Nelson Ugwuagbo

Yenagoa—Four supporters of People Democratic Party, PDP, narrowly escaped death, after their vehicle was involved in a ghastly motor accident

Sources told Vanguard that the vehicle conveying them, a Toyota Camry, rammed into the rear of a stationery 911 truck, along the Ofoni stretch of the Sagbama-Ekeremor road in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that they were on their way to join the governorship campaigns in Ekeremor Constituency III.

The Toyota Camry they were travelling in was badly damaged, while the occupants were rushed to the hospital by sympathisers.

Meanwhile, Governor Douye Diri of the state has expressed gratitude to God for saving their lives.

Speaking through his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, during a visit to the accident victims at a private hospital in Yenagoa, Diri described their survival as God’s miracle and abiding grace upon his administration.

A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor, Mr. Doubara Atasi, noted that the governor also commended the hospital management and staff for giving the desired attention to the victims.

Former governor of Ekiti State and chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Ayodele Fayose, on Sunday, commended the performance of incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Fayose, who spoke at a special thanksgiving service at Cathedral Church of Emmanuel Okesa, Ado Ekiti to mark Oyebanji administration’s first year in office, said not only will Oyebanji successfully complete his first term, but he would also get reelection for a second term.

Fayose spoke on behalf of ex-governors of the state,  Niyi Adebayo and Kayode Fayemi.

He said, “We are all together for Biodun Oyebanji. I am not a member of your party (APC) and I will not be. I am with you (Oyebanji) hundred per cent.

“Where is Bisi K (Chief Bisi Kolawole, PDP 2022 governorship candidate)? We are going to support you (Oyebanji). You have come to visit me at my house seven times. You are doing it differently and you will get a different result. This church will pray for you and you will do it (governorship) a second time.”

In his remarks, Adebayo said Fayose’s assertion “is the position of we, the former governors. Thank you very much.”

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The Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, who spoke earlier, said, “I am looking forward to being the chairman of your (Oyebanji’s) re-election campaign,” adding that “the governor has earned the confidence and trust of the people for a second term.”

Bamidele, who represented the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said, “Governor Oyebanji is entrenching the culture of respect and the culture of performance. He is lucky to have Governors Adebayo, Fayose and Fayemi as mentors and advisers. What he is doing differently is that he is giving the state a new political order, uniting various groups where youths, women, and civil societies consider themselves as stakeholders.

Making his remarks,  Oyebanji said he counted himself lucky to be standing on the shoulders of the former governors, whom he described as “giants”.

“Today is about God in our life as people of Ekiti State.  It is not because I am the best person in the state or because I know how to do it; it’s not because I am the most brilliant, all is by the grace of God. For the little we have achieved, I give God the glory,” he said.

In his sermon, the Bishop of the Diocese of Ekiti, the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, the Rt. Revd Olusola Ajayi, hailed Oyebanji for making a positive impact in the lives of the people of the state in the last year.

Two children have been confirmed dead while two others sustained various degrees of injuries in a boat mishap that occurred in Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State.

The Overseeing Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) /, Alhaji Salihu Garba, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Saturday.

Garba said the incident occurred on Friday at about 6:00 pm when the boat engine caught fire due to a mechanical failure and inflamed a gallon of petrol stored inside the vessel.

He further disclosed that 145 passengers were in the boat, adding that they were from Danbo community in Kogi State.

Garba added that the passengers were on their way back from Katcha market when the incident occurred.

He said that the body of one of the deceased children had been recovered while the search for the remains of the second missing child was still ongoing.

Suspected ‘Kalare’ thugs in Gombe State, who specialise in snatching mobile phones, on Friday night, killed a 58-year-old woman, Aishatu Abdullahi, in her residence at Jeka Da Fari area of the state capital city.

The thugs were said to have stormed the woman’s house at about 9:45pm to rob her. She was stabbed her in the process of robbing her of her phone, which led to her death.

It would be recalled that just few months ago, the Kalare thugs raided the house of a popular Islamic preacher in the state, Sheikh Albani Kuri, with the aim to dispossess him of his phones and later murdered him when he refused to hand over the phone to them

Meanwhile, the Gombe State Police Command has expressed shock and dismay at the heinous crime and pledged to do everything in its powers to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The Command, in a press release issued by its Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mahid Muazu Abubakar, on Saturday, said it has launched a full-scale investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify those responsible for the murder of the woman.

“The Command extends its heartfelt condolences to the family of Aishatu Abdullahi and we want to assure the public that we are doing everything possible to apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous crime and bring them to justice.

“We urge anyone with information that could lead us in our investigation to come forward and give us the information,” the Police spokesperson said.

The Command also urged residents of the state to remain calm and vigilant and to report any suspicious activity or individuals to the Police.

Also, the state governor, Inuwa Yahaya, has condemned the gruesome murder the woman.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Isma’ila Uba Misilli, the governor directed security operatives to track down the killers.

“I want to make it abundantly clear that there will be no escape from justice for those responsible for this vile and vicious act. Our security agencies are directed to leave no stone unturned to track down the culprits to account for their heinous action,” he stated.

He conveyed the condolences of the government to the bereaved family.

Narrating the sad event, a friend to the victim said:

I thought it was a joke as I received a call from my friend Michael amajuoyi who leaves at Nnaze in owerri.

As he was crying shouting I’m dead oh I’m dead oh I ask him what happened the only I heard was comeoh please he end the call I have to drive out that night 1:30 am to his house on getting there I don’t have time to ask what happened I first of all put him in the car we move down to chibuzo hospital where the place him on emergency ward.

It was later I asked his wife with 4 kids what happened she said she has been suspecting her husband for a long time so last night he came home from business and went to bathroom to bath so she took his phone to play game on the process here comes a message that says:

“Thanks dear for the new phone it was really my dream phone for a long time. Good night and take care.”

So the woman drop the phone without asking the husband as he came out from bathroom. It was late midnight she slick to the kitchen and boiled hot oil and pour it on his back.

Now my friend is telling me that after surviving this he has to file for a divorce.

A trader at Lafenwa Market in Abeokuta, Ogun State, has cried out over the seizure of her wares by the female head of the market, known as the Iyaloja, Alhaja Sidi Owe.

The trader, Adetoun Oyenekan, told newsmen that the Iyaloja had in collaboration with the Babaloja pulled down her stall, leaving her with nothing.

According to Oyenekan, who sells baby toys and stationery, the goods carted away by the market leaders is worth over N1 million.

Speaking in an interview, Oyenekan recounted that the Iyaloja had on Thursday engaged her in a fracas by pushing her.

She explained that the brawl ensued after the market leader slapped her several times and she retaliated.

This incident, she alleged, led to the seizure of her goods and the demolition of her stand in Lafenwa Market.

“I was passing by in the market yesterday (Thursday) when the Iyaloja pushed me, I didn’t say anything. She did it the second time and I asked why? I told her to stop acting that way. She started saying all sorts of things.

“The next thing she did was to get a red and white tape to seal off my stall. I protested, I asked her to tell me what I did wrong.

“They carted away my wares worth over one million naira. She slapped me several times and I retaliated. She pulled down my counter. She was supported by the Babaloja,” she narrated.

Oyenekan said she had appealed to the Babaloja and also reported the case to the Gbagura community, but nothing had been done yet.

“I am hungry. I cannot sell anything since yesterday. I am hungry and so are my children. I can’t even send them to school. Please come to my aid,” she cried out.

Contacted, the Iyaloja denied slapping Oyenekan, saying “she was the one who slapped me.”

Our correspondent reports that the Iyaloja did not deny carting away the trader’s wares, saying it was the punishment for assaulting a market head.

Mrs Owe expressed surprise that a market trader could have the effrontery to slap the Iyaloja.

Her words: “I don’t know where a market member would slap the Iyaloja. Everything happened yesterday. The woman doesn’t greet me before now. I was supervising a culvert project at the market when she suddenly pushed me. She pushed me again when I went to meet a friend in the market. Everybody was surprised.

“Instead of dragging issues with her, I, as the Iyaloja, went to call the task force to seal off her stall with tape. When they were about to run the tape round her stall, she started cursing the task force, so they stood away. When the task force could not do it, I took the tape, thinking she would fear me a bit. But she pushed me again.

“As I was struggling with her, she slapped me. I said should I turn the second ear to you. She said she would slap me again if I turn the second ear to her. I turned the second side to her and everybody rose up, blaming her for what she did. So, we ran the tape to seal off her stand.

“I have informed the Iyaloja of Egba and she called the Babaloja. The right punishment for whoever slaps the Iyaloja was applied. Moreover, it has never happened before, and we have rules and regulations in our market.”

Asked about Oyenekan’s goods, the Iyaloja retorted, “If she wants to sue us, she should go to court. The market’s lawyer would respond.”

Mrs Owe was also asked to state what should be done to release the seized goods, she said the woman ought to have organised people to apologise on her behalf.

The Iyaloja emphasised that it was Oyenekan who slapped her and she did not retaliate, saying “let the tears that came out of my eyes when she slapped me judge her if she lied. If she asked you to publicise it, please do; we are ready.

“If she kills a cow for the entire market traders, they would eat; but if the entire market traders kill just one cow for her, she would not be able to eat it. Nothing would happen to her and me too.”