Metro

Tanker Fire Destroys Shops, Homes In Bayelsa

Published

1 year ago

October 1, 2024

A tanker fire near Okaki Junction in the Akenfa area of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, has destroyed shops and homes, but no life was lost in the inferno.

A victim, Smart Okhwo, who hails from Ofoni community in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state, narrated his ordeal to The PUNCH on Sunday, saying he got a call that his house was on fire.

Okhwo said his house, including a PoS kiosk his son was operating, was already destroyed by the time the fire service got there.

He said goods belonging to some of his tenants who had shops in his house were burnt down in the fire and praised those who carried out rescue efforts before the arrival of the fire service.

According to him, the incident started when the tanker caught fire and then spread to the surrounding houses and shops while blaming the police for the incident.

He said: “The serious thing is that it was caused by the police. Now, they have run away. They were stopping the tanker by using a Keke (tricycle) to block the way.

“The driver tried to dodge the Keke so he climbed the pavement. That was when the tanker did a summersault. The next thing was fire.

“That was how it happened. So, the government should come and intervene especially for my tenants and those people who are doing business. During the packing of the things, you know how Nigeria is. Most of the people came to rescue the things, but a lot of property was lost.”

Another house owner, Dennis Godwin, from Delta State, said he travelled two days ago and got an urgent call to return because his house was on fire.

While expressing thanks to God that no life was lost, he also implored the government to come to their aid saying, “Government should do something.”

Another victim, a trader who did not identify himself, said he lost his goods in the fire, saying, “All we need is justice.”

However, a firefighter who led the fire crew, Nelson Meeting, said they came as soon as they got the distress call, but other road users did not give them the right of way though they were using a siren.

Meeting observed that onlookers who were taking videos of the fire did not give them enough room to work and called for a change of attitude while warning that radiation from phones was dangerous in such a situation.

“They don’t know that even videoing is dangerous because of the radiation from the phone. Next time, they should give way and allow firefighters to do their job. They should follow instructions from the firefighters,” Meeting stated.

When contacted by The PUNCH, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Musa Mohammed, said it was not true that the policemen were the cause of the accident that led to the fire and that it was just an allegation.

Mohammed said the tanker failed its brake and the driver lost control and hit the Keke, but the driver escaped and jumped into the nearby Epie Creek where he was later rescued.

Metro

JUST IN: Court Rules Judgment In Kanu’s Terrorism Trial

Published

21 hours ago

November 20, 2025

Editor

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has said that the judgment in the trial of the self-acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, will be delivered in the defendant’s absence.

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Omotoso gave the ruling during the resumed trial of Kanu on Thursday following what he described as Kanu’s unruly behavour in court.

The judge had earlier ordered the IPOB leader to be removed from the courtroom after he became unruly midway through proceedings on Thursday.

Omotoso had ruled and dismissed three fresh motions filed by Kanu after the case was adjourned for judgment and dismissed them for being unmeritorious.

As the judge moved to deliver the ruling earlier, scheduled for Thursday, November 20, Kanu argued that the court could not proceed because he had yet to file his final written address.

Raising his voice, Kanu accused Omotosho of being biased and claimed that the judge did not know the law.

Kanu was later moved out of the courtroom, while the judge proceeded to deliver the final judgment in his absence.

Metro

BREAKING: Judge Orders Kanu Out Of Court Over ‘Unruly’ Conduct

Published

21 hours ago

November 20, 2025

Editor

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered Nnamdi Kanu of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to be removed from the courtroom following his “unruly” conduct before the judgement in the matter on Thursday.

Justice James Omotosho, in a ruling, dismissed three fresh motions filed by Kanu after the case was adjourned for judgment and dismissed them for being unmeritorious.

The judge further ruled that because of his “unruly and violent behaviour”, the main judgement can be delivered in his absence.

When the judge moved to deliver the ruling earlier scheduled for Thursday, Kanu argued that the court could not proceed because he was yet to file his final written address.

Raising his voice, Kanu accused the judge of being biased and claimed that the judge did not know the law.

The judge subsequently proceeded to deliver the judgement.

Details shortly….

Metro

Ogun Motorcyclist Arrested For Killing Wife, Conveying Corps In Sack

Published

22 hours ago

November 20, 2025

Editor

Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested a motorcycle rider identified as Godonu Lowe, for allegedly killing his wife and transporting her corpse in an attempt to escape from the community in Ilaro area of the state.

Lowe, who had hidden the corpse of his wife in a sack tied to the back of his motorcycle, was intercepted during a stop-and-search operations on Wednesday.

The Command’s Spokesperson, Omolola Odutola in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Thursday, said the suspect was arrested at about 1:05 p.m. following a credible information.

Odutola revealed that the corpse had marks of violence, bleeding around the neck, adding that blood-stained cutlass was also recovered at the crime scene.

She said, “On Wednesday, 19th November 2025, at about 1305hrs, the Divisional Police Officer in Ilaro received credible information that a suspected felon, Godonu Lowe ‘m’ of Omolende Village via Idogo, was transporting the corpse of an unknown woman on a motorcycle in an attempt to escape from the community.

“Acting swiftly, police operatives intercepted the suspect and a sack tied to the back of his motorcycle was untied. The content was discovered to be the corpse of an adult female, later identified as his wife.

“The body bore marks of violence, bleeding around the neck, suggesting foul play. A blood-stained cutlass was recovered at the crime scene.”

Odutola noted that the suspect has been taken into custody and the remains of the victim deposited at the State Morgue in Ilaro for preservation and autopsy.

The Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, while commending the anonymous informant, urged members of the public to continue providing timely and credible information to assist the police in crime prevention and detection, stressing that even the slightest suspicion reported to the police could save lives.