News

Ijora Fire Accident: No Casualty Recorded – LASG

Published

1 year ago

October 13, 2023

Eric

Lagos State Government has dispelled the widespread misinformation about casualties from the Thursday fire incident at Ijora area of the State.

The Commissioner for information and Strategy announced on Friday afternoon that there was zero death in the fire accident, which occurred at Orile/Ijora bridge inward Apapa on Wednesday night.

Eleven vehicles were razed by the fire, which broke out when a truck laden with fuel rolled back while climbing the bridge and hitting another truck in the process. The collision resulted in the huge balls of fire that engulfed the scene.

Omotoso told reporters during the visit of some State Cabinet members who visited scene on Friday afternoon, that there is no truth in the reports making the rounds that some lives were lost to the fire incident, adding that such reports were social media fake news. He urged people to stop posting misleading videos.

Other Cabinet members at the site of the accident on Friday include the Commissioner of Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi and his Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations counterpart, Gbenga Oyerinde as well as Special Adviser on Works Engr. Olayinka Adekunle

According to Omotoso, there was no loss of life or injuries as occupants of the razed vehicles escaped unhurt.

He said: “A truck was trying to climb the bridge and another one was close by and another was parked on the bridge, but the space for them to maneuver was not that large enough. The one that wanted to climb could not go up; it rolled back and hit the one behind it and there was a spark that led to the huge fire that we saw last night.

“I have seen some videos of fire from other places that people mischievously said was what happened here at Ijora and I have seen some reports that people died here, but I will like to announce to you that we haven’t lost anybody in this fire. About 11 vehicles were involved and now as you can see our people are trying to clear the place”.

Omotoso commended all the First Responders for their prompt response to the accident while also assuring residents that the site will soon be cleared completely of the burnt vehicles to ensure free flow of traffic in the axis.

Omotoso said: “After the incident on Otedola bridge, around 7:45pm this incident occurred. First, I would like to thank our first responders on the way they reacted to this accident; they made sure it wasn’t as bad as some people thought. They responded as fast as possible; firefighters, LASEMA were all here; they put in a yeoman’s job to put out the fire.

“About forty percent clearance of the scene of the accident has been done now. All of the vehicles you are seeing here are going to be moved away from here and taking to a safer place. Normalcy will return here in a matter of hours”.

The Commissioner corrected insinuations that the accident was as a result of a bad road, saying the State government had been carrying out palliative works on the road to ensure smooth transportation around the axis.

He said the government was not neglecting the road.

“Well, if you look at this road you will notice that it has been enjoying some palliatives for some time; it is not a road that has been left to deteriorate anyhow as you see the stones and pebbles that have been put in the pot holes that we have here. That shows the government is not neglecting this road even at the Federal level.

“In fact, as we speak, meetings are on-going on modalities to fix this and as matter of fact the contract to fix this road has been awarded,” Omotoso said.

Also present at the briefing were heads of Lagos State Fire Service and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency.

News

Anambra APC Berates Umahi for Hailing Soludo’s Infrastructural Strides

Published

7 hours ago

March 28, 2025

Eric

The Anambra State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, for openly praising Governor Chukwuma Soludo over his strides in infrastructural development.

The party, during a press conference addressed by the State Publicity Secretary Dr Valentine Oliobi, said the words used by the minister undermine the efforts of the party (APC) he is serving, which is also fielding candidates for the governorship contest in November.

Umahi, while on a working visit to Anambra to flag off a federal road, also toured some of Soludo’s projects and concluded that the governor will not have opposition in the coming election because of his marvelous works.

Reacting to Umahi’s commendation, Oliobi described it as mere flattery, meant to placate the governor, insisting that in real sense of governance, Soludo has failed the people of Anambra State.

He said: “Ndi Anambra are not carried away by minister Umahi’s sugar coated words for Soludo. In-between the lines of those so-called praises are nothing but a diplomatic way of expressing disappointment, especially as the governor’s newly constructed roads are already washing away.

“What he saw in Anambra is not impressive but underwhelming. His remarks were not a validation of success, but a subtle reminder that Anambra is not where it should be. It is amusing that Soludo and his cohorts are yet to get to read the handwriting on the wall.”

The party also added that such words by Umahi, even though they were not meant to be true racked of lack of discretion by the minister, who knows that he works for an APC government, and that his party is in the race for a governorship election with the same man he is praising.

“Minister Dave Umahi’s unguided utterances were in support of his business ally, Prof. Soludo. Umahi and Soludo have a joint interest in most of the federal road construction in Anambra.

“But unfortunately for Soludo, the days of empty promises are over as Anambra cannot reinforce failure by renewing unfulfilled contracts through another tenure in office.”

Oliobi listed some of the areas where Soludo has failed, saying the State will vote him out in November. The areas listed include: shoddy road contracts, poor economy, failed security and many others.

News

Rivers: Ibas Suspends Fubara’s Political Appointees

Published

2 days ago

March 27, 2025

Eric

The Rivers State Government has suspended all political office holders and appointees with immediate effect.

A statement issued on Wednesday by the Chief of Staff to the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), listed the affected officers as follows:

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG)

The Chief of Staff

All Honourable Commissioners

Chairmen and members of boards, councils of agencies, commissions, institutions, and parastatals

All Special Advisers, Special Assistants, and Senior Special Assistants

The statement further directed the suspended officials to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries in their respective ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).

In cases where no Permanent Secretary is in place, the most senior Director or Head of Administration is to take over.

This directive takes effect from Wednesday, March 26, 2025.

News

INEC Confirms Receipt of Recall Petition, Notifies Natasha

Published

2 days ago

March 27, 2025

Eric

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has formally notified the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, about the receipt of a petition seeking her recall.

INEC confirmed the development through a statement by the Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, on Wednesday.

According to the Commission, the petitioners have now provided their contact details, including a mailing address, phone numbers, and email, in compliance with the commission’s guidelines.

This was after the Commission, on Tuesday, said the petitioners seeking Natasha’s recall have not yet met the necessary submission requirements.

The Commission had raised concern that the representatives of the petitioners did not provide their contact address, telephone number(s) and e-mail address(es) in the covering letter forwarding the petition through which they can be contacted as provided in Clause 1(f) of its Regulations and Guidelines

But in a statement on Wednesday, Olumekun said the contact address of representatives of the petitioners, their telephone numbers and e-mail addresses have now been provided in a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, dated today Wednesday March, 26, 2025.

“As provided in Clause 2(a) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, a letter has been written to notify the Senator sought to be recalled about the receipt of the petition and delivered to her official address. The same letter has been copied to the presiding officer of the Senate and published on the Commission’s website”, the commission said.

“The next step is to scrutinise the list of signatories submitted by the petitioners to ascertain that the petition is signed by more than one half (over 50%) of the registered voters in the Constituency. This will be done in the coming days. The outcome, which will be made public, shall determine the next step to be taken by the Commission.

“We once again reassure Nigerians that the process will be open and transparent,” INEC added.