonal directors and state coordinators have been directed to carry out surveillance and mop up the falsified product of type 1 and 2 postinor 2 (Levonorgestrel 0.75mg) within the zones and states,” it added.

NAFDAC urged consumers and healthcare providers to verify PIN stickers carefully, report suspected counterfeit products, and always purchase medications from reputable sources.