Five Killed in Borno Vegetable Market Attack

Five Killed in Borno Vegetable Market Attack

Not less than five persons were killed and several others injured in a suicide bomb attack at a crowded earlier morning grocery market in Maiduguri today, a member of the youth vigilance group journalists on phone.

The attack which temporarily halted sales at the market and sent jitters to the entire town happened at 6:30 am when some were still in bed.

The member of the youth vigilance group who spoke anonymously to our correspondent on phone, said the bomb was detonated by a woman who arrived the market pretending as if she was one of those that come early to buy vegetables.

He said the woman arrived in a tricycle at about 6:30 a.m at Gamboru market where a wholesale trading of fresh vegetables are made.

He said that the woman who seeing that she might perhaps be caught by the security at the entrance to the market quickly detonated the bomb strapped on her at the tricycles park where "passengers are dropped and picked".

According to him, "The blast occurred near the entrance of Gamboru Market where operatives of commercial tricycles park to pick passengers that go to buy different kinds of fresh vegetables brought in by local farmers for onward sales in their different stalls. 

"The woman had come on a tricycle like every other person who come very early in the morning to make purchases at the market does."

He said: "Immediately the woman arrived the market and seeing that she may have to undergo security screening before allowed to go into the market, she detonated the explosives on her, this left her dead with the driver and three others and injured several other people."

He added that the trading at the market was temporarily halted as the corpses have to be evacuated and the injured had to be taken to hospital to be treated.

When called on his mobile for confirmation of the incident, the information officer of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Northeast zonal office in Maiduguri, AbdulKadir Ibrahim said there was an explosion at the market, but pleaded that journalists may have to wait a little longer to get the casualty figure.

Road Accident Claims 7 Lives C’River

Road Accident Claims 7 Lives C’River

No fewer than seven persons were killed today in a road accident along the Calabar-Ikom-Ogoja federal highway which involved a truck and a 14 seater commercial bus belong to transport company, Calculux.

The accident occurred at New-Netim community close to Odukpani local government area secretariat.

Speaking with journalists on the accident, the Cross River Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Lawrence Ikechukwu, disclosed that the bus loaded 14 passengers from Calabar and was travelling to Portharcourt.

Ikechukwu said: “The 14 seater to and fro bus belonging to the Calculux company with registration number plate LSR-813xS (Lagos), was heading to Portharcourt from Calabar and it was carrying 14 passengers including the driver.

“The bus driver was on the right hand side of the road and the truck driver was over taking dangerously and carelessly.

“The Calculux bus tried to avoid the truck and ran into the bush but the truck lost control and followed them to the bush, crushed the bus and seven people died.

“The seven other persons are currently receiving treatment at the Calabar General hospital and a few of them are under critical condition.

“From every indication, the driver of the truck is at fault because he was over-taking dangerously and he lost control.”

He said the driver of the truck ran away shortly after the accident.

“We are working with the police to arrest the driver of the truck, we will get him and he will face the law.

This is why Dogara Conceded House Leader to Gbajabiamila

This is why Dogara Conceded House Leader to Gbajabiamila

Details have emerged on how the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara conceded the position of House Leader to the former Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

It was gathered that following the directive from President Muhammadu Buhari to the gladiators of the warring Consolidation Group headed by Dogara and the Loyalists' Group headed by Gbajabiamila on Monday night, both camps had resolved to maintain the party arrangement, but allow APC zonal caucuses to decide the occupants by election. 

Dogara may however have realised that he would not be able to secure any positions for his loyalists if he allowed the matter to be decided by election.

A source told Journalists that already, APC members from the North West were considering nominating another member other than Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa. Some of the them, including Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso were said to be miffed at the manner Doguwa quickly abandoned Gbajabiamila and pitched his tent with the Consolidation group, when he was offered the position of House Leader. Hon. Pally Iriase  who was also offered the position of Chief Whip, was also considered to have betrayed the cause of party supremacy.

Both men, before they formally accepted and defended their acceptance of the nominations, were key members of the Gbajabiamila caucus.

“After plenary yesterday, the APC members were supposed to head to the secretariat, where the elections would be conducted. But the Speaker decided if the matter went to election, he may not be able to get Dogara and Iriase on board. Remember that he went out during the debate on the legislative agenda while Lasun took over. Likely he went to decide on the matter” a source told THISDAY.

THISDAY further gathered that Gbajabiamila was taken by surprise by the announcement, which the Speaker made when he returned to the floor of the House, because he, Gbajabiamila, was expecting to go for elections as agreed in the resolution. 

“So in the end, while he conceded the major position of contention to Gbajabiamila, his loyalists occupy the other positions. He chose Buba Fibrin over Monguno, but obviously Monguno would also be given commensurate appointment,” the source added.

The positions as announced on Tuesday by  Dogara are Deputy Leader, Hon. Buba Jibrin (North Central),  Chief Whip- Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa (North West)and Deputy Chief Whip- Hon. Pally Iriase (South-South).

THISDAY gathered that steps are being taken by the different caucuses to try to mend fences which have been badly fractured in the last few weeks of wrangling. 

Kidnapping Kingpin Nabbed in Imo

Kidnapping Kingpin Nabbed in Imo

 

A notorious kidnapper who had terrorized, kidnapped, and killed over 300 innocent people in both the South-east and South South region had been arrested by men of the State Security Services (SSS) in Imo State.

 

The suspect, Henry Chibueze aka Vampire was eventually nabbed in a house of a close relation at Ohafia, Abia State.

 

Parading the suspect along with others comprising two women, a native doctor named Dan Elengi said to be the proprietor of a popular hotel at Ohii in Owerri West Local Government Area and a runaway escapee Boko Haram soldier, Akeem Bello from Kwara State,  Director of SSS, Mr. Ejiofor said that the feat was accompanished following useful information and a renewed vigour by security agencies in the state to rid  the state of various kidnapping before the year runs out.

 

Vampire (28) who confessed to have been involved in several kidnappings in various parts of the country, said that he operated from Abidjan, Cote d’ Ivoire,and other west African countries.

 

Also arrested and paraded with Chibueze, was a serial rapist and cultist from Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic who operates with a locally made gun.

Governor Rochas Okorocha who personally subjected them to a rigourous interrogation one after the other, the notorious kingpin of the suspects (Vampire) disclosed that he collected a whopping sum of N110 million from one of his victims in Rivers State and thereafter killed him.

 

Shielding more light on his nefarious activities, Vampire who looked unruffled also admitted to have abducted an official of the Imo State Environmental Transformation Commission, ENTRACO (name withheld) equally collected sum of N50million, even as he similarly murdered the victim.

EFCC Releases Bukola Saraki's Wife after 7 Hours Grill

 EFCC Releases Bukola Saraki's Wife after 7 Hours Grill

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has finally released the wife of Senate President,  Bukola Saraki, Toyin, after intensed interrogation that lasted for seven hours yesterday. 

Mrs. Saraki had earlier invited by the Commission over large inflow of money into her private company during her husband's tenure as Kwara state governor, 

Toyin, through her private secretary, Hakeem Olagoje, has said she will respond to the invitation by the EFCC and assist the commission with its inquiries over corruption allegations against her.

The former Kwara State First Lady appeared before EFCC' investigators at about 12noon yesterday and was only let off the hook at about 6:30 in the evening.

Confirming the report to journalists yesterday, EFCC's Spokesperson,  Wilson Uwujaren, said the woman in the eye of the storm is expected back at the Commission today by 10 am to continue with the interrogation.

Although Uwujaren could not confirm the actual offence of the Senate President wife, report making round has suggested that she is being witch hunted by politicians who are opposed to her husband presidency at the Senate.

Fallen Fuel Tanker Causes Traffic Gridlock at Lagos Airport

Fallen Fuel Tanker Causes Traffic Gridlock at Lagos Airport

Traffic gridlock today paralysed activities at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos,when a fuel tanker laden with 33, 000 litres of Jet A1 lost grip and fell as it tried to negotiate a corner in a round-about few meters to the link road toll gate.

The tanker was taking the fuel to the international wing of the airport from Ikeja, the domestic area, but seemed overwhelmed by the weight of the fuel and when it failed to drag itself farther to its final destination, it fell.

The covers of the inlets on the top of the tanker opened and it spilled the content on the road, blocked vehicular movement and the content flowed unobtrusively to cover all the areas of the round-about.

Vehicles were immediately stopped from moving to and fro as fire fighting vehicles converged, fearing possible balls of fire emanating from the spill.

According to eyewitness account, the tanker with the Lagos Registration number AAA 991 XQ, fell when the driver wanted to navigate the sharp bend at the round-about, adjacent to the training school of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

“The tanker was coming from Ikeja and was going to the international wing of the airport before the accident occurred around 10.am, but tragedy was however averted due to the quick response of the Fire Service men from FAAN, Lagos State Fire Service, the Nigerian Police and other emergency response agencies.

The eyewitness also said entire content of the tanker spilled on the ground, which would have caused disaster without the intervention of the emergency and rescue teams.

Shocked at the accident, the driver of the tanker was petrified and stood at one place, shocked as other vehicle users who expected heavy fire as follow-up to the spill scampered for safety, thus causing bedlam and further worsened the traffic jam.

He added, “With my years of experience, which is about 32 year, I can say that the accident might have occurred because of over-speeding by the driver because the accident wouldn’t have happened just like that. Maybe the driver lost the control of the speed, but I can tell you that it was not a mechanical fault.”

 

 

Army Rescues 30 Persons from Boko Haram Today

Army Rescues 30 persons from Boko Haram Today

The Nigerian Army has rescued 30 persons from the hold of the Boko Haram sect, it was learnt today through a statement signed by Colonel Tukur Gusau, the Deputy Director Army Public Relations 7 Division, Maiduguri.

The statement said: "As a result of ongoing operations  under the aegis of Operation Lafiya Dole to clear Dikwa and its environs from Boko Haram Terrorists. The troops of 7 Division Nigerian Army yesterday (Monday) rescued 30 internally displaced persons from the hands of the terrorist in Kwayabe and Wufe wards in Dikwa LGA of Borno state."

Gusau revealed that those rescued include 21 children and  a-6 day old infant, seven women including three nursing mothers and two elderly male adults. 

The army director, in the statement, also said: "Our troops also discovered a training shed inside the vandalized and looted Palace of the Shehu of Dikwa where weapon handling and engagement of Aircraft were being thought to new Boko Haram recruits."

29 Killed in Borno Village by Boko Haram Insurgents

29 killed in Borno Village by Boko Haram Insurgents

A House of Representatives member representing Hawul and Askira-Uba constituency of Borno state, Hon. Jubrin Satumari today confirmed insurgency attack on Dille and its surrounding village in Askira-Uba local government area of the troubled Northeastern Nigeria state on Monday where  29 persons were killed.

Satumari, who spoke to journalists in Maiduguri on phone, said: "It was really a sad day for me to learn that there were renewed attacks in my constituency, some parts of Borno state and the north east in general by the barbaric acts of the insurgents. People are being killed in cold blood, churches, mosques, shops and residential houses were destroyed, it is very unfortunate. I pray God to grant eternal rest for the souls of those killed by insurgents and quick recovery for the injured ones".

The member of parliament (MP), who lamented the Monday's on Dille and its environs, described recent attacks on his hometown Dille as callous, barbaric and unjustifiable but however called on security agencies in the troubled state to step up surveillance and equally asked the people of the area to remain very vigilant about happenings in their areas and report any suspicious persons or movements to the nearest security point or jurisdiction.

"I am much worried over the spate of killings by suspected insurgents in my constituency. I have pleaded to security authorities, particularly military to deploy troops to most of the affected villages to safeguard my people's lives and property, but all my cries failed on deaf ears as there are no security presence in my constituency yet, but I still want to assure my people that we are doing everything possible to see that military troops are deployed immediately", Satumari said. 

A member of one of the attacked communities, Paul Ibrahim who claimed he escaped been killed by the insurgents luckily, revealed that the incident took place at about 1pm on Monday when the terrorists who came in large numbers and armed with AK47 rifles and petrol bombs stormed Dille and killed 29 persons and burnt down houses.

Dille, a village in Southern part of troubled Borno state. is  a predominantly christian community and had witnessed series of deadly insurgency attacks in recent times.

It would be recalled that on July 14th, 2014, suspected Boko Haram insurgents invaded the same village where they killed 14 residents, after which, they burnt down three churches including Church of Brethren in Nigeria (EYN) which has the highest number of worshippers in the area.

Also last week, another group of insurgents laid siege on Kopa Mai Kadir and Yazza villages of Askira Uba and killed 15 people before sacking the whole communities.

In the Monday attack, Ishaq told our correspondent on phone that the insurgents invaded Dille with sophisticated weapons in a convoy of 5 Hilux vehicles and motorcycles and wreaked havoc on even surrounding communities.

Sent from my iPhone

Buhari Explains Why He Hasn’t Appointed Ministers, Reform NNPC

Buhari Explains Why He Hasn’t Appointed Ministers, Reform NNPC

With the uncertainty over a clear-cut policy direction impacting on the economy, President Muhammadu Buhari has again adduced a reason for the delay in the appointment of his cabinet, stating that he did not want to appoint people who have been compromised.

Speaking on the Nigerian Television Authority's programme, “Good Morning Nigeria”, Buhari said if compromised people were appointed as ministers, “then we will be back to square one and Nigeria will be the loser”.

He said: “It is taking so much time because a number of knowledgeable people have been compromised.

“They have been compromised by people who will like to depend on them to damage our economy and security, a lot of them have been compromised.

“The worst thing that I think can happen is to get a compromised person to be in charge of institutions. There is no way he could be efficient or patriotic. Somebody behind the scene will be tele-guiding him at the expense of the nation.

“This is what we are trying to avoid and I assure you that so much damage has been done to Nigeria. We cannot rush to give this responsibility to people that have unfortunately been compromised.”

He said the country needed very patriotic, knowledgeable, experienced and committed Nigerians, who could work very hard to be in charge of ministries.

According to him, a lot of institutions in Nigeria were compromised, saying, “Everybody for himself and God for all of us,” describing this as most “unfortunate”.

He lamented that even though Nigeria has people – educated and experienced people – many of them, he regretted had been compromised.

He said: “It is as though everybody seems to be working for himself on how much they could get away with as soon as possible.

“We have to look for technocrats and politicians. We have to look out for decent people in this class to give them the responsibility of being in charge of ministries and important parastatals.

“We will try as mush as possible to avoid appointing hostages; by this, I mean people who have been in the system but compromised their personal and professional integrity.

“Because there is no way you can effectively supervise, let’s say 20 ministries; you have to give it to people you trust and you allow them to perform according to the constitution of the country.”

He also provided clarification on why his government was taking its time reforming the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), explaining that the federal government was trying to establish the magnitude of fraud and inefficiencies in the corporation.

He said: “Frankly, I read the stories too that I intend to break up the NNPC. I think the best way to go about it is to establish the fact of the magnitude of the inefficient ways the NNPC conducted itself. When we do that we will be on a higher moral ground to carry out whatever recommendations that have been made to us.”

He maintained that the NNPC has lost track of the number of accounts belonging to it, adding that his government was discreetly working with some Nigerians to ensure that perpetrators of fraud in the oil and gas sector are brought to book.

Buhari also criticised the crude oil swap programme, which he said had been used to defraud the country.

He alleged that a number of operators in the oil and gas industry had displayed a lack of conscience and love for the country.

“These individuals have refineries all over the world. The swapping is tied into a major killing ground for corrupt officials with an average evil to loot the country’s crude; (they) work out how much they can bring back to us and we pay for the transportation and for the refining.

Bobbi Kristina's Death: Autopsy Shedding Light on Bathtub Mystery

Bobbi Kristina's Death: Autopsy Shedding Light on Bathtub Mystery

An initial autopsy on Bobbi Kristina Brown on Monday found no significant injuries and no obvious underlying cause of death for the daughter of the late singer Whitney Houston, who died on Sunday after sustaining irreversible brain damage in January.

The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office in Georgia said Brown, 22, had no previously unknown medical conditions that would have contributed to her death.

It also said it has issued subpoenas to help gather documentary information on her death, and would conduct additional tests that are expected to take several weeks.

Brown, the only child of Houston and R&B singer Bobby Brown, died at an Atlanta-area hospice where her family had placed her a month ago after giving up hope she would recover. She died six months after an unexplained incident that left her unresponsive in a bathtub in her suburban Atlanta home.

“Krissy was and is an angel. I am completely numb at this time,” Bobby Brown, in his first comments on his daughter’s death, said in a statement issued by his lawyer.

“My family must find a way to live with her in spirit and honor her memory. Our loss is unimaginable. We thank everyone for the prayers for Krissy and our family as we mourn my baby girl,” he added.

The Medical Examiner’s office had said earlier that efforts to determine what happened to Brown in January would be “challenging” given the time gap between the bathtub incident and her death. She was found face down in the bathtub by her boyfriend, Nick Gordon, and a friend on Jan. 31.

A $10 million civil lawsuit filed last month by the court-appointed conservator for Brown accused Gordon of causing her “life-threatening injuries” and of stealing from her bank account while she was in a coma.

No one has been criminally charged in the case, which has been referred to the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office for further review.

Brown’s death came three years after her Grammy-winning mother, who had battled substance abuse, drowned in a bathtub in a Beverly Hills hotel at age 48.

Entertainment news website Entertainment Tonight, citing an unnamed family source, reported on Monday that a funeral for Brown was expected in Atlanta this week. It said her body would then be taken to New Jersey to be buried alongside her mother in Westfield. Representatives of the family have released no details on funeral arrangements. (Editing by Jill Serjeant, Susan Heavey and Will Dunham).

Minister Under Jonathan Stole $6bn, US Officials Tell Oshiomhole

 Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has alleged that a former cabinet Minister in the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan stole at least $6 billion from state coffers. Oshiomhole, who was on the entourage of President Muhammadu Buhari during his official visit to Washington D.C, accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of plundering the nation’s resources during the last 16 years, particularly under the administration of President Jonathan, saying the party destroyed Nigeria.
The governor spoke to state house correspondents on Monday night after a meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa.
While reacting to the PDP’s criticism of the President and the APC following their Washington D.C trip, Oshiomhole said, “The PDP destroyed Nigeria. This is from the lips of American officials, senior officials of the State Department said one minister under PDP cornered as much as $6 billion. The man said even by Washington standard, that is earth-quaking.
“PDP is a party that presided over the liquidation of our nation; destroyed all our institutions; converted the Armed Forces commanders to use them as if they were political thugs; converted NTA to a party megaphone; destroyed the SSS; went after opposition as if we were rabbits to be pursued into our holes; compromised even student unions and destroyed everything that you can think of; and elevated religion to a state affair.
“Under the party, Israel became a place you visit every week; they placed pastors against Imams, placed North against South, East against West, just to retain power; elevated Obas and Obis with dollars. You guys were reporting dollars that were changing hands; when NNPC was spending much more money than was available to the Federation Account.”
The governor further said, “We are a very patient people. If we were not a patient people, anybody wearing the tag of PDP ought to feel very unsafe because you are all victims – all of us here.
“Mr. Carson, who was the Assistant Secretary of State, when we visited him in the company of Senator Saraki, then as Chairman of the Governors’ Forum – that was on the eve of President Obama’s first visit to Africa – and we went to complain, ‘why is Nigeria not on the list?’
“What he said, for me, was quite instructive, compared to what he said last week. Then I was present when he said ‘you know, we who see ourselves not just as friends of Nigeria, each time we think there is light at the end of the tunnel and it is time to encourage Nigeria to build on it, you would wake up the following day under President Jonathan to find out that even the tunnel had been removed.
“Those were the words of Mr. Carson. Now, last week, this same Carson chaired the President’s address at the Institute of Peace and he said ‘we now have a man of enormous integrity; one that has shown so much faith in the democratic process; one that refused to be frustrated even in the face of massively rigged elections. He submitted to the judicial process and even when that was compromised he never gave up.’
“America has done its checks and we are convinced that this President is the one that Nigeria needs at this time to regain its leadership of the African continent.”

Heavy Floods Threaten Asaba Business, Residents

              Heavy Floods Threaten Asaba Business, Residents  

 Several hours of torrential downpour in Asaba, the Delta State capital, on Monday has left numerous residents counting their losses as many people have been sacked from their houses and offices.

Worst hit are flood-prone areas of Asaba, including parts of Okpanam Road, Anwai Road and Inter-Bau/Summit Roundabout, DSS/Court roads as well as Jesus Saves Road, DLA/Ibusa roads, with some areas completely submerged following the heavy rains that started since very early in the morning when people were just preparing for work and continued into late afternoon.

Asaba residents were jolted by the downpour, coming after barely two days respite from similar heavy rains in the town much of last Friday and Saturday, which debated many areas and flooded numerous homes within the metropolis and surrounding areas.

Some of the popular offices flooded on Monday include the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) office complex, whose fence fell flat on the strength of the huge floods, Women Affairs Primary School Asaba as well as some private business offices on Okpanam Road that also houses many public offices and banks.

THISDAY checks revealed many children could not go to school in Asaba on Monday as their apprehensive parents would not let them owing to the heavy downpour.

Many workers and traders also stayed away from work in areas well-known for excessive and perennial flooding and where the attention of governor meant has consistently been drawn for remediation. 

However, the State Commissioner for Environment, Mr John Nani, a assured that the government was already working hard at addressing the situation, saying flood channels on Okpanam Road were being de-silted and generally being opened up.

In the same vein, the state director of information, Mr Osahor, took the opportunity to warn people across the state and especially the urban centres to desist from dumping refusing indiscriminately including drainages and water channels, saying the government would soon clampdown on those dumping waste indiscriminately as that was partly responsible for some of the flooding challenges.

Meanwhile, the rains continued into late Monday afternoon with indications that it could rain on into the night.

#

Abia Govt Describes Otti’s Claim of Threat to Life a Hoax

Abia Govt Describes Otti’s Claim of Threat to Life a Hoax

Abia state has faulted the claims made Dr Alex Otti concerning a threat to his life, saying it was hoax.

The former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) had alleged at a press conference last Friday inUmuahia that his private guest house at Maitama area of Abuja was invaded by unknown gunmen. He said that though he had leftAbuja 24 hours before the invaders came, a policeman on guard duty was shot dead.
But the claims made by Otti were debunked by Abia government in a statement made available to journalists in Umuahia at the weekend by the Chief Press Secretary to the Abia  governor, Mr. Godwin Adindu.
He said that enquiries at the Force Headquarters, Abuja has revealed that neither was Otti's guest house invaded by gunmen nor was the policeman of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) killed at the said guest house.
He contradicted Otti, saying that the politician was "merely trying to whip up sentiments to attract the sympathy of the  security agencies and the electoral tribunal to his disastrous petition".
“I have spoken with the Force PRO, Mr. Emma Ojukwu and he confirmed to me that there was an attack in the Maitama area of Otti’sprivate guest house, but that the attack was not exactly at his residence and that the policeman killed was not killed in his residence,”said the government spokesman.
Adindu disclosed that the FPPRO also confirmed that some houses were attacked but not  the guest house  of Otti, adding  that the APGA guber candidate was not even around at the time of the incident.
He stated that the Force PPRO was "firm that the attack was not targeted at Otti and was not targeted at his guest house".
According to him, the Force spokesman had  further disclosed that the policeman was killed in the building housing NESTOIL, which is a totally different compound from where Otti’s guest house is located.
Describing Otti’s claim as "lamentations of a drowning man" the CPS noted that it was part of his grand plan to influence the tribunal through “emotional pressure” to move the sittings to Abuja.
He said that all the clandestine moves of the former bank boss were already well known to the PDP in Abia and would be thoroughly checkmated.
Adindu pointed out that Abia has been relatively peaceful and that there has been no threat to security to warrant any contemplation of relocating the tribunal, "which is the grand plan or Mr. Otti".
He accused the APGA guber candidate of indulging in "diversionary tactics to whip up sentiments and move  attention away from the main issues at  the tribunal (having)  seen the handwriting on the wall, that his petition is irredeemably disastrous”.

You Have Nothing to Fear, Buhari Assures Journalists

You Have Nothing to Fear, Buhari Assures Journalists

President Muhammadu Buhari has assured the newly elected President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Waheed Odusile, and  all journalists in Nigeria that his administration will consistently  uphold their right to perform their constitutionally assigned role in society without hindrance.

A statement issued today by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina said Buhari looked forward to working in a harmonious partnership with Odusile, the new NUJ executive and media practitioners in Nigeria as the Federal Government was striving to end the scourge of Boko Haram, improve national security, rebuild and expand national infrastructure, accelerate the pace of economic development across the country and create more employment opportunities for Nigerian youth.

Buhari, in a congratulatory message to ‎ Odusile on his election, said he "believed that with his worthy credentials, long experience  and antecedents as a highly respected and reputable professional, Mr. Odusile can be expected to discharge his new responsibility of leading the NUJ to greater heights of accomplishment with distinction."

19 People Killed in Damaturu Suicide Attack

19 People Killed in Damaturu Suicide Attack

19 persons were killed in a suicide attack today at a market in Damaturu, the Yobe state capital, the state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, has lamented.

But the casualty figure by police is slightly lower than the one given by the governor, the Police Public Relations officer of the state Police command. ASP Toyin Gbadegesin, who told journalists that the attack committed by a female suicide bomber who is about ten years old, said 15 persons were killed in the attack.

He said the minor detonated an Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) at the main entrance of the market at about 9:30am.

He said at the moment 15 people have been killed while 47 others are receiving treatment at the Sani Abacha specialists hospital in Damaturu.

The PPRO also revealed that five units of undetonated IEDs were also recovered from the scene of the blast and caution people to be careful with people carrying bags as the militants have resorted to using bags in conveying their explosive devices.

A source, who preferred anonymity told our correspondent on phone that  high security presences was noticed at the market.

He equally said a combine rescue team of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Red Cross among other volunteers were on ground to evacuate the death as well as take those injured to the hospital.

The Yobe state governor in a statement by his Director of Press, Abdullahi Bego described the attack as horrific.

Bego said the governor "has been briefed about the horrific bomb attack in a market in Damaturu today, in which 19 people were killed and many others injured."

He said: "This is another sad day in our State in which innocent people were again the target of blood-thirsty terrorists. 

"His Excellency Governor Gaidam's thoughts and prayers are with the families of victims and those who sustained injuries. The governor has condemned the attack as callous, barbaric and unjustifiable."

Bego added that: "He (the governor) has also called on security agencies in the State to step up surveillance and the people to remain very vigilant about happenings in their areas and report any suspicious persons or movements to the nearest security point or jurisdiction."

He equally said: "The governor has also directed hospital authories at the Sani Abatcha Specialist Hospital,  Damaturu where the injured have been taken for medical attention to provide IMMEDIATE and FREE medical attention to victims."

Sunday blast is coming six days after suicide bombers in a highlander Jeep detonated an IED at a police check point at the entrance of Damaturu the Yobe state capital.