BOMB BLAST ROCKS ABUJA MALL

Scene of the bomb blast               www.osundefender.org

SOURCES: punchng.com and africanspotlight.com

Jesuwale Stephen

Scores of people are feared dead as a massive bomb blast rips off Emab Plaza, one of the biggest and most busy malls in Wuse district of the Nigerian capital, Abuja on Wednesday.

The blast, which went off at 3:57 pm, triggered a big noise that set the massive shopping mall on fire, as people could be seen running helplessly for their dear lives. an eye witness at the scene said.

According to multiple eye witnesses who witnessed the event, they explained what they saw during and after the explosion.

‘’As he(bomber) bent his head towards his Sienna, I told my friend that we should get away from there. Within a few seconds, there was an explosion …. I saw many corpses on the ground. Heads, hands and legs littered   everywhere’’ –Ademola

‘’I just crossed over to buy corn …. Within seconds after I left that point, I heard a big bang and found myself on the ground.   My right leg   was affected.   Presently, I can’t stand with it’’ – Tyokasi

Crowd seen at the scene of the even        www.thisdaylive.com

‘’I thought   my head had been blown off by the blast. I touched my head while on the ground and realised that it was there. I stood up and was looking for help, but help didn’t come immediately’’ –Olatunji

As at the time of filing the report, human parts, shrapnel and blood were flying about, as confused men and women, who managed to escape from the building ran in different directions, calling for help.

“Many traders and visitors to the mall are still trapped in the burning building,” the reporter added.

Men of the Police Anti-bomb Squad were being expected to clear the site before rescue operations could be carried out by emergency workers.

 Some of the victims of the Emab Plaza explosion who survived were quickly rushed to hospitals in Abuja.

On Thursday while of them recounted their experience, they thanked God for sparing their lives in the explosion that had happened on Wednesday.

It will be recalled that this is the third deadly explosion in the Nigerian capital in two months. The extremist Boko Haram sect claimed responsibility for the two explosions in April and May in Nyanya, a suburb of the capital.

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DISCOVERED BODY OF AN ABANDONED BABY

Photo of Abandoned Baby

Jesuwale Stephen

The body of some days old baby has been found abandoned in a dam popularly called Yaya-Abatan Gosh along college road in Ogba of Lagos state.

According to a passer-by who noticed the body of the boy, Mrs. Toyin Tijani, made it clear that she had noticed the corpse of about a month old baby while taking her child to school.

She assumed that the mother of the dead baby boy must have abandoned the child to die in an ungodly hour due to her inability to cater for him after child birth.

‘’When I was taking my baby to School, I saw people gathered there with flies perching on it. But I think the person will have done this in the midnight ’’ She said.

Photo of Baby Abandoned amidst Feaces

When asked what was done after discovering the corpse of the baby, Mrs. Tijani said it was only a good Samaritan who could go down the gosh to cover up the baby therefore guiding his corpse against perching flies.

‘’ I later heard that someone went down there to cover the baby because of the perching flies and prayed for the baby and left‘’ She added.

In a related development, a civil servant who doubled as a member of night watch in the Yaya-Abatan axis, Mr. Agoro Moronfolu made it known that the abandoning of baby in the gosh is a re-occurring incident adding that this is the fourth time and the first baby was a live one.

 ‘’We have been observing such here before and it’s been long, this is even the fourth occasion. The first one we carried was a live baby and was carried away‘’ He said

He added that effort to make the Gosh a fish pond by the past Local Government Administration proved abortive as the plan was rejected by the State Government.

‘’ What they can do is if the Government can do fish ponds, then there will be people working there everyday, then there will be no such things here. I believe somebody wanted to do something of such but did not have the time because the Government did not approve it then‘’ Mr. Moronfolu said.

In his opinion he suggests that the police should always send patrol to monitor movement and activities of people especially at night, not leave the job to night watchers alone.

However, a traffic warder who pleads to be anonymous said that she has contacted the necessary body in the Area G police station of Ogba to carry the corpse of the abandoned baby.

Photo of The lifeless Baby

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LAI MOHAMMED: NIGERIA IS AT CROSSROAD

Alhaji Lai Mohammed of APC delivering his speech during NIJ students' week 2014

 

                                            

  Jesuwale Stephen                                             

The Interim National Publicity Secretary, All Progressive Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed has  described Nigeria as a country at the cross roads while addressing students of the Nigerian Institute Of Journalism, Ogba, Lagos, during their annual students’ week 2014.

He said “Our country is at the crossroads and we face perhaps the biggest threat to our survival as a nation since the civil war.

He further stated that the country was gradually derailing and government could no longer be relied upon by the masses and he refers to this act as infidelity from the federal government , making reference to the missing chibok girls.

‘’As I speak, over 200 of our girls are in the hand of the terror group called Boko Haram, not knowing when they will be heading back home. I ask all of us to remember them in prayers. Unfortunately, brave and compassionate Nigerians who abandoned their daily chores to call attention to the plight of the innocent girls and demand their safe return have themselves come under attack’’

Alhaji Lai after his speech sharing lighter mood

Further speaking, during his speech, he said the masses are left without option referring to them as helpless people at the grass root level who are of the opinion that the president of the country should give answers and solutions on how serenity and orderliness can be restored in the country.

‘’The man they voted for is president Goodluck Jonathan, then he is the right person for Nigerians to ask about the welfare and security of all citizens which, in itself, is the raison d’etre of any Government’’

Alhaji Mohammed said that the role of APC as, which he refers to as the party strong opposition party, is to try in its’ possibly and little way it can, to work tirelessly to ensuring the safety and security in the nation.

He further stated that the opposition party who are at the presidential sit has described the APC as unpatriotic and uncooperative because of the solution preferred to them.

‘’They said we should fold our arms and queue up behind the governmemt at this time, rather than criticize the failing of the Government. They say we are unpatriotic we dared suggest ways to end the insurgency that has eroded our nation’s dignity. They even say our failure to remain silent has convinced them that we are indeed behind the insurgency’’.

Alhaji Lai also added that the APC was been accused by the PDP to be behind the Nyanya bombing noting that they didn’t mind that one of the suspected masterminds of the bombing have been arrested in Nigeria and Sudan.

Speaking further, Alhaji Lai says there is no crime in democracy if the opposition party offers political alternatives to enhance the interest of the voters, adding that the APC  has performed the role credibility.

‘’The democratic opposition is also expected to offer political alternatives; to articulate and promote the interest of the voters; to offer decision proposed by the Government and major representatives in National Assembly to improve parliamentary decision making procedures by ensuring debate, reflection and contradiction; to scrutinize the legislative and  budgetary proposals of the government; and to ensure stability, legitimacy, accountability and transparency in the political process’’.

Lai concluded by suggesting that the federal Government should cut the astronomical cost of running a bloated government  and take urgent measures to diversify the economy and shore up the production of oil. 

However, After his speech, an award of excellence was awarded to Alhaji Lai Mohammed by the student representative council chairman, Ojebola Mathew and presented by the provost of the Institute, Dr. (Mrs.) Elizabeth Ikem for his advise and role in Nigeria politics 

From L-R: The provost of NIJ, Dr (Mrs.) Elizabeth Ikem, Alhaji mohammed and SRC Chairman, Ojebola Mathew 

 

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