Connect with us

Metro

Ikoyi Building: RCCG Pastor, 22 Artisans Stuck In Rubble

Published

on

A pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Ola Ogunfuwa and 22 of his workers are among those stuck in the rubble of the 21-storey building that collapsed on Monday on Gerrard Road, in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State.

The pastor, who is in charge of the Living Water Parish in Ibafo, Ogun State, was said to be working as a contractor on the project but has not been heard from or been identified among those rescued or brought out lifeless.

A friend of Ogunfuwa and an RCCG pastor, Omotosho Shola Emmanuel, confirmed to The PUNCH correspondent that the victim doubled as an engineer and came with 22 other artisans, comprising bricklayers and welders, from Ibafo to work in the building.

READ ALSO: [BREAKING] Ikoyi Building Collapse: Sanwo-Olu Suspends Lagos Building Agency Boss

He said, “I am here this morning because one of my pastor friends is working here, he is an engineer. He came with about 22 people all the way from Ibafo (Ogun State) to work here; labourers, bricklayers, welders, about 22 different guys that came together with him to work on the project.

Advertisement

“Till now, out of those that have been rescued, we’ve not seen any of those 22 and he himself is still there because we learnt that yesterday (Monday), at break time, he came out to eat but as he was about washing his hands to eat, he was summoned by one of his bosses and he went back inside but about five to 10 minutes later, the building collapsed and he was trapped.

“He is still there now and we pray that God will have his way upon those still there.

“As a church, we prayed all through yesterday night and we’re still believing that there is nothing God cannot do because we know that people are still many there, they said they are over 50.

“The ones they’ve rescued are not up to 10, definitely we are still expecting more people to be rescued,” Omotosho added, praying God will bring more survivors out.

Since the rescue operations on the collapsed building on Gerard Road began, no rescued person has been identified but they have all been taken to an undisclosed hospital.

The PUNCH had reported that 10 people were feared dead when the incident happened, as many others were still trapped in the rubble, including the Managing Director, Fourscore Heights Limited, Mr Femi Osibona, who owned the building.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Ikoyi Building Collapse: Why We Withdrew Further Services —Construction Company

The building crumbled around 2pm when workers were on the site.

The South-West Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Farinloye, on Tuesday, said a total of 20 bodies, including that of Osibona’s personal assistant, had been recovered.

Advertisement
Comments

Metro

Anambra Court Jails Two For Vandalising Electricity Cables

Published

on

By

A Federal High Court sitting in Awka, the Anambra State capital has sentenced Chinonso Chinaemelu, 27-year-old, and Okoye Christian, 20-year-old to one-year imprisonment respectively for vandalising a distribution substation belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc.

This development was made known by the Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Emeka Ezeh, in a statement on Thursday.

Ezeh said the duo were arrested on November 29, 2023, by Abatete local vigilante group while attempting to vandalise the distribution substation within the locality.

He also confirmed that in the same week, a couple identified as Mr & Mrs Ebuka Umeh, were arrested by members of Isuorji community neighbourhood security in Orlu, Imo State.

READ ALSO: Hoodlums Set Anambra Police Station Ablaze

Advertisement

According to him, the couple was arrested when the wife was attempting to pick the vandalised items from a distribution substation belonging to EEDC with their motorcycle, adding that the couple attacked the substation for three days.

Ezeh said, “In a related development, a vandal suspect identified as Chukwuebuka Ezike who hails from Umunachi in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State was arrested by Umuezinachi community neighbourhood watch while he was cutting aluminum conductor around Orie Uguiri Market.

“At Amachi-Izhia, Ebonyi State, Amara Joseph Ajagbo was arrested by members of the Electricity Committee for vandalizing nine spans of aluminum conductors in their community, while two of his gang members escaped.

READ ALSO: Court Sentences Chinese To Death For Killing Nigerian Girlfriend

“The suspects have been handed over to the respective Police formations for proper investigation and possible prosecution.”

Ezeh lamented the spate of vandalism in the EEDC network, stating that it is a major challenge negatively impacting the smooth operations of the company.

Advertisement

According to him, between January 2022 to date, the company has recorded over 170 cases of vandalism in its network, with about 135 suspected vandals arrested, out of which over 100 have been charged to court.

He stressed that the company will not relent in its resolve to prosecute these arrested suspects and go all out to fish out receivers of these vandalized items as they remain the motivation for the vandals.

Ezeh lamented that it has become difficult for the organisation to fund the restoration of vandalised infrastructure and that the development is affecting service delivery to customers.

Continue Reading

Metro

Hoodlums Set Anambra Police Station Ablaze

Published

on

By

Some yet-to-be-identified assailants have set ablaze the police divisional headquarters in Nneni, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.

It was gathered that the hoodlums invaded the facility in the early hours of Thursday and threw explosive devices that burnt parts of the building.

A source and one of the residents in the area said the hoodlums were attempting to free some inmates at the facility, but they were unsuccessful as police officers on duty repelled the attack.

READ ALSO: INEC Disowns LP’s National Convention

When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the attack but added that no life was lost.

Advertisement

“In Nneni, no life was lost. No policeman was whisked away, and no armed was taken away. Instead, the hoodlums threw IEDs into the police facility, which torched part of the building.

“Our operatives gallantly resisted the attackers, which made them flee. Operations are still ongoing, and further developments shall be communicated,” Ikenga said.

Continue Reading

Metro

Court Orders Release Of 313 Suspected Terrorists

Published

on

By

A Federal High Court in Borno has ordered the release of no fewer than 313 suspected terrorists arrested by the military.

The court ordered their release for lack of evidence to nail the suspects after the investigation.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Buba Edward, disclosed this during a briefing on military operations across the country on Thursday in Abuja.

He assured all that the military would comply with the court order and release the suspected terrorists to the state government.

READ ALSO: JUST IN: Military Yields To Pressure, Frees Abducted Lagos Editor

Advertisement

Buba said, “During the week, as a follow up to a court order of the Federal High Court in Maiduguri, a total of 313 suspects in detention for terrorism-related offences were to be released to the Borno State government.

“The court ordered the release for want of evidence after the conclusion of the investigation and other ancillary matters.

“The cases were prosecuted by the Department of Prosecution, Federal Ministry of Justice. Accordingly, they would be handed over to the Borno State Government for further action.”

The PUNCH reports that this is not the first time suspected terrorists would be acquitted for want of evidence.

READ ALSO: INEC To Publish Edo Gov Candidates’ Credentials Saturday

The Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), had on December 4, 2023, said out of a total of 1,323 suspects prosecuted for terrorism, only 366 convictions were secured.

Advertisement

He noted that 896 others were discharged for lack of evidence.

Fagbemi said, “I must acknowledge the fact that we have come a long way in this initiative. The first phase of the Kainji Prosecution Project commenced in October 2017 with remarkable achievements where we recorded a total of 366 convictions, 896 others were discharged for want of sufficient evidence and 61 other cases adjourned for further hearing.

“There have been three phases of the exercise so far, spanning between October 2017 and July 2018. I must, at this point, challenge all stakeholders to ensure that the momentum is sustained, seeing how important this assignment is to the well-being of our beloved country and her people.”

 

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending