News
Panic as fire guts bus on Third Mainland Bridge
Road users on the Third Mainland Bridge were on Tuesday, thrown into panic when fire burnt a space bus on the bridge.
The owner of the bus and his driver were said to have escaped death by whiskers, when the bus went up in flames at about 6pm.
It was learnt that the occupants left Lagos Island heading for Isolo when the space bus painted in white developed wiring problem at Ilaje inward Iyana-Oworo and this led to the fire outbreak.
Eye witnesses’ accounts said there were no fire extinguishers in the bus as at the time of the incident but the occupants on noticing the inferno hurriedly escaped sourcing for one.
It was learnt that by the time they returned with fire extinguishers, the bus had been reduced to ashes.
It was learnt that law enforcement agents in the axis and co-motorists rallied round them but this was too late.
However, men of Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service were contacted who eventually contained the fire.
Before the arrival of the fire fighters, many road users were said to have abandoned their vehicles on the bridge out of fear.
An eye witness, Mr Akintunde Folorunso who was heading for Oshodi as at the time of the incident said sympathisers made frantic efforts curtailing the fire.
According to him, free flow of traffic was disrupted as a result of the incident but this was well attended to by the traffic officials in the axis.
He said, ‘’’The owner of the bus, a white man and his driver were the occupants of the space bus and both watched helplessly as the fire consumed the bus.’’
Akintunde said men of Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service were contacted who later arrived the scene with their fire fighting equipment and the situation was brought under control.
‘’The fire fighters were able to fight the fire and this gave hope to those who had earlier abandoned their vehicles and peace was returned to the area,’’
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi state.
TheCable understands that Usman Ododo, Kogi governor, brought Bello to Abuja this morning and invited EFCC to come pick him up.
The EFCC had charged the former governor with alleged money laundering, breach of trust, and misappropriation of N80.2 billion.
In April, the commission declared Bello wanted after several attempts to arrest him proved unsuccessful.
On August 20, the court of appeal in Abuja ordered Bello to surrender himself for arraignment.
Ola Olukoyede, EFCC chairman, would later allege that Bello withdrew $720,000 from Kogi coffers to pay his child’s school fees in advance.
The anti-graft agency also filed a 19-count charge against Bello over alleged money laundering.
However, the arraignment was stalled due to the absence of the former governor.
In May, Abdulwahab Mohammed, counsel to Bello, told the court that the former governor’s whereabouts remain unknown and that he was nurturing some safety concerns.
On August 20, the court of appeal in Abuja ordered Bello to surrender himself for arraignment.
Dele Oyewale, EFCC spokesperson, had said the court’s ruling was a “vindication” of the EFCC’s stance that Bello must face trial.
Sources had told TheCable that Bello has been hiding in plain sight — holed up in the “protective custody” of the Kogi state government — since he was declared wanted by the EFCC.
President Bola Tinubu has asked the house of representatives to confirm Olufemi Oluyede as the substantive chief of army staff (COAS).
Tinubu’s request is contained in a letter read by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house of representatives, during plenary on Tuesday.
Tinubu said Oluyede’s confirmation is in accordance with the provision of section 218(2) of the 1999 constitution as amended and section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act.
The president said the army chief’s contribution to the military and Nigeria makes him “well-suited” for the role.
He said Oluyede has been professional in his duties, adding that his confirmation should be done “expeditiously”.
On October 30, Tinubu appointed Oluyede as the acting COAS following the prolonged illness of Taoreed Lagbaja, the former army chief.
The Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has suspended the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Moses Ekuma and his Housing and Urban Development counterpart, Francis Ori.
It was gathered that they were suspended on Monday during the State Executive Council meeting in Abakaliki, the state capital.
A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpor, which was sighted by our correspondent on Tuesday morning, read, “Following cases of gross misconduct and dereliction of duties by some government officials and matters related thereto, the Chairman of Council directed the indefinite suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development and three months suspension of the Honourable Commissioner for Health respectively.”
It was also learnt that the development may be connected to the alleged theft of pieces of property belonging to the Ministry of Health by its officials and the reported underperformance of the Housing and Urban Development commissioner and his shoddy handling of the Amaeze Housing Scheme in the Ishielu Local Government Area of the state.
Recall that the governor was in the health ministry’s premises on Saturday night and met a scene where six officials were caught allegedly diverting government materials.
He, therefore, ordered their arrest and eventual prosecution.
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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.
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