Connect with us

News

Explosion at illegal fuel depot kills 35 people along Benin-Nigeria border

Published

on

Explosion at illegal fuel depot kills 35 people along Benin-Nigeria border

No fewer than 35 people have lost their lives in a fire explosion at an illegal fuel depot located in the town of Seme-Podji near the Republic of Benin’s border with Nigeria.

 

The incident occurred on Saturday, September 23, 2023, when the warehouse used for smuggled fuel exploded into flames, sending a black cloud of smoke into the sky, according to eyewitnesses.

 

Al Jazeera quoted a local resident who said cars, motorbikes and tricycle taxis used to patronise the affected facility to stock up on fuel.

 

“I am still in shock. We heard people screaming for help. But the intensity of the flames was too much for people to try to approach,” said Innocent Sidokpohou, a local carpenter.

 

“I got gas for my motorbike to go do my shopping. I left and barely five meters away I heard an explosion. When I turned around it was all black smoke,” he added.

 

Meanwhile, Benin’s Interior Minister Alassane Seidou, who confirmed the incident on Saturday, refused to give details about exactly how it had happened.

 

The minister, however, said two of the victims were babies, while 20 people who sustained injuries from the blast were being treated in hospital, with some in serious condition.

 

Seidou also blamed the cause of the fire on “smuggled fuel,” adding that the blaze left the victim’s bodies “badly charred.”

 

For his part, Prosecutor Abdoubaki Adam-Bongle, in a statement, said, “The fire burned down the store and according to an initial assessment resulted in 35 deaths including one child.

 

“According to the witnesses interviewed, the fire was probably started during the unloading of bags of gasoline.”

 

The Nigerian-Benin border is notorious for fuel smuggling activities due to low-cost subsidised petroleum products that leave the Nigerian end.

 

The border towns are lined with illegal refineries, fuel dumps and pipelines, with the Nigerian authorities struggling to curtail the perpetrators.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

NJC RECOMENDS ELEVEN SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, ONE COURT OF APPEAL JUSTICE, HEADS OF COURT 

Published

on

The National Judicial Commision has recommended the appointment of 11 Supreme Court Justices, one Justice of Court of Appeal, 6 Heads of Courts and 26 other Judicial Officers.

 

This was the consencus at the Councils 104 Meeting after considering the list of candidates presented by its Interview Committee

 

 

According to a statement signed by the Director Of Information, Soji Oye, the council after much deliberations, recommended Justice Hannatu Sankey, Justice Chidiebere Uwa, Justice Chioma Nwosu-Iheme, Justice Haruna Tsammani and

Justice Aseimo Adumein as Supreme court Justices.

 

Others are Justice Obande Ogbuinya, Justice Stephen Adah, Justice Habeeb Abiru, Justice Jamilu Tukur, Justice Abubakar Umar, and Justice Mohammed Idris.

 

The NJC also recommended Justice Mohammed Ramat as a Justice of the Court of Appeal.

 

Some heads of court nominated are Justice Joel Agya, as the Chief Judge Taraba State,

Justice Umar Abubakar, Chief Judge of Taraba State amongst others.

 

The Council has said that all recommended candidates to the Supreme Court Bench would be sworn-in after the approval of their recommendation by President Bola Tinubu and the subsequent confirmation of their appointment by the Senate.

 

NJC has also noted that the various Heads of Court recommended would also be sworn-in upon the approval of their appointment by their various State Governors and subsequent confirmation of same by their respective State Houses of Assembly.

Continue Reading

News

EFCC denies comments on 70 percent Nigerian Youths involvement in internet fraud

Published

on

EFCC denies comments on 70 percent Nigerian Youths involvement in internet fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has denied comments by it’s Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede which labelled seventy percent of Nigerian Students as internet fraudsters.

 

 

 

While stating this in a Statement by the Head, Media and Publicity Dele Oyewale, the Commission says it is a misrepresentation of the concerns of the Chairman of the EFCC to the rising incidences of internet- related crimes involving Youths across the Country.

 

 

 

It explains that its Chairman had called for wider media enlightenment of youths as a counter- measure against the menace of internet fraud at a meeting with Representatives of the Civil Society Organizations, CSOs that paid him a visit in Abuja.

 

 

 

Olukoyede says that reports and intelligence available to him indicated that, unless the trajectory of youth involvement in internet fraud is addressed and reversed, the future of their leadership of Nigeria may be threatened and if it continues in the next ten years, seven out ten of the youths may be getting involved in cybercrimes.

 

 

The EFCC says that at no time did its Chairman mentioned that “seven out of ten” Nigerian students are criminals” as widely reported.

 

 

 

The Commission assures the public that its Chairman is doubly committed to the progress of Nigerian Youths and underscores his calls for collaborative interventions in offering them more productive and sustainable alternatives.

 

 

The Statement added that the concerns of the EFCC Chairman bothers on breaking the jinx of mass indulgence of youths in cybercrimes.

Continue Reading

News

NASS and Bishop Kukah advocate political party repositioning for accountability and inclusivity

Published

on

NASS and Bishop Kukah advocate political party repositioning for accountability and inclusivity

Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Bishop Matthew Kukah have emphasized the urgent need to reposition political parties, fostering a democratic culture centered on inclusivity, transparency, and accountability.

 

The call was made during the Public Presentation of the Needs Assessment of Political Parties in Nigeria, organized by the Kukah Centre with support from the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN), held in Abuja.

 

Represented by Sen. Victor Umeh, Akpabio highlighted that the repositioning of political parties is vital to restoring public trust and confidence, ensuring they genuinely represent the aspirations of the people. He identified accountability, inclusivity, transparency, and inherent impunity as significant challenges that must be addressed.

 

Akpabio expressed optimism in the 10th National Assembly to tackle these issues, stressing the importance of holding party leaders accountable for their actions. He called for increased transparency in party financing and campaign expenditures, emphasizing the need for inclusivity in the political process.

 

Bishop Matthew Kukah, the Founder of the Kukah Foundation, explained that the event aimed to address challenges faced by political parties and inspire confidence in politics. He emphasized the role of political parties as platforms for training and deploying politicians to serve the public good.

 

Kukah underlined the importance of understanding political party processes, particularly for young individuals with a vision for forming political parties. He highlighted the significance of the needs assessment in recommending options for parties to become ideological engines for driving political processes and democracy.

 

The report, drawing from academic analysis and interviews with ordinary citizens, recommended a constant review of the Electoral Act, incorporation of the opposition in the political process, and innovative ways of financing political parties.

 

Olawunmi Laolu, Programme Manager at EU-SDGN, stressed the need for political parties to strengthen internal democracy, improve intra and inter-party dialogue, and promote wide participation in the political process. She expressed the EU’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s progress and urged political parties to lead by example in advancing democracy in the region.

 

Stakeholders such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) were present at the event.

Continue Reading

Trending