No fewer than thirty women and children on Friday escaped death by whiskers after a Coaster bus conveying them went into flames in Onitsha, Anambra state.
The victims were said to be heading to Ebonyi State for a prayer meeting when the incident occurred along Innosi Onira/Boromew roundabout along Enugu-Onitsha expressway.
The Nation gathered that all passengers trapped in the bus were rescued before the bus went into flames.
Narrating her ordeal, one of the passengers, Mrs. Virginia Ogbuogwu who claimed she was sitting beside the driver, said many of them sustained varying degrees of injury.
She said,
“I suddenly noticed the driver was feeling uncomfortable after stopping at intervals and checking the dashboard.
“Immediately he saw smoke coming out from the bus, he quickly stopped, quietly alighted and disappeared without saying a word to us.”
Another victim, Mrs Paulina Una who sustained injury, said they were taken unawares by the incident which she said occurred in a split of seconds, regretting that they could not retrieve their valuables.
She, however, appreciated God as well as one Mr. Ifechukwuneme Okoye for coming to their rescue.
Reacting, the rescuer, Mr. Okoye, said he was attracted to the bus by one of the victims beckoning for help through the window.
“I quickly ran to the scene, broke the glasses with my hands and rescued them,” he said.
The Nation further learnt that although no life was lost, the victims lost their valuables including food items, cash, phones, among others.
ONITSHA, ANAMBRA STATE - Onitsha wears new look as Governor Willie Obiano inspected the remodelling of the famous DMGS Roundabout in Onitsha.
The project which was designed and executed by the Commissioner for Environment, Arch Mike Okonkwo, also include the recovery of a burnt filling station located near the roundabout where trees will be planted.
During the inspection visit, it was observed that the roundabout has been beautified with five gigantic elephant tusk-like sculpture works and a statue of Former President who is from Onitsha, Late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.
more photos below;
Everyone's been asking "What's happening in Main market Onitsha?"
Shops locked up 😨😨😨
People running home 😑😱
Is there a riot?
An eyewitness just reported to Colossus Gists that as he went to cut my hair, he learned, someone was killed by "Agbero Boys" because the person wanted to intervene on behalf of someone they are beating..
So the boys, in turn, started beating the person that came for intervention to the extent that he was beaten to death...
He also stated that the leader has been doing something like that for so long and always goes free, but today the relatives of the bereaved wanted to retaliate....
The Nigerian Police intervened and were arresting everyone around, so everyone decided to run home to be safe!!
Reporter - Benjamin
Anxiety, panic and fears engulfed most parts of the Southeastern states yesterday ahead of today’s sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in honour of Biafran heroes who died during the civil war and in the cause of the struggle for the restoration of Biafra state.
In Enugu State, there was heavy security presence in all the strategic points in the state capital, while fighter jets were hovering the state. Regardless, members of the Biafra Zionists Federation (BZF) have vowed to go ahead with their planned declaration of Biafra today.
The group spoke through its self-acclaimed President, Benjamin Onwuka.
He said:
“Fighter jets deployed by the Federal Government are hovering everywhere in Enugu State. The agenda is simple, to intimidate and instill fear in us and our members.
“But, we want to make it clear that we cannot be intimidated; that era is gone. Should anything happen to any of our members tomorrow (today), all those involved will pay dearly for it.
“Nigeria is already in panic. Buhari is in serious fear. You can see them flying fighter jets all over; this is what is called intimidation. They have failed.”
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, Danmallam Mohammed, has warned that the police will not tolerate any act or omission by any person or groups under any guise to disrupt the existing peace in the state.
The commissioner, in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, said:
“Any person or group of persons caught in any habit or omission capable of disrupting the existing peace in the state will be made to face the full weight of the law.”
The security around the government House, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army headquarters and state police headquarters have been heavily guarded with fierce-looking security operatives.
There were also fears and anxiety in Onitsha, the commercial hub of Anambra State, as IPOB had insisted there was no going on the call to remain indoors when they marched through the major streets and roads in Onitsha on Monday, instilling fear on residents and traders.
Daily Sun gathered that the Onitsha main market witnessed a crowd of people rushed to make last-minute purchase for fear of what may happen today.
A market leader in Anambra State, who did not want his name in prints, said:
“We are going to open our markets and traders should open their shops for business. There is no way the pro-Biafra group will force us to close our businesses, because they are doing anniversary.”
A trader Mr. John Nwokedi said he will not come out today due for fear of the unknown as he recalled past experience where some hoodlums seized the opportunity to loot and attack people who opened their shops for business.
A commercial driver Mr. Emeka Odim said:
“I’m going to obey the sit-at-home order; I’m not going to bring my vehicle out tomorrow (today) because I am a Biafran, and I believe in civil disobedience to tell our leaders in this country that we are not one and they should allow us to go.”
Meanwhile, the leadership of IPOB in Ebonyi State, yesterday, dared the Governor David Umahi and vowed to implement today’s sit-at-home order in all parts of the state.
Deputy Coordinator of Biafra agitators in the state, Mr. Ugochukwu Nweke, made the avowal while reacting to the state government’s directive on the people of the state to ignore the order.
At a press briefing, on Monday, Governor Umahi’s Senior Special Assistant on Internal Security, Dr. Kenneth Ugbala, warned that shop owners who obey the order would have to forfeit their shops forever, as the government would take over such shops. He said the state government would not tolerate any plot to sabotage its efforts in ensuring the peace and safety of its people.
Similarly, Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has warned that any civil servant in the state who obeys the sit-at-home order by failing to be on his or her duty post today will be sanctioned.
Consequently, he has directed Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments and Agencies to monitor the attendance to duty of the workers today and report accordingly.
But, IPOB leadership in Ebonyi State wrote off the state government’s threat.
It said:
“Our activities will go on tomorrow (today) as planned all over the world, not only here, in Ebonyi. The government has no right, whatsoever, to takeover anybody’s shop on the grounds of closing their shops to obey the sit-at-home order.”
Regardless, Owerri, the Imo State capital, was calm yesterday ahead of today’s sit-at-home order. When Daily Sun monitored the situation in Owerri, yesterday, residents went about their lawful businesses as usual. On May 22, members of Movement for the Actualisation for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) had celebrated their own Biafra day with a street march. However, many members of the two groups were arrested by security agencies, but were later released.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Police Command yesterday said the police and other security agents are battles ready to deal decisively with any pro-Biafra group that tries to disrupt the peace of the citizens today.
The Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr. Garba Baba Umar, in a statement, urged the people to disregard alleged the sit-at-home order and go about their lawful businesses.
He said:
“For the avoidance of doubt IPOB is still a proscribed organisation, hence, all its activities remains illegal.
“The command will, therefore, not hesitate to deal decisively with, in accordance with the law, any individual or groups, under any guise, that will disrupt public peace in the state.”
Source
Sun News
No fewer than 15,000 people will be thrown into the labour market in Anambra State following the ban on commercial motorcyclists in Onitsha and Awka, the Zonal leader, Motorcycle Transport Union of Nigeria, Kingsley Nworah has said.
He expressed reservation over the government’s decision, saying they were taken unawares.
The state government had on Tuesday announced the banning of Okada operations from July 1.
In a statement by the Press Secretary to Governor Willie Obiano, Mr James Eze, the decision was one of the resolutions reached at the state executive council meeting on Tuesday.
He said it was part of the overall strategy adopted by the government to deepen its crackdown on crime and restore sanity in Onitsha and Awka.
But Nworah while addressing journalists on Wednesday at the MOTUN office in Awka, the state capital, said the association had over 15,000 members in Awka and Onitsha who would lose their jobs because of the pronouncement.
He said most of his members were breadwinners of their families, wondering what would befall their wives and children in the circumstance.
He said,
”We are not less than 10,000 members in Onitsha and about 5,000 members in Awka.
When reminded that the ban was a security control measure, Nworah asked,
”Is it only Okada that is used to commit crimes? Haven’t they seen where cars, especially jeeps were used in robbery and kidnapping operations? Will they now ban jeeps in the state?
“Besides, we have always cautioned our members against getting involved in criminal activities, while we penalize the erring ones as a deterrent to others.”
Nworah who admitted that certain criminal activities were executed with the assistance of motorcycles, however, maintained that outright ban of commercial motorcycle operators was not the solution.
He said his union generated over N1.2m monthly to the state’s coffers as Internally Generated Revenue.
The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, on Tuesday, warned various church denominations against rivalry and competition among the leaders of the church in Nigeria.
The monarch described the in-fighting among the Christians as ‘lack of faith in Christ’ who should be emulated and whose vineyard the churches drives its strength and inspiration but charged them to be cooperative, humble as Christ did till death and resurrection.
The monarch gave the charge when The Redeemed Christian Church of God Province 3 Anambra State (Province Destination), led by Pastor Robert Joshua Igbo, visited him in his palace at Onitsha, saying that churches should be united and have cordial relationship as one body in Christ to preach the gospel of the truth and salvation.
He said: ” Jesus bind us together as Christians. We have to work in cooperation. We should not see rivalry among the churches as well as playing negative politics in the church. We should preach the gospel in low tune without disturbing others.
“We should respect God and other human beings. We should stop fighting ourselves as Christians over who is bigger, stronger, richer and more powerful than others. Christians should not indulge into unnecessary competitions which has negative and positive, advantages and disadvantages effects”.
Igwe Achebe said that Onitsha as an ancient city tolerates every religion, saying that the Onitsha Mosque has been there for over 100 years, stressing that Christianity especially the Anglican Church came into the city in 18th centuries and Catholic Church followed which he said made the people to embraced it early enough.
Earlier in his remarks, Pastor Joshua Igbo said that they came to visit the Royal father to familiarise with him since the church created new province 3 for Onitsha, saying that they wanted to have cordial relationship with the traditional institution because according to him Christ said the church should pray for those in authorities of power.
He said that the province would organize crusade alongside medical outreach in Onitsha and urged the monarch to mobilise his subjects to the programme.
Joshua Igbo however commended Igwe Achebe for the way and manner he has sustained and previewed the culture of Onitsha despite civilisation “we appreciate you in what you are doing in Onitsha kingdom in terms of development and culture.
Gov Obiano arrives upper Iweka, Onitsha, flags off Anambra 2017 Ember Month Awareness Campaign.
Just after all important visit to the Governor of Delta state On ensuring better travel experience this festive season, Gov Obiano arrives upper Iweka in company of the Corps Marshall of the Federal Safety Commission to flag off Anambra 2017 Ember Month Awareness campaign that together by FRSC.
Right to Live On the Highway... not Negotiable!
Gov. Wilie Obiano of Anambra State has re-stated his administration’s resolve to dualise the 33-Nkwelle Ezunaka road. This is part of measures by government to decongest vehicular traffic within the Onitsha metropolis,’’ Gov. Willie Obiano said this at a function in Onitsha.
He pledged his government's readiness to expand the Awka Road in Onitsha to enhance traffic flow in the commercial city.
Gov Obiano, then, announced government's intention to open up inner city roads in Onitsha, noting that the projects would be accomplished through Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) arrangement.
The governor explained that government had commenced rehabilitation work on the failed portions of Enugu-Onitsha Expressway to reduce the current traffic experienced on the Old Awka-Onitsha road.
He said that it was regrettable that inflow of traffic and unnecessary delays caused because of the deplorable condition of some roads, saying his administration would embark on construction of all roads at the end of the rainy season.
Gov Obiano had earlier assured ndi Anambra that major roads in Nnewi and the fast developing capital city will soon be dualized to meet international standard.
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