Metro

Mysterious Fire Guts Secondary School In Akwa Ibom, Proprietor Cries For Help

Published

4 years ago

August 15, 2021

Editor

Tragedy struck at the weekend at Annang Secondary Commercial School, Idung Esimuk, Odoro Ikot, Akwa Ibom State as ‘strange’ fire gutted the school and consumed documents, buildings and other property worth millions of naira.

The cause of the fire, according to the proprietor, Rev. Joseph Ada who spoke with morenews.ng, remains a mystery, explaining that the school has no electricity connection or generating plant to cause such, wondering what would have caused such inferno which wrecked so much havoc on his property.

Rev. Ada who is also the Chairman, National Association of Private Schools (NAPS) Essien Udim Chapter, told Morenews.ng that the inferno has rendered both the teachers and students of the school helpless as the September 2021 resumption date in Akwa Ibom State approaches.

Mr Ada who is also the Chairman, National Association of Private Schools (NAPS) Essien Udim Chapter, told Morenews.ng that the inferno has rendered both the teachers and students of the school helpless as the September 2021 resumption date in Akwa Ibom State approaches.

Further narrating the incidence, Rev Ada said: “I was at home that night when I received the unfortunate news and before I could rush down to the scene it was already late to control the fire. Some concerned neighbours had tried to quench the fire when it started before my arrival but their efforts proved abortive as flame kept increasing.

“When I arrived, I was helpless as I was confused of what to do at that point because that fire could only be controlled or quenched by fire fighters and the only Fire-Fighting Station we used to have in Essien Udim was attacked and burnt during the recent crisis.

“Here I am left with nothing except God. Everything I had in this school has gone. Both classroom and administrative blocks have been razed and all documents completely damaged, destroyed and burnt to ashes,” the Proprietor explained.

Rev Ada, who is also a cleric of the Christ Faith Church, prayed God for divine intervention as the school was all he has to take care of himself and family.

He called on parents and guardians to remain calm as the management is doing everything possible to ensure that their students resume in time despite the fire incidence adding that the school remains the top choice for parents who wish to give their wards qualitative education.

The school proprietor appealed to both Local and State Governments, corporate bodies as well as public spirited individuals to assist him reconstruct the school which he said has been a source of livelihood to him and many others and citadel of learning in the locality.

A staff of the school, Mr Emmanuel Akpan, who spoke with Morenews.ng, also pleaded with the governments at all levels and philantropic organisations to support the proprietor to rebuild the school which he said has helped put food on the table of many and also provided educational services to children in the community.

He described the school as one of the best in the area in terms of academic standard.

“The school is one of the best around here and as such itl should not be allowed to go down the drain like that despite the fact that it is owned by private individual. We appeal to governments to assist the proprietor for the sake of the students.

“As you can see, candidates who are writing NECO and WAEC examinations now are stranded as there is no hall for them to use,” Akpan lamented.

Metro

12 IDPs Suffer Snake Bites In Benue Camps

Published

15 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Editor

No fewer than twelve Internally Displaced Persons from Agagbe camps in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State have suffered snake bite between January and now.

Terna Ibaah, also an IDP who spoke to our correspondent on Sunday from one of the camps in Agagbe, said that the latest victim was a 14-year-old Chagu Terhemen who was bitten by a snake last Friday without medical treatment.

Ibaah said, “Snake has bitten Master Chagu Terhemen, 14 years, who was displaced from his village, Tse Abian, in the Sengev Council Ward of Gwer West LGA.

“The 14-year-old boy was going to the farm with his father, Tse Kyomke Mbapupuu, in Gaambe Ushin Council Ward when he was bitten by a snake.”

He added that they had applied traditional treatment, but it seems not to be working, as the victim, as of Sunday afternoon, started convulsing.

He added that the fear of losing the young man necessitated the alarm raised, and added that the medical personnel only visit the IDP camps between Monday and Thursday.

When asked if there had been frequent snake bites of IDPs in Agagbe community, Ibaah said, “From January this year till now, we have recorded 12 victims of snake bites in Agagbe among the IDPs. Fortunately, no one has died.”

Ibaah, who is also a displaced person who claimed that most of the victims of snakebite were being treated with traditional medicine, accused the representative of the State Emergency Management Agency in the camp of neglecting the victims of the snakebite.

“The camp manager said that they cannot treat him because he is not staying in the camp, but he knows that due to congestion in the camps, some of the registered IDPs stay with the host community. The victim registration number is 81XO1649,” Ibaah said.

Ibaah said that there are five places where IDPs are camped in Agabe, namely, RCM Primary School, Sisters Convent, Saint Francis Secondary School, the old police station and Adzequa store, all in Agagbe and added that they were all congested.

When contacted, the Information Officer of SEMA, Tema Ager, said that the agency had a Memorandum of Understanding with the State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, where they could rush the patient for treatment.

Ager said, “But SEMA has an MOU with the State University Teaching Hospital, where they can rush the patient for treatment.”

The Information Officer, however, said that as long as the victim is a registered IDP, he should be allowed to be taken for treatment at the Teaching Hospital.

Metro

Mob Lynches Woman Over Alleged Blasphemous Utterance In Niger

Published

15 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Editor

The Niger State command of the Nigeria Police Force has confirmed a lady, simply known as Ammaye, was burnt to death by a mob over an alleged blasphemous utterance against the Islamic faith before security reinforcement could arrive.

Spokesman of the Command, Wasiu Abiodun, who revealed this in a statement on Sunday, said efforts are ongoing to identify, arrest, and prosecute all those involved in the crime.

Ammaye, a food seller, was lynched and set ablaze in Mariga Local Government Area of the state by suspected angry youths over alleged blasphemy against Prophet Muhammad.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred at Kasuwan Garba in the council area, when the lady, a Muslim faithful and well-known food seller, was said to have engaged in an exchange of words with a young man said to be her nephew.

The young man was said to have jokingly told Ammaye that he wanted to marry her to “fulfil the Sunnah”. The lady was said to have made comments considered blasphemous.

This was said to have outraged the young men in the neighbourhood. The matter was taken to the palace of the District Head of Kasuwan Garba, where the lady was interrogated, and she allegedly repeated what she had earlier said.

The District Head was said to have handed Ammaye over to security operatives for further investigation, but a crowd of agitated youths overpowered the security operatives, insisting on her immediate execution.

It was learnt that before security reinforcement could arrive, the mob, made up of young men, had stoned Ammaye to death.

Niger State Police spokesman disclosed that the tragic incident occurred on 30th August, 2025, at about 2:00 pm.

According to him, “a report was received that one Amaye, a female resident of Kasuwan-Garba in Mariga LGA, allegedly made some utterances considered offensive to the Islamic faith. Her comments quickly provoked anger among members of the community.

“Unfortunately, it led to a mob attack, and the woman was set ablaze before the reinforcement of security teams could arrive at the scene,” Abiodun stated.

The spokesman said that while normalcy has since been restored to the area, the Police Command strongly condemns the act of jungle justice and assured that efforts are underway to identify, arrest, and prosecute all those involved in the crime.

Abiodun appealed to members of the public to remain calm, avoid taking the law into their own hands, and allow security agencies to handle sensitive matters in line with the provisions of the law.

The Chairman of Mariga Local Government, Abbas Adamu, who also confirmed the incident, reaffirmed that calm has since been restored to the area.

Metro

Police Arrest Suspected Fake Lawyer In Ogun

Published

16 hours ago

August 31, 2025

Editor

The Zone XI Police Headquarters has arrested a suspected fake lawyer identified as Emmanuel Odeh, parading himself as a qualified attorney for almost 10 years mostly in Lagos and Abuja.

According to The PUNCH, Odeh has been allegedly duping unsuspecting Nigerians under the guise of legal representation, estate agency, and public consultancy.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Saturday by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, Ade Ogunyemi, who disclosed Odeh was arrested by operatives of the X-Squad Section of the Zone, led by ACP Akinloye Oyegade.

He explained that Odeh was arrested on Thursday at a court in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while appearing as counsel for a client.

“Emmanuel Odeh was arrested on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at a court premises in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while standing as a legal representative for an unsuspecting client.

“ACP Oyegade stated that the self-acclaimed lawyer had been under investigation for impersonation and fraud.

“Investigations revealed that the suspect operated under the name A O EMMANUEL, LEGAL PRACTITIONER AND PUBLIC CONSULTANT,” the statement partly read.

Ogunyemi said the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone XI Headquarters, Osogbo, Emuobo Ekokotu, urged Nigerians to always verify the authenticity of legal practitioners before engaging their services.

AIG Ekokotu described the case as another clear example of why Nigerians must be vigilant.

“This case underscores the dangers of dealing with unverified legal practitioners.

“Victims of such impostors risk losing their hard-earned money, suffering inadequate legal representation, having their cases compromised, and even facing damage to their reputation,” he said.

He warned that the police will not hesitate to bring impersonators to justice.

“This incident should serve as a deterrent to criminal-minded individuals who falsely present themselves as lawyers in order to exploit innocent citizens.

“The long arm of the law will always catch up with them,” Ekokotu stated.

Ogunyemi confirmed that the suspect would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.