News

Eight Persons Missing As Heavy Downpour Hits Lagos Community

Published

3 years ago

June 19, 2023

Eric

The whereabouts of a yet-to-be-identified mother, her baby and six other persons including a man identified simply as Umar, have reportedly been unknown after flood induced by a heavy downpour washed them away in the Agege area of Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro gathered that during the heavy downpour on Thursday, flood overran a canal around the Abattoir area in Agege, and it levelled up to the bridge, making it impassable for motorists and residents to navigate their destinations in the area.

It was learnt that a tricycle operator while plying the axis, escaped death by a whisker when the flood swept his tricycle into the canal.

A resident, who gave his name simply as Wasiu, said as the events that almost led to the death of the tricycle operator happened, a woman while backing her child, lost control of her movement and fell into the flood.

As the flood was washing the mother and her child away, Wasiu said another resident, Umar, attempted to rescue the mother and her child by jumping into the flood, adding that the current of the flood washed the three of them into the canal.

Wasiu said, “The owner of the tricycle is my friend. He is a mechanic who stays in Oko-Oba. He was coming from Agege but when he got to the bridge, he realised flood had overrun the bridge and waited but suddenly lost control of the tricycle. As the tricycle moved forward, the flood dragged him and the tricycle into the canal.

“He was the only one in the tricycle and he survived because he swam out of the canal. His cloth got torn and people gave him something to wear. He is recuperating in the hospital.

“Around the same time, a woman, who carried her child at her back, tried to manoeuvre the flood but lost control, fell into the flood and it swept her feet and started dragging her and her child into the canal but Umar jumped into the flood to save them. The three of them have not been found to date.”

During a visit to Umar’s residence on Saturday, his neighbour told one of our correspondents that they got to know of the incident when people raised the alarm as the flood was sweeping them away.

The neighbour said, “He lived inside this compound. His name is Umar. When we heard the noise, we quickly rushed out but when we got outside, there was nothing anyone could do.

“We waited for the rain to subside. On the second day, we combed the entire area hoping to see the corpses. Even this morning, some of our residents still did but we found nothing.”

However, in another interview with one of our correspondents, another resident, who gave his name simply as Bamidele, said two tricycles were involved in the incident.

He added that while one of the tricycle operators escaped, the other tricycle operator and his passengers were swept away by the flood.

Bamidele said, “They were two tricycle operators involved. The tricycle operator that did not carry passengers jumped out and survived. The flood carried the other tricycle operator, his tricycle and his passengers away. One tricycle was later recovered.

“It is difficult to know anything about their rescue because they don’t recover the corpses of victims around here, it is usually around Aboru or Itele in Ayetoro, Ogun State. We only go there if we know the victims involved.”

The Chairman, Orile Agege Local Council Development Area, Johnson Babatunde, when contacted, confirmed the incident.

“I’ve gotten the report. It happened at Abattoir beside Total Filling Station. Our people need enlightenment. How can you see a flood and decide to enter it? I don’t know what is happening to all these tricycle operators.

“There were five people in the tricycle. People were there waiting because of the flood,” he said, saying he wondered why the tricycle operator decided to enter the flood even when other people waited.

Asked if the corpses of any of the victims had been recovered or if anyone of them was rescued, Babatunde said, “We have not seen them, there is no update yet.”

When one of our correspondents visited the Abattoir Police Station, the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Olatunji Oladimeji, said he led his men to the scene to investigate the case.

He said, “Everyone we spoke with could not confirm it. They kept saying they heard about it. We heard different stories. Some people said it was a motorcycle while others said it was a tricycle.

“It is difficult for us to file such a report. Nobody can tell us that they saw them. And till now, nobody has come here to report that anything has happened to them or their loved ones.”

Contacted, the Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Nosa Okunbor, said the agency got “no official report yet.”

The Public Relations Officer of the state Ministry of Environment, Kunle Adeshina, said expansion work was ongoing on the drainage system in the area.

Adeshina said, “There is a drainage expansion project in the area. The contractor might have some delays but he is back on site working on it. There is also a need to clean up some parts of the area down to old Ota Road. Our drainage maintenance department has been contacted and cleaned up the site so that it can have the capacity to take up more water.

“When it rained, especially in flood-prone areas, we have always told people to refrain from underrating the power of water. It is better to wait and allow the rain to stop before people continue their journey. This has always been our campaign.”

The Punch

News

Court Restrains NLC, TUC from Embarking on Strike, Protest in Abuja

Published

6 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Eric

The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has stopped the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliates from proceeding with a planned protest in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Justice Emmanuel Sibilim issued the interim injunction on Monday, barring the labour unions from embarking on any form of industrial action or protest within the nation’s capital. The court also restrained three individuals — Comrades Benson Upah, General NA Toro and Stephen Knabayi — who were listed as respondents in the suit.

The ruling followed an ex parte application jointly filed by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, and the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). The motion, marked NICN/ABJ/30/26, was argued on behalf of the applicants by a legal team led by Mr. James Onoja, SAN.

In its order, the court restrained the 1st to 5th respondents, “their privies or agents, from embarking on strike pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.” It further directed the 5th to 9th defendants, who are security agencies, to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order in the FCT.

The claimants informed the court that the Chairman of the FCT Council had circulated a mobilisation message to union members and affiliates, calling for a mass protest scheduled for February 3. They argued that the planned action amounted to a violation of an existing court order.

According to the FCT Minister, an earlier injunction was granted by the court on January 27, after which the NLC and TUC allegedly issued fresh directives to their affiliates to intensify and sustain the strike, citing an appeal they had filed against the restraining order. He maintained that such actions were intended to provoke chaos and disrupt public order in Abuja.

Following the ruling, the court adjourned the substantive matter to February 10 for hearing.

Details contained in an affidavit filed in support of the application outlined the sequence of events that led to the court action. The claimants averred that:

“On the 19th of January, 2026, the workers in the employment of the 2nd Claimant acting under the aegis of the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC), commenced an industrial action by locking all entrance to offices and the secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, including closure of schools and all departments and agencies of the 2nd Claimant. Thereby, bringing the governmental functions and activities of the Claimants to a standstill.”

The affidavit further stated: “Being law abiding, the claimants herein instituted an action at the National Industrial Court Abuja, in Suit No: NICN/ABJ/17/2026, between the FCT Minister & anor V. Rifkatu Iortyer & anor, wherein the court on the 27th of January, 2026 made an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants therein JUAC, its affiliate unions, and all employees of the 2nd Claimant were restrained from further embarking on any industrial action, and ordered to resume work pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

The claimants alleged that the injunction was openly disregarded after it was served on the parties.

“Immediately the order of the court was served on parties, the 1st Defendant acting through the 3rd Defendant issued a directive titled: ‘REINFORCEMENT DIRECTIVE TO ALL AFFILIATE UNIONS IN THE FCT’ urging the workers in the employment of the 2nd Claimant to resume industrial action,” the affidavit read.

It added that on January 28, the NLC and TUC issued another directive titled: “‘DEFEND YOUR RIGHTS WITH COURAGE AND DIGNITY: WE ARE WITH YOU’ wherein they directed that workers of the 2nd Claimant should resume industrial action and jettison the order of the National industrial Court made on the 27/1/2026.”

The court filing further stated that the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC) subsequently followed the directive, instructing its members to resume the strike through a notice dated January 28, 2026, signed by Comrade Abdullahi Umar Saleh as JUAC secretary.

According to the affidavit, the situation escalated when the FCT Council allegedly issued another mobilisation notice.

“Acting under the directives aforementioned, the 5th Defendant, acting, as the chairperson of the 1st Defendant; FCT Council, issued a directive on the 31/1/2026, to all affiliate unions named therein to mobilize their members who are employees of the 2nd Claimant for a mass protest in the Federal Capital Territory… on the 3rd of February, 2026 by 7.00 am prompt with a view to causing chaos, breakdown of law and order, and prevent the smooth administration of the 2nd Claimant.”

The claimants said they were compelled to return to court out of fear that the planned protest could disrupt vehicular movement and infringe on the rights of residents and visitors to the FCT.

“The Claimants are apprehensive of the breakdown of law and order obstruction of vehicular movement, violation of the rights of the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, particularly those in the private sector and other government establishments, which includes other States of the Federation, expatriates and tourists, hence the resort to court action,” the affidavit concluded.

News

Ex-Cross River Gov Donald Duke Joins ADC

Published

3 days ago

January 30, 2026

Eric

Former Governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), formally pitching his tent with the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Duke registered as an ADC member in Ward 5 of Calabar Municipality, where he collected his party membership card, marking his official entry into the opposition party.

His move comes amid recent internal concerns within the ADC in Cross River State. Former ADC governorship candidate, Dr Effiong Nyong, had written to the party’s National Chairman, protesting the inclusion of some individuals from the state in the ADC’s 50 Wise Men and Women Policy Manifesto Committee.

Nyong faulted a statement by the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, which listed persons who, according to him, neither resigned from the PDP nor made contributions to the ADC, calling for their removal.

Political observers believe Duke’s swift formal registration may be linked to the controversy, as the former governor had earlier been named among prominent figures associated with the party.

Recall that Duke previously left the PDP for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), where he emerged as the party’s presidential candidate under controversial circumstances.

Meanwhile, ADC leaders in Bakassi Local Government Area have intensified calls on Cross Riverians to identify with the party, describing it as a credible alternative ahead of future elections.

Rising from a stakeholders’ meeting involving chapter executives, ward chairmen, and secretaries, party leaders accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of misrule and urged Nigerians to reclaim the country.

In a statement signed by the Bakassi Chapter Chairman, Emmanuel Asuquo, and Secretary, Eko Boco, the party reaffirmed its loyalty to the ADC national leadership, pledging support for the National Chairman, Senator David Mark, and National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, while urging undecided citizens to join the party’s “transformative agenda.”

News

Police Nab Suspect Behind Dummy Bomb Threat to Lagos Schools

Published

3 days ago

January 30, 2026

Eric

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old man over alleged fake bomb threat messages to two private schools in Ikeja Government Reserved Area (GRA).

The suspect was tracked and arrested on January 24 in the Okota area of Lagos State following digital investigations.

According to the sources, the suspect allegedly sent WhatsApp messages threatening a fire explosion to the Human Resources Manager of AVI–CEENA School and the Chief Security Officer of Grange School, both located in Ikeja GRA.

Although the messages were sent from an unknown phone number, police said digital tracking led to the identification and arrest of the suspect, identified as Kosisochukwu Chukwuekenyem Ogbumuo.

The suspect is currently in police custody and will be charged to court on conclusion of investigations.

Police said inquiries are ongoing to determine the motive behind the threats and whether other individuals were involved.

The Lagos State Police Command reassured parents, school authorities and residents of Ikeja GRA of its commitment to maintaining security and preventing panic or disruption within the education sector.