Second Nyanya Bomb Blast Fuels Fear of Political Motive

• 12 dead, 30 injured
• Terror attacks aimed at stopping WEF
• President holds emergency security meeting today
Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Yemi Akinsuyi, Senator Iroegbu and Paul Obi

Less than three weeks after a bus station in Nyanya, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was hit by a bomb blast, another bomb explosion ripped through the same neighbourhood, resulting in the death of at least 12 persons and 30 others injured, and fuelling fears that the two successive attacks in Abuja, might be politically motivated.

On March 14, a similar blast at the bus station led to the death of 75 victims and several others injured.
Speaking on the incident last night, a security source said that the two successive attacks might not be unconnected with political considerations as the 2015 elections loom.

He added that they are also targeted at frightening participants and stopping the country from hosting the World Economic Forum (WEF) scheduled for May 7 to 9.

He revealed that as a result of the second attack on Nyanya, President Goodluck Jonathan has summoned an emergency security council meeting to take place today in order to review the latest development and devise a strategy to combat the menace of rising insecurity in the country.

The security source added that the situation had become very critical requiring the president to take tough decisions to contain the crisis and bring the perpetrators to book.

"These spate of attacks have politics written all over them. They are also targeted at stopping the World Economic Forum where Nigeria would have been able to showcase itself as the largest economy in Africa and premier investment destination on the continent.

"For this reason, the president has summoned an emergency security council meeting to address the crisis head on," he said.

Security and response agencies confirmed that a Mazda vehicle laden with explosives was detonated about 50 metres away from the bus station, which had been closed since the first bomb attack on March 14. They said last night’s bombing occurred just before 8 pm.

A security source, who spoke to THISDAY, said the explosion occurred at a temporary park constructed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), where vehicles pick up passengers en route to Zuba, another suburb of the FCT.

The busy park, coupled with traffic jam caused by the stringent searches carried out by the military at a checkpoint a few metres away, had lately increased commuters' traffic in the area and made it a soft target for terror attacks.
Speaking on the casualties, the Press Officer at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Ezekiel Monzo, put the number of victims at 12 dead and 30 injured.

He said there was every possibility that some of those taken to the hospital may have died on their way
Monzo told THISDAY the bomb went off at 7.55pm and security operatives and rescue personnel were quick to respond to the incident and evacuated victims from the scene of the blast.
According to him, about 30 persons were affected by the blast and had been taken to the Asokoro General Hospital.

However, in another statement by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the agency said 21 victims were taken to various hospitals in Abuja.

The statement, which was signed by the Public Relations Officer, NSCDC, Emma Okeh, said nine lifeless bodies had been deposited at the mortuary while 11 unconscious victims were receiving medical attention at different hospitals in Abuja.

“The public are urged to cooperate with security agencies and avoid rushing to the scene to guard against hampering the efforts of the various agencies working together to ensure public safety,” Okeh said.

Confirming the statement by NSCDC that victims were moved to various hospitals, a source at the National Hospital, Abuja, said six badly burnt bodies were brought to the hospital last night and deposited at the mortuary, while eight other injured persons had been admitted.

In their statement, the police said 12 were confirmed dead while 19 were injured.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, said 31 victims were affected by the bomb blast, adding: “We suffered an explosion at about 7.55pm. The impact of the explosion led to the destruction of other five vehicles in addition to the car with the improvised explosive devices (IEDs). We have so far lost 12 citizens and 19 suffered various injuries.

“Various security agencies, the police, NEMA, military, civil defence corps and Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), amongst others, are working together to maintain order.”

Mba stressed that it was too early to speak or speculate as to who committed the attack and warned that the casualty figures were provisional as they could change as the night progressed.

Speaking on the incident, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations in the FCT Police Command, Balla Ciroma, said with the traffic gridlock, it was hellish for rescue and security personnel to reach the venue of the blast.


Also, an army officer, who did not want to be named, said the security agencies were alerting members of the public that there was a second bomb within the neighbourhood that was yet to be detonated.

“Let everyone move out for a buffer, this environment is not yet safe. You need to move while we try to diffuse the bomb. If you are not in a uniform, for your own safety please move,” the military officer advised a THISDAY reporter who had rushed to the scene of the attack.

Shortly after the incident, THISDAY learnt that two Camerounian suspects were arrested at the scene of the blast.
Confirming this, security sources said their personnel nabbed the suspects who claimed to be foreign nationals and could not speak English.

An eyewitness also confirmed that it was a Mazda car that was used for the bombing and that three suspects drove by, parked the car and started running.

“As people started pursuing them, the car exploded creating panic and pandemonium that helped them to escape,” the witness said.

Another eyewitness and staff of THISDAY, Mr. Tony Abulu, said he had a narrow escape, having come near the scene of the explosion to repair one of his electronic gadgets.

Abulu said three people who were in the Volkswagen Golf car parked close to the Mazada died instantly.
Joseph Ocheme, a businessman, also gave a vivid description of the incident, stating: “We were in the traffic because of the security checkpoint and we noticed a smoke in one of the vehicles before the blast. The car in the front caught fire immediately.

“We saw the people running away and I saw about five people dead in that instant and I could hear people who were being roasted alive, shouting for help.

“The perpetrators ran in different directions. This situation could have been worse had it occurred during peak hours. We thank God that not many people were around but we have been warning about the dangers of the traffic snarl.”

30 buried in Colombia mine collapse

Rescue workers in Colombia are using large mechanical diggers as they try to find up to 30 people buried under tonnes of mud at a gold mine.
Three bodies have been recovered so far but officials say the unstable soil is making the search problematic.
It is not clear exactly how many people are underneath the rubble, as the mine was operating illegally.
Crowds gathered at the site in the south-western Cauca department after the incident on Wednesday night.
The hundreds of miners and relatives watching the rescue efforts have refused to move away despite being warned that they themselves could be buried alive by another landslide.
“We’re hoping for a miracle from God, because that’s all we can hope for and wait and see what happens. Someone could have survived,” one local woman said.
The governor of the Cauca department, Temistocles Ortega, said illegal miners had used machinery to open huge holes to extract gold, and one of them had caved in, burying them.
At least seven large mechanical diggers have been working non-stop at the bottom of the large pit and specially trained search dogs have been deployed.
But while work continues in the mud below, an official with the firefighters at the scene said it was already too late.
“You have to eliminate the idea [of survivors]. There is no possibility that someone has survived because huge amounts of mud and earth fell on those people,” he said.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos blamed the incident on illegal mining, saying his government was tackling the problem.
But correspondents say thousands of unchecked mines can be found in Colombia’s most remote areas.
Only last Friday, another four miners were killed and 65 affected by poisonous gases in the Antioquia department.

May Day tragedy: Fresh Abuja blast kills 30

Barely three weeks after a bomb blast killed over 71 persons in Nyanya, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, another explosion claimed about 30 lives on Thursday evening.

The blast, which was believed to be a suicide attack, occurred around 8:45pm when a bomb-laden car exploded at the Karshi Taxi Park, a few metres from where the April 14, 2014 explosion took place.

Eyewitnesses told The Punch that 25 bodies were taken to the Maitama District Hospital, Asokoro, four corpses were dropped at the National Hospital while one body was taken to an unidentified hospital in Nyanya.

Scores of injured people were also evacuated by ambulances to different hospitals for treatment.

But a statement co-signed by the Head, Public Relations, NSCDC and NEMA Press Officer, Emmanuel Ezekiel, said that 10 bodies had been deposited in the mortuary while 13 unconscious persons were receiving treatment in different hospitals.

It added that other injured victims were being attended to by medical personnel, urging  members of the public to avoid hindering rescue efforts.

“While security agencies have condoned off the area of the explosion this evening in Nyanya, Abuja, response agencies have moved injured victims to hospitals and at least 10 lifeless bodies have been deposited in the mortuary while 13 unconscious victims are receiving medical attention in different hospitals in Abuja. Other injured victims too are being attended to.

“The public are urged to cooperate with security agencies and avoid rushing to the scene to guard against hampering the efforts of the various agencies working together to ensure public safety,” the statement said.

Security sources said the perpetrators of the blast might have planned to leave the explosive-laden car at the motor park overnight so that it could be detonated on Friday (today) for maximum effect, but the bomb accidentally went off, killing the driver and other innocent people.

A Nyanya resident, who simply identified himself as Lambert, said he was walking along the road when he heard a loud blast which shook the area and sent everyone scurrying in different directions.

He said, “I went to the park, but the scene was alight with burning vehicles and there were corpses of people on the ground as well as dismembered bodies; there were body parts on the ground including hands, and heads. It was a gory sight and I had to leave the scene.”

Meanwhile, NEMA has called on FCT residents to donate blood to assist victims of the blast.

Flight MH370: Relatives told to return home

Malaysia Airlines has asked relatives of passengers on board flight MH370 to leave the hotel accommodation it is providing and return to their homes.

It is closing the family assistance centres set up after the plane vanished on 8 March with 239 people on board.

The airline promised to keep relatives updated on the search operation.

Meanwhile, a report by Malaysia’s transport ministry has shown a four-hour gap between MH370′s disappearance and the start of a search operation.

The report also revealed that air traffic controllers did not realise the plane was missing until 17 minutes after it disappeared off radar.

The plane disappeared over the South China Sea as it flew from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Officials believe it ended its journey in seas west of the Australian city of Perth, thousands of kilometres off course, but do not yet know why. An intensive multinational search has so far turned up no sign of the plane.

‘Unimaginable anguish’

On Thursday, Malaysia Airlines said in a statement that despite “probably the largest (search) in human history… the fate of the missing passengers and crew remains unknown.”

“Malaysia Airlines is acutely conscious of, and deeply sympathetic to the continuing unimaginable anguish, distress and hardship suffered by those with loved ones on board the flight.”

But it warned that the continuing search would be a “prolonged process”.

“Instead of staying in hotels, the families of MH370 are advised to receive information updates… within the comfort of their own homes.”

All family assistance centres would be closed on 7 May, but the relatives would be given updates through telephone calls, messages, the internet and face-to-face meetings, Malaysia Airlines said.

It would soon make “advanced compensation payments” to the passengers’ nominated next-of-kin, “in order to meet their immediate economic needs”, it added. The payments would not affect their rights to claim further compensation at a later stage, it said.

The families have been critical of the initial search process and the way they have been kept informed, with many accusing the Malaysian authorities of concealing information.

Borno should continue with updates on abducted girls -DHQ

The Defence Headquarters has said henceforth, all enquiries on the abducted students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, be directed to the Borno State Government.

The Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen Chris Olukolade, enjoined the Commissioner for Education in Borno State, who had been speaking on the incident to continue to give updates on the abduction, in a statement on Thursday.

Olukolade, who promised that the military would continue with the efforts to recover the abducted girls, stressed that the Borno State Government was the appropriate body to continue with the regular briefings on the abduction.

He said it was in line with standard global practice for Borno State, in whose facility the abduction took place, to ensure the necessary flow of information on the nagging incident.

Olukolade said security operatives in Borno would interact with state government officials to give updates on the abducted schoolgirls to the public.

He said, “While the military efforts at rescuing the girls is continuing, the government of Borno State whose Commissioner for Education has been giving regular updates on the incident at the initial stage, is enjoined to continue in order to satisfy the necessity for information flow. 

 

“The Borno State Government, in whose facility the incident occurred, is appropriately placed to continue with regular briefing as the State Commissioner for Education has been doing. This is in line with best practices in other climes more so as all agencies of every tier of government are expected to continue functioning in the state. 

 

“Accordingly, security agencies on ground in Borno State will continue to interact and support the state government officials in their efforts to inform the public on the Chibok incident and progress in the search without any prejudice.”

 

He said the military would ensure regular flow of information in all its internal security operations in the country.

  

Olukolade said while the security agencies had received a lot of information in the bid to retrieve the abducted girls, most of the information were given deliberately to cripple the military operation against the insurgency in the North East.

 

He said some of the information had been publicised to inflict more pain on the country in accordance with the expectation of the terrorists.

 

The statement read, “A lot of information have been received in the efforts at securing the freedom of the girls.  The Armed Forces assure all Nigerians that they will continue to appraise every information received during this operation accordingly. 

“Unfortunately however, most of the information, some of which have been mischievously publicised for sensational reasons, have always turned out to be spurious and of no operational use. 

 

“Disturbingly, some of them have been mischievously sensationalised and publicised with a view to heightening tension and inflicting more pain on the nation as envisaged by the terrorists. Nevertheless, the forces will remain disposed to receiving, analysing and applying all relevant information on this issue.”

Bomb blast rocks Nyanya again

Again bomb blast rocks Nyanya Rea of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. Scores of people feared dead.
more details coming stay put....

Child labour prevalence worries FG

The Federal Government has expressed concern over the prevalence of child labour in parts of the Northern region and urged stakeholders to work toward stopping it.
Mr Akpabio Brown, the Controller, Federal of Ministry of Labour and Productivity, expressed the government concern in Minna on Thursday at this year’s May Day celebrations.
Child labour is the engagement of children in any work that is exploitative and injurious to their physical, mental, social and moral development, and denies them of educational opportunities.
The controller said “let me take advantage of this occasion to inform us of the prevalence of child labour in this part of the country.
“We need a policy against child labour that will help to build a society that is child-friendly.
“Almost all the countries, including Nigeria, have made commitment to take urgent action by ratifying the International Labour Organisation convention in tackling child labour as a matter of urgency.”
Brown urged state governments, employers of labour, workers’ organisations, civil society and community based organisations, media and other stakeholders for collaboration in eliminating child labour in the region.
Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra had assured civil servants in the state of great and bright future under his administration as they mark the 2014 May Day.
Obiano said the lost civil service glory would be restored and promised to remunerate workers properly and urged them to put in their best at work.
According to him, improved welfare like housing and other incentives that would ginger workers to optimal performance would be addressed.
Speaking earlier during the May Day celebration, the state’s NLC Chairman, Mr Patrick Obianyo, called for effective synergy to arrest the security challenges facing the country.
He said insecurity was affecting the country’s progress as he urged the Federal Government to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency, noting that the kidnap of the female students of Chibok in Borno remained worrisome.
On his part, Mr Ifeanyi Okechukwu, the state Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), reminded the governor of outstanding labour issues, including enhanced welfare package, payment of end of year incentives, housing for workers and payment of promotion arrears.
Okechukwu assured the state government that imrpoved welfare would eliminate mediocrity in civil service and called for proper motivation for workers to perform effectively.
NAN also reports that no less than 20 trade unions participated in the rally, with the state NUJ council wearing black to mourn Mrs Tochukwu Omelu, who died on died March 25.
A report from Osun said Mr Najeem Salaam, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, had commended the leadership of the organised labour for promoting industrial harmony in the country.
Salaam made the commendation in his Workers’ Day message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Goke Butika, in Osogbo on Thursday.
The speaker noted that the 13th month salary incentive, upward review of car loan for qualified beneficiaries and other welfare packages provided by the government was a reflection of the cordial relationship existing between the state government and the work force.
While felicitating with the workers, Salaam said the state legislature had set machinery in motion to resolve the ongoing industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in the state.
He also commended Gov. Rauf Aregbesola for his effort in providing an enabling work environment for workers in the state.
Salaam, however, appealed to the union leaders and workers in the state to continue to contribute to the development of the state.
Elsewhere in Gombe, the NLC had urged the state government to establish a state fire service board.
Malam Ahmed Maisakala, the state NLC Chairman, made the call in Gombe on Thursday during the Workers’ Day celebration.
Maisakala said fire service played a vital role in curtailing fire disasters in the state.
“The service needs urgent attention, we are appealing to the government to restructure the service.
“We want the welfare of the service to be improved and that can be better handled through the establishment of a board,” he said.
According to him, the board will take care of employment, discipline, promotion, training and provision of modern fire fighting equipment.
Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe said arrangements had reached advanced stage to train workers at the National Centre for Management Development to boost their productivity.
He urged labour unions to always embrace dialogue in resolving labour disputes for the development of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the May Day celebration is a historic event that symbolises the struggle and sacrifices of the working class to gain improved working conditions.
The International Workers’ Day is in commemoration of the May 4, 1886, Haymarket Affair in Chicago, USA, set aside to commemorate the struggle for eight working man-hours.
This year’s is the 168th formal edition, while 68 countries are observing the day on which member countries declared a public holiday.

Group protest Borno schoolgirls’ abduction at labour rally

Members of a coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Kwara State on Thursday protested against the continued captivity of schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State by the Boko Haram sect. The protest took place at a rally organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress to mark workers’ day. As the  Workers’ Day celebration was going on at the Metropolitan Square, Ilorin, members of the coalition suddenly emerged while the TUC Chairman, Mr. Kolawole Olumoh, was delivering his speech. The protesters carried placards with different inscriptions.  Some of them read, ‘Where at the Chibok girls?’ ‘Where are our sisters?’ ‘Chibok girls: please find our daughters.’ ‘President Jonathan, please stop playing with our lives.’ Mr. President, our youths are dying.’  Mr. President, where is our $20bn?’ ‘Masses are dying at the expense of few,’ and ‘If one of us is unsafe, none of us is safe.’ In a speech by  Shuaibu Fari and Basambo Abubakar, the group urged President Goodluck Jonathan to find solution to insecurity in the country. “On behalf of the civil society organisation in Kwara State, the coalition expresses concern over the kidnapping of schoolgirls in Borno State and why government have not sufficiently and tactically carried out action that will lead to their rescue.  The coalition demandsq that a secret force should be set up and deployed to rescue these innocent and vulnerable girls from the terrorists’ camp. “Our dear President, the first duty of a president is to have a heart for the people, to treasure his people, love them and have a desire to give them his best all the times.  That is what makes a good president and that is what politics is all about. “Saving our girls right from now and stabilise the security condition of this country should be of utmost priority that goes beyond given rooms for distraction from political opponents or given more attention to the pursuit of personal aspiration.” Chairman, NLC, Kwara State chapter, Mr. Farouk Akanbi also decried the non-release of the schoolgirls and other forms of insecurity and violent crimes. He called on the governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed to look into the demands of workers to enhance productivity and sustain industrial harmony in the state. Such demands included  immediate stoppage of the Millennium Development Goal levy and the issue of Zenith bank shares certificates. He added that the workers demanded more welfare. The NLC boss decried poor services of power firms in the country and the high electricity bills, corruption, abduction of schools girls from Chibok , Borno State and other violent crimes. His TUC counterpart, Kolawole Olumoh, said the sustenance of industrial peace would  improve productivity and national growth. Ahmed  said the government was aware of the demands by labour unions for enhanced welfare packages for their members and the resolution of other outstanding issues. He implored them to adopt more negotiation to guard against actions that could derail the peace and the economic survival of the state. He stated that the government was conscious of its obligation to the people of Kwara State including the workers. But a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Belgore, urged  employers of labour to stop leveraging on the high poverty and unemployment rate to blackmail their employees. He said the Kwara State Government was particularly guilty of banking on high poverty rate and unemployment rate to allegedly blackmail the civil servants. Belgore said,”this, unfortunately, has been the case in our state where workers are still not getting minimum wage. “We are aware that many teachers and health workers in Kwara State earn way far below the 18,000 minimum wage! “Indeed, the information from the civil servants is that Kwara State government is only effecting partial payment of the minimum wage.”

Rainoil boss tips Eagles for W/Cup glory

Managing director of Rainoil, a Lagos based oil servicing outfit, Gabriel Og­bechie has tipped the Super Eagles to surprise the world at the Brazil 2014 World Cup.
Ogbechie who spoke in Lagos on Tuesday during the unveiling of a new sports monthly maga­zine, Sports Market International (SMI) told Daily Sunsports that Stephen Keshi would re enact the South Africa 2013 AFCON feat in Brazil by going all the way.
“Don’t forget that nobody gave the Eagles a chance during AF­CON 2013, but Keshi’s boys, saw and conquered. He broke the na­tion’s 19-year jinx of not winning the cup. I see him doing the same in Brazil. We have never gone beyond the second round at the World Cup, I see Keshi breaking that jinx. We will over-run Iran with ease in our first game and Bosnia won’t be much of a prob­lem. Whatever happens against Argentina, we will go through to the second round and from there, the sky could just be the limit for the team,” Ogbechie said.
The sports loving oil guru, however, appealed to the nation’s soccer governing body, NFF to give Keshi a free hand to pick his team, even as he urged the Eagles gaffer to go for the 23 best legs the country can boast of.
“I just hope the NFF will give Keshi a free hand to pick his team and on the part of the coach, I urge him to go to Brazil with our very best legs. Once this is done, I am sure we will have a glorious World Cup campaign.”

Women groups protest in Ibadan over Abducted girls

More than 200 women from various groups yesterday held a peaceful protest across Ibadan, the Oyo State capi­tal, over the 234 girls ab­ducted by Boko Haram in­surgents at the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State.
The women, aged between 50 and 65, wept uncontrolla­bly as they marched through the metropolis in torn dresses, carrying placards with various inscriptions such as: Rescue our girls now, Enough of Ab­duction, No to Boko Haram, Federal Government what are you doing? We call for end to this abduction now.
The protesting women later moved to the headquarters of the state police command, where they addressed the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Indabbawa.
In her address, Princess Ad­etona,  the President, National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), said the women de­cided to speak out their minds because the lives of the chil­dren were at stake, adding that the longer it took to rescue the girls, the greater the dangers they would be exposed to. 
....sunnews

15-year-old remanded in custody over murder of teacher

The family of teacher Ann Maguire, who was stabbed to death at a school in Leeds, have described her as “a shining light” who “brightened the world”.
Mrs Maguire, 61, had worked at Corpus Christi Catholic College for more than 40 years before she was attacked in front of pupils on Monday.
In a statement, her family said they were “devastated” at her death.
A 15-year-old boy has appeared at Leeds Youth Court and was remanded in custody charged with Mrs Maguire’s murder.
The boy, who cannot be named, is due to appear via video-link at Leeds Crown Court on Friday.
In the statement, issued by West Yorkshire Police, Mrs Maguire’s family described her as “a loving wife, the best mother, a treasured sister, a true friend”.
“We are devastated. Her selfless, genuine, caring nature will remain with us eternally,” they added.
Family members said they were “overwhelmed” by the support, sympathy and tributes they had received which were “a source of great comfort at this dark time”.
The statement added: “Ann, we will love you always, your loving family.”
Mrs Maguire, who taught Spanish, was due to retire in September after a 40-year career.
She had joined Corpus Christi, a 950-pupil college in the Halton Moor area of Leeds, as a student teacher and last year the school had celebrated her 40th year of service.
Mrs Maguire lived in the Moortown area of Leeds with her husband, Donald, and is understood to have had two daughters.
Hundreds of floral tributes have been laid outside the school by current and former pupils since Monday.
A book of condolence was also opened at the church that adjoins the school.