Metro

JUST IN: One Feared Dead As Fire Razes Supermarket In Lagos

Published

1 month ago

March 25, 2024

Globus Supermarket in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos, went up in flames on Monday, destroying goods worth several millions of naira.

One of the female staff, who was said to have been burnt, was feared dead.

Other members of staff reportedly sustained varying degrees of injuries off the resultant stampede.

The cause of the fire remains unknown at the time of filing this report.

But eye witnesses said the fire started around 11 am.

However residents faulted the delayed arrival of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, attributing it as the cause of the devastating effect.

According to an eye witness identified simply as Joseph,, “When the Lagos State Fire Service arrived around 12 noon, they used the water they had to extinguish some parts but waited for many hours before continuing the operation

“They said there was no water and they were waiting for water to arrive before continuing the operation. Boys in the area decided to use their hands to remove some of the iron protectors around the building. In the process, a lady was rescued from the toilet.

“But I don’t know if she will survive because her hands and face were burnt before they took her to the hospital. But goods worth 300 million have been burnt down”

Another witness, Obinna, who sells opposite the building, said, “The fire started at 11 am. We didn’t really know what happened, but smoke was coming out from the window. I was the one who alerted management of the mall.

Countering the information about the delay, the Deputy Head of Operation, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mr. Olajide Ogabi, said the team arrived at the venue immediately they were alerted.

He said, “There is no such thing as waiting for water. The Lagos State Government has provided vehicles for us to operate and we got here immediately we got the information.”

Continuing, he added, “The reason why the fire is still ongoing is because we don’t know the contents of the items in the store, and we can’t ascertain that until we are done”

He added that “A lady was rescued, and she has been taken to the hospital for treatment. She is responding to treatment.”

However, information by a private guard opposite the Globus supermarket had it that the injured lady had passed away.

He said, “She is gone; her sister just left, crying over her demise. She said she died in the hospital.”

Metro

Man Jumps Into Lagoon, Dies After Being Chased By Mob For Alleged Stealing

Published

14 hours ago

April 27, 2024

Editor

A man identified simply as Azeez has been confirmed dead after reportedly jumping into Lagos lagoon while being chased by a mob for allegedly stealing bags of cement.

The Director in charge of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), said he arrived at the scene of the incident to see the lifeless body of the deceased who drowned.

His corpse has now been evacuated and deposited at the Mainland General Hospital mortuary in Yaba.

A statement released by the police read:
“SITUATION REPORT

SUICIDE/DROWNING

ON 26/04/2024 AT ABOUT 1220HRS THE DIRECTOR IN CHARGE OF LASEMA OPERATION IN LAGOS CENTRAL REPORTED THAT AT ABOUT 1045HRS OF DATE, HE RECEIVED A CALL THAT THERE WAS AN INCIDENT AT LEKKI/IKOYI LINK BRIDGE. ON GETTING THERE HE MET A LARGE CROWD GATHERED BY THE WATER SIDE, WATCHING THE LIFELESS BODY OF A MAN WHO HAD DROWNED, WHO WAS LATER IDENTIFIED AS AZEEZ ‘M’. HE WAS LATER CONFIRMED DEAD BY PARAMEDICS OF PRE HOSPITAL CARE LAGOS. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ONE ELIJAH AMOS ‘M’ WAS PURSUING THE DECEASED BEFORE THE DECEASED JUMPED INTO LAGOON, BECAUSE HE WAS ALLEGED TO HAVE STOLEN SOME BAGS OF CEMENTS. THE SCENE WAS VISITED WHILE THE CORPSE HAS BEEN EVACUATED AND DEPOSITED AT MAINLAND GENERAL HOSPITAL MORTUARY YABA, FOR AUTOPSY AND PRESERVATION. INVESTIGATION IN PROGRESS.”

Metro

How I Formed Kidnap Gang During My 11yrs In Prison- Suspected Kidnapper

Published

15 hours ago

April 27, 2024

Editor

The goals of Correctional centres, otherwise known as Prison , are to strike a balance between punishment, rehabilitation and public safety while preparing inmates for a productive life after release.

However, in Nigeria , these goals have suffered severe set back as most inmates rather than being transformed into a better version of themselves, return back to the society hardened than they were before going to jail.

This was the case of a suspected leader of a kidnap gang arrested by the Rivers State Police Command under the watch of CP Olatunji Disu.

The suspect, Gift Ogbo (39), who is receiving treatment in the hospital, from injuries sustained during a botched kidnap operation , disclosed that he formed his gang while serving his 11 years jail term for a murder case.

Ogbo, who said he had never been to a classroom since birth, recalled how he roamed his village in Ndele, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, during school hours, searching for opportunities to pilfer.

Due to his alleged villainous disposition, he was nick named ‘Akwa Ndele’, with parts of his body designed with bold scars .

Arrest

Vanguard gathered that on March 29, 2024, Ogbo, led three members of his gang on a kidnap mission, in their operational tricycle, on Nkpolu road.

They reportedly intercepted a white Mercedes-Benz ML 350 4matic , parked on the road, with two occupants in the driver and passenger seats.

But in an act of bravery, driver of the Mercedes who attempted to reverse and escape, hit a wall.

He reportedly drove menacingly towards two suspected members of the gang that stood in front of the car ,and ran over them.

The two suspects were

Ogbo and another member identified simply as Oyi-Baba, who were the gang’s muscle men. They were abandoned at the scene by their fleeing colleagues.

A mob was said to have descended on them and was at the verge of setting them ablaze when a Rapid Response Team that was contacted arrived the scene.

While Oyi-Baba reportedly died in the hospital, Ogbo , is still undergoing treatment, according to Police sources.

Prison gang

From the hospital bed, Ogbo, said, “ In 2012, I attacked one of my uncles during an argument over a parcel of land and he died in the process.

“I was arrested and charged for murder. While serving my 11 years hail term, I made friends with some inmates.

“Upon my release in December 2023, I returned to Ndele and rallied two old friends, Gift Kpanuku, aka Oyi-Baba and one Sunny, aka Onye-meme.

”We teamed up with two released members of the gang I formed in prison: Isaac and Ugo and immediately devised a plan to start a kidnap-for-ransom gang.

“We stole from residents of Ndele to raise money for arms. We raised 370,000 and used it to purchase two locally made shot guns in Akwa-Ibom from Smart, a gunrunner I also met in prison.

Operations

“We went on the first mission on March 13, 2024, at about 8.45 p.m. We snatched a red Mazda 323 from a local taxi driver to use as operational vehicle. On that same evening, we met a man and his wife who parked their car in front of a doctor’s office at Nkpolu. We ordered them out of their Volkswagen Touareg, pushed them into the back seat of the car and drove off with them, abandoning the stolen Mazda.

“But on the way to our hideout, there was traffic .While contemplating an alternative route, the woman jumped out of the car. In anger, I shot her husband in both thighs, and we sped off.

“We took him to a compound in Eleme, took his gold chain, gold wristwatch , his phone and wife’s phone which she left . We used his ATM card to withdraw N530, 000, via.”
VANGUARD

Metro

Court Stops Rivers Govt From Withholding LG Allocations

Published

2 days ago

April 26, 2024

Editor

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, stopped the Rivers State Government from withholding financial allocations of the 42 Local Government areas in the state, pending the determination of a suit that was brought before it.

The court, in a ruling Friday, ordered the local government Chairmen in the state and nine others, who had filed the suit to maintain status quo, pending the determination of the matter.

The ruling followed an ex-parte application in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/537/2024, argued by Mr. Aliyu Hussein, counsel to the plaintiffs.

Cited as plaintiffs in the matter are: Dr Chidi LLoyd, Chairman, Emohua Local Government, Hon Alwell Ihunda, Chairman, Port Harcourt Local Government, Dr Nwanosike Samuel, Ikwerre Local Government Area; Barrister George Ariolu, Chairman, Obio-Akpor Local Government; Dr Obbinna Anyawu, Chairman, Etchi Local Government Area; and Hon Chidorom Nwaiwu, Chairman, Omuma Local Government Area.

Others include Dr Hope Ikiriko, Chairman of Ahoada West Local Government Area; Barrister Benjamin Isreal Eke, Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government; and Dr Roland Sekibo, Chairman of Akuku-Toru LGA.

The presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, stopped the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Police Commissioner in Rivers, Director General, State Security Service, SSS and its Director, who were cited as defendants in the matter, from withdrawing the security personnel of the LG Chairmen, pending the final resolution of their motion on notice.

Justice Omotosho held that the Rivers State Government should not frustrate or prevent the LG Chairmen from discharging their duties and rendering services to their respective councils till the determination of the suit.

The plaintiffs approached the court, praying for an order of interim injunction to restrain the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Rivers State Government, Attorney General of Rivers and Commissioner for Finance, from withholding the revenue accrued to them.

They also sought an order from the court to restrain the IGP, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers, the SSS, its Director, and the AGF, from withdrawing the security personnel attached to them.

They equally prayed the court to prohibit the defendants from preventing the enforcement or implementation of the newly amended Rivers State Local Government Law N:5 of 2024 pending the determination of the motion.

In a 33-paragraph affidavit in support of the application deposed to by Dr Chidi LLoyd, Chairman of Emohua Local Government, the Chairmen claimed to have been duly elected in a democratically conducted election for a term of three years under the provisions of the Rivers State Local Government Law.

They asserted that they are autonomous and constitutionally recognised as one of the tiers of the government, adding that the Rivers State House of Assembly enacted the Rivers State Amended Law to guide their affairs and activities.

They claimed that the Rivers State Government, AG and Finance Commissioner, who are not happy with the amended law, have approached the IGP, CP, DG SSS and Director SSS, seeking the withdrawal of policing and other security services from them to frustrate the implementation of the amended law.

The Chairmen alleged that the Police Commissioner in the state, who has the responsibility to advise the IGP on the policing and security needs of Rivers State, is under substantial control of the Rivers State Government and would implement the directive of the state government.

They held that it would be impossible for them to carry out their respective functions and duties without the policing and security services of the IGP.

They prayed the court to restrain the defendants, especially the Rivers State Government, from taking the law into their hands.

In his ruling, Justice Omotoso ordered all parties in the suit to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction.

The judge warned that no party should take any step that would make the motion on notice nugatory.

“The plaintiffs are hereby ordered to serve the motion on notice seeking an interlocutory injunction on the defendants to enable them to have the opportunity to respond to the same.

“That this matter is adjourned to the 2nd day of May 2024 for the hearing of the motion on notice,” the court held.

PUNCH