Metro

Hundreds Of Students Escape Death In Enugu School Fire

Published

3 years ago

July 1, 2022

Editor

Hundreds of students of the Peaceland College of Education, Enugu escaped death by whiskers on Thursday, when fire gutted some parts of the school’s female hostel.

The institution is located opposite the Matured Students Programme of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, near the popular Nkpokiti junction, at Independence Layout, Enugu.

Many students were said to have sustained injuries when students were scampering to different directions as confusion engulfed the premises.

However, there are conflicting accounts as to what triggered the fire.

While some said it was caused by power surge some said a student left an electrical appliance on and went to class.

Though no life was lost in the inferno, it was gathered from some staff of the college that the fire destroyed the roofs, ceilings, windows, beddings among others, at the top floor worth over N30 million.

The fire, it was gathered also destroyed some certificates and other credentials of the students.

Some lecturers who spoke to correspondent on condition of anonymity, said save for timely intervention of men of the Enugu State Fire Service the fire would have razed down the entire hostel and other classroom blocks.

One of the lecturers’ said that the fire started on the top floor of one of the major hostel blocks destroyed ND certificates and other credentials of the students.

A student who gave her name as Chinwe Odo said, “We were in our different classes when we suddenly heard the sound of explosion and when we went out to find out, we saw fire coming out from one of the rooms in the hostel.

“Some of us, especially HND students came to school with our OND Certificates because we were told that there would be verification by people from Abuja. Those certificates were razed by the fire”.

However, a senior staff of the college, who preferred anonymity, told journalists that the destruction in the school was huge.

“Though, no student was in the room where the fire started, but we suspect that somebody might have plugged a device and forgot to put it off.

“As a result, we lost a lot. The roofing, the ceilings, a lot of things up there. In fact we cannot put a figure to the destruction. But we really lost property worth over N30 million to that fire.

“But we thank the men of the Enugu State Fire Service. Without them, the entire buildings here would have gone into the flames”, the staff said.

At the time of filing this report, the school authority had yet to issue a statement on the incident.

Metro

Court Jails Football Coach For Sodomising Minor Player

Published

34 minutes ago

October 16, 2025

Editor

A Kano State High Court has sentenced a football coach, Hayatu Muhammad, to eight years in prison for sodomising one of his underage players.

The presiding judge, Justice Musa Dahuru Muhammad, delivered the judgment on Wednesday, sentencing Hayatu without the option of a fine.

According to the prosecution, the coach, who lives in Sanka area of Kano metropolis, committed the offence twice in different locations. He initially pleaded not guilty to the charges.

To prove the case beyond reasonable doubt, the state counsel, Barrister Ibrahim Arif Garba, presented five witnesses who testified against the defendant.

In his defense, Hayatu took the witness stand alone.

The prosecution stated that his action violated Section 284 of the Penal Code Law, which criminalises sodomy.

After reviewing all the evidence and witness statements, Justice Dahuru ruled that the prosecution had successfully proved the case.

He sentenced Hayatu to four years in prison on each of the two counts, to run concurrently — meaning he will serve a total of eight years starting from the day of the judgment.

Metro

Lagos Fire Service Rescues Woman From 60-foot Well In Ikorodu

Published

2 hours ago

October 16, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has saved a 32-year-old woman who accidentally fell into an uncovered well approximately 60 feet deep at No. 14 Mustapha Bolatiwa Street, off Agric Bus Stop, in the Ikorodu area of the state.

The incident, which drew a large crowd of onlookers, was described by residents as “nothing short of a miracle.”

Eyewitnesses said the woman, whose identity had not been immediately confirmed, reportedly wandered from a nearby compound and was seated on the edge of the well before losing balance and falling in.

Following a distress call, operatives of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service arrived swiftly and launched a well-coordinated rescue operation.

Confirming the incident, the Director of the agency, Mrs Margaret Adeseye, said the woman was pulled out alive after a tense and delicate rescue effort.

“She was immediately stabilised and transported to a nearby hospital for further medical care,” Adeseye said.

She cautioned residents to ensure all open wells and similar structures are securely covered to prevent avoidable accidents.

Adeseye also praised the professionalism and prompt response of her team, reaffirming the agency’s unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property across Lagos State.

Metro

DSS Arrests Two Dismissed Officers Over Impersonation, Fraud

Published

2 hours ago

October 16, 2025

Editor

The Department of State Services, DSS, has arrested two dismissed officers, Barry Donald and Victor Onyedikachi Godwin, accused of impersonating the Service to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.

The DSS, in a statement issued on Wednesday, confirmed that both individuals, earlier declared wanted in separate public warnings, have been arrested and will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

“The Department of State Services recently issued disclaimers on two dismissed personnel of the Service, Barry Donald and Victor Onyedikachi Godwin. These individuals were alleged to be cloaking under the Service to engage in fraudulent activities.

“The public is hereby notified that these culprits have been apprehended and will face prosecution in accordance with the law,” the Service said.

This comes after a series of alerts by the DSS warning Nigerians against dealing with the former officers dismissed for misconduct but still parading themselves as active operatives.

Recall that the secret police had raised the alarm over the activities of Victor Onyedikachi Godwin, accusing him of using the DSS name to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

In the same vein, on October 8, a separate statement was issued concerning Barry Donald, another dismissed officer alleged to be impersonating the agency for fraudulent purposes.

The DSS said it remains committed to protecting Nigerians from impostors and maintaining public trust in the Service. It also revealed plans to publish the names of other previously dismissed personnel to prevent citizens from falling victim to similar schemes.

The DSS urged members of the public to verify all official engagements through its verified communication channels and to report any suspicious activities involving persons claiming to represent the Service.