Fire Destroys Foods Market in Ondo

Fire Destroys Foods Market in Ondo

Foodstuffs worth millions of naira were today destroyed by fire at the popular Odopetu market in Akure, Ondo State capital.

Though there no life was lost in the incident, it was gathered that many shops that were stocked with foodstuffs were completely destroyed leaving the shop owners with nothing to salvage.

The cause of the inferno was not known at the press time, however, the affected traders said the fire was a mysterious one.

Some of the food items destroyed by the fire included, rice, beans, tubers of yam, fowl, palm and vegetable oil among others.

A source told journalists that the fire might occurred as a result of power surge, but another source said there was no power supply to the area when the fire started in the midnight

"The cause of the fire incident is not clear yet to anyone because everybody has gone to sleep and all the traders have all gone home. We just heard the noise in the night and we got there and saw everywhere on fire," a source close to the market said.

It was also gathered that men of the Ondo State Fire Service were not around to put out the fire as all efforts made by the residents to reach them were unsuccessful

One the affected traders who identified herself as Mrs. Janet Olorunfemi said she just loaded her shop with foodstuffs to sell for the Christmas and New Year Festival, lamenting that she had lost everything to the inferno.

"I was home when somebody called to inform me at about 12 midnight that my shop was burning so I quickly rushed down there but everything in the shop was burnt down completely," she narrated

The traders called on the state government and other stakeholders to come to their assistance.

In his reaction, the Chairman of the Akure South Local Government Area, Mr. Bayo Alarapon, described the incident as unfortunate. He said the Council would set up a panel to investigate the incident.

He said: "It is very unfortunate that this kind of incident is happening during this hard time of economic recession, however, on our own part, we shall look for ways to assist the affected traders."

9,000 Poultry Killed in Kano over Bird Flu

9,000 Poultry Killed in Kano over Bird Flu

About 9, 000 birds have so far been killed in Kano State since the bird flu resurfaced in the state two weeks ago.

The Director of State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources,  Dr. Shehu Bawa, told journalists in Kano today that the birds were killed in two poultry farms that had been infected with the disease in the state.

“We killed only 300 birds in the first farm while in the second farm, no fewer than 8, 500 birds were killed. As I am talking to you, only two farms were hit by the disease, and the farms had since been depopulated,” he stated.

According to him, the state Ministry of Agriculture and Natural resources would continue to intensify surveillance and disinfection of other farms to check the spread of the disease.

He said the ministry also embarked on sensitising farmers on the need for them to ensure clean environment.

Bawa called on the federal government to pay compensation to farmers who lost their birds in 2015 as the affected farmers were yet to receive anything from the government.

“The payment will greatly assist in checking the spread of the disease as they (poultry farmers) will promptly report outbreak of the disease to the government since they know they will get compensated.

“Even if they are not fully compensated, the federal government should come to the aid of the affected farmers in order to alleviate their sufferings,” he added.

Adamawa Govt Raises the Alarm over Fleeing Boko Haram Terrorists Infiltrating Communities

Adamawa Govt Raises the Alarm over Fleeing Boko Haram Terrorists Infiltrating Communities

The Adamawa  State Government  on Thursday raised the alarm over the Boko Haram  terrorists who are on the run from Sambisa forest hiding in some communities in the state following the current pursuit by the Nigeria troops.

Raising the alarm shortly after a security meeting, the state Governor, Mohammed  Jibrilla Bindow, said the terrorists were on the run following their defeat and are hiding in  some communities of the state to continue their killings.

The state Deputy Governor, Martins Babale, who represented the governor during the meeting, urged the public to be on alert and look out for fleeing members of the sect from Sambisa.

Babale called on all motorists to pay attention to those entering their vehicles as the members of the Boko Haram have been running to hide among the people.

However, the deputy governor, who also double as the Chairman of the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA), said the state government had also resolved to close all internally displaced person camps in the state in January 2017.

Babale said the administration was not happy with the continuous existence of IDPs in camps in the state.

"We will take steps, including encouraging them to settle in villages, to collaborate with all stakeholders to make sure that between now and January 30, everyone has left the camps," Babale said.

Also speaking on decision taken at the meeting, the state Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Mallam Ahmad Sajoh, said the meeting had resolved to mobilise the public on the need to be more vigilant and security conscious

He also called on the public to be vigilant and be on the lookout for escaping terrorists fleeing from Sambisa forest.

Sajoh said the state being on the frontline was aware of the fleeing terrorists following the fall of Sambisa and would not take chances.

He said that government would liaise with stakeholders such as National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to detect such terrorists, explaining that the state was aware of the capture of suspects in Lagos and does not want to take any chances.

Nigerian Govt Receives 80 Hectares of Land for Automotive Industrial Park in Anambra

Nigerian Govt Receives 80 Hectares of Land for Automotive Industrial Park in Anambra

The federal government on Thursday received the certificate of occupancy for over 80 hectares of land donated to it by the Anambra State Government for the construction of an automotive industrial park.

The state Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, handed the certificate of occupancy (C of O) to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okey Enelamah, yesterday at the site in Unubi.

The land was donated by three communities, Akwaihedi and Unubi in Nnewi South Local government area and Uga in Aguata council area.

Obiano, who handed the certificate to the minister, stated that the land which is above 80 hectares was half of what was requested by the federal government from the state for the automotive industrial park, but because of unsavoury experience the state had with past government, it refused to donate fully.

“I thank Unubi, Akwaihedi and Uga communities for accepting to donate this land. We are giving this, which is half of what the federal government requested, and we believe that when we begin to see the benefits, we will donate even more.

“Anambra has the least land mass in the country, and erosion is further depleting our land, so we do not have land to give to anyone for free, but we have seen that this government wants effective partnership with states, so that is why we are donating this,” Obiano said.

He added that the land was donated for free of charge and has no condition attached, but said the C of O bears a caveat which states that the land must be developed within 18 months.

Enelamah, in his speech, thanked the Anambra people for their hospitality and acceptance to give out the land, while assuring them that work will start on the land soon, and that the full benefits of the park will accrue to the people as development and employment are part of the benefits.

He said: “From my childhood, I had always known Anambra people to be very industrious, and you cannot talk about industrialisation in Nigeria without talking about Anambra or Nnewi. When I was called upon to serve, I told myself that we must industrialise Nigeria, and Anambra is the right place to start achieving that.”

The minister said the federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari is passionate about partnering states, and that the partnership entered will boost infrastructure in the state and also provide employment opportunities.

He added that the park, when it becomes fully functional, would attract investors to the state, which is one thing he has also been discussing with the governor on how to attract investors to the state.

The event was also attended by Aminu Jalau, the Director-General of National Automotive Design and Development Council, traditional rulers in the state and members of the state executive council.