The Nation Newspaper

Tag: die

  • 100 North’s women die at childbirth, says UNFPA

    The Country Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Nigeria, Ms Ratidzai Ndhlovu, has said 100 women in the North die daily from childbirth complications.

    She noted that the maternal mortality figure “is high and collective efforts must be stepped up to redress the ugly trend”.

    Ms Ndhlovu added: “No expectant mother should be allowed to die while bringing a life into the world, and they should be adequately protected.”

    The UNFPA Country Director spoke yesterday in Sokoto at a Northern Traditional Leaders Consultative Meeting on Maternal Health, with the theme: Accelerating the Reduction of Maternal Deaths in Northern Nigeria: The Role of Traditional and Religious Leaders.

    She said traditional rulers, community and religious leaders should take a census of expectant mothers in their areas to track the exact figure of maternal mortality.

    Ms Ndhlovu said: “This would help in gingering all of us to step up measures to reduce the menace and save more expectant mothers and their children from dying during childbirth.

    “This would certainly help in reducing maternal mortality and even help to reduce it to a zero-level across the North.”

    Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar called for the building of the capacities of more traditional birth attendants (TBAs) in the region.

    The monarch said such action would complement the efforts of skilled midwives in health facilities at reducing  maternal mortality.

    He said: “Such trained TBAs should be recruited by the three tiers of government and deployed in health facilities to boost manpower provision.

    “The traditional rulers will also sustain their ongoing efforts in giving hope and life to Nigerians, especially expectant mothers.”

    National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) Executive Director Dr Ado Mohammed, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring a more formidable women’s and children’s health.

    He hailed traditional rulers in the state for ensuring the reduction of maternal mortality.

    Sokoto State Health Commissioner Shehu Kakale said the Waziri Tambuwal administration had set up a standing committee on the reduction of maternal mortality in the 23 local government areas.

     

  • See Hongxing and die

    See Hongxing and die

    •Workers’ gory tales of death and slavery in Chinese firm

    In its sad report on September 28, the Punch gave a vivid picture of what is happening in a Chinese firm, Hongxing Steel Company Ltd, in the Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos State. There were reports of deaths of workers in this firm on a regular basis.

    First in the report was the death of a certain Emeka Umoh who lost his life at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital after liquefied iron spilled on his body, on September 23. Another worker, Adebayo, was reportedly squeezed to death by a compressor sometime in February.

    From another report, there was almost a face-off between the management of the company and the workers, when the management decided to take the remains of Adebayo, a father of three, to the mortuary in a tipper!

    Some workers in the Chinese firm said that Umoh and Ajiboye were just two among many Nigerian workers who had died or sustained permanent disability resulting from accidents on duty. The workers complained that such accidents occur on a regular basis as a result of faulty machines and absence of safety standards.

    Yet there are many more of such victims in the firm. Obina Eze, aged 23, saw the compressor chop off his three fingers, while Eze complained of regular accidents from where workers sustain lifelong deformities.

    When contacted, the spokesman for the Chinese company named Udomson, attributed the deaths and injuries in the company to industrial hazards, which the company “was not immune to”. He said the firm was already negotiating with Emeka Udoh’s family, and that the company had a policy on workers’ welfare.

    It is a pity that some companies, especially Indian and Chinese companies, are notorious for discriminating against the workers of their host country, Nigeria. When we put this side by side with the notorious discrimination of the Chinese against black citizens, like Nigerians, in their home country, we are miffed that they have the temerity to extend such discrimination to Nigerians in their own country.

    This nefarious conduct is unacceptable, and should not be allowed if Hongxing Steel Company and its ilks are to be allowed to remain and operate in Nigeria. The whole situation is a slap in the face of the Federal Government which ought to have warned the Chinese company of discrimination against Nigerians, not to talk of employing its citizens as slaves in their own country.

    We also see the whole scene as failure of our Labour Unions who are also in a position to put a stop to this wicked exercise, and unwholesome attitude of a foreign company in Nigeria, like this Chinese firm.

    In this connection, there is the element of corruption, because those who are supposed to monitor the activities of the companies vis a vis their treatment of Nigerian workers, are likely compromised. They get cozy with the managers and therefore look the other way, even when they see glaring infractions going on in the companies.

    The same is true of the law enforcement agencies. These Chinese companies hire too many workers in unhygienic situations and in a factory with faulty machines which make the workplace prone to frequent accidents.

    Obviously Indian and Chinese firms in the country take advantage of the acute lack of jobs to cheat Nigerian workers. It is now up to the Ministry of Labour, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), civil society groups, and others to sit up and make foreign companies operating in Nigeria to respect our laws and appreciate the dignity of labour attached to workers in Nigeria, as they do to workers in their own countries.

     

  • Sallah tragedy: 10 die in Ondo auto crash

    No fewer than 10 people lost their lives in a fatal auto accident which occurred in Uso, a sleepy community, along Akure/Owo highway in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    The accident, which occurred on Thursday evening, involved a trailer

    with registration number LSD 438 XE;  a Nissan Sunny taxi car with number AL 750 WWW and a Mitsubishi bus with number LQG 122 JD.

    Eye witnesses said the trailer which was heading towards Abuja rammed into the two vehicles, coming from the opposite direction, while trying to avoid potholes on the road, killing 10 occupants of the vehicles.

    It was gathered that vehicular movement was halted for several hours as a result of the accident, thereby causing gridlock on the busy road.

    Men of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Nigeria Police Force controlled traffic on the road, while officials of the National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) evacuated the victims from the scene of the accident.

    It was learnt that the driver of the truck is now at large.

    The Head of Operations of the Ondo State Sector Command of the FRSC, Mr.Akin Adedipe who confirmed the accident also said 11 persons

    were injured in the accident.

    He noted that the accident was due to dangerous overtaking on the part of the vehicles involved.

    Adedipe said the victims had been taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo for treatment while the bodies of the deceased victims were deposited at the morgue of the hospital.

  • WHY ACTORS DIE IN PENURY– NOLLYWOOD ACTOR ALEX USIFO

    WHY ACTORS DIE IN PENURY– NOLLYWOOD ACTOR ALEX USIFO

    From his towering height, to his fine-tuned baritone, Nollywood actor, Alex Usifo Omiagbo, is one veteran who stands out. His sojourn into the make-believe world spans over three decades; years which he says have been a blessing to him. He takes OVWE MEDEME into his world of being an actor, a father and a businessman

    You have been acting for over three decades. Looking back, how would you say these years have treated you?

    Acting is something I love doing. I have a passion for it. Today, I’m also a producer/director. The industry has been a blessing because it has given me the opportunity to express myself in terms of what I like doing. Of course, like any other business or profession, it has its challenges and excitement. One of the excitements is that people see you and appreciate what you are doing.

    One of the challenges is that money is never enough because the tougher the economy, the more you want money. That’s the thing too. Even in terms of excitement, the time that people see you and recognise you and appreciate you, they might also be taking your time when you are in a hurry. They don’t want to know whether you are in a hurry. They don’t want to know whether you are sick. Maybe you are dashing off somewhere to keep an appointment. If you do not acknowledge their recognition, they tend to get angry. These are some of the challenges.

    Talking about money not being enough, does it have anything to do with why some veteran artistes die in penury?

    The truth is that a good businessman, even if he has N5,000, would be able to do something with it. Some of us were more excited about the show, we didn’t remember the business. This is show business. It is a combination of two words. If you follow the show alone, you are in trouble. If you even follow the business alone, you are also in trouble because there must be something you are enjoying.

    And to keep the business going, you must be enjoying the show. They are inseparable. All I’m trying to say is that if I don’t have enough money today, it is not the fault of the industry. It is not because I have not made money in the industry. I have made millions in the industry. That, I can also say concerning those who have such problems. We have seen cases where somebody would tell you that he had only N5,000, started small, but today has expanded. I think it actually depends on your vision and what you want to be.

    But at some point, there are other people who have a responsibility towards actors and actresses…

    But even those people who invest their money in the industry also have responsibilities. They have wives, they have children, they have dependants, they have friends who are dependants; they contribute to the society in terms of developing the industry. I just think it is your business sense that would determine how rich or poor you are. It is not whether what you are doing is not giving you enough money.

    Some hold the perception that it is irresponsible for artistes to have to ask for public goodwill. Where do you stand on that?

    I don’t think it is irresponsible because anybody can ask for help. If you want to judge people by their mistakes, then you are not going to help anybody. How many poor people do you see on the streets who beg for money and you start asking what the cause of their poverty is? If I feel touched, I just bring out something and give to the person. When somebody is dying, it is not the time to blame them. You heal the person first, let him get well then you can begin to say whatever you want to say.

    But if you say because it is irresponsibility, then you won’t help the person, then you are actually wicked. It is like maybe you don’t have, even when it seems that you do. Because, if you have, releasing money shouldn’t be your problem. Since the person has also contributed his quota in terms of making people happy and in terms of the GDP of the country, I think his case should be looked into.

    Governments go broke. So somebody who has made money at one point in time can also go bankrupt. If we want to start analysing, we should look at it broadly. There is no basis for annoyance. There is no basis to just conclude that it is irresponsible to ask the public for help. If the person is asking for help to eat, then it is different from having to do with health. In the first place, how well has the government done in terms of healthcare? These are the things we have to look at. If we have the necessary things to make them well, then they won’t start thinking about the money that would take them outside Nigeria for treatment. If people in government go out for treatment, then anybody can also ask for help too.

    You are one of those who made TV viewing a delight, but today you are doing feature films. Which would you say has favoured you more?

    They have all favoured me because they all have their excitement and challenges. You cannot separate how we started from where we are. How we started certainly must have contributed to how I am today. That means I have a foundation. I did not start from Nollywood. So if television was my foundation, it means it was solid. That is why I am still relevant. If I now condemn where I am coming from, it is as good as saying that my foundation wasn’t good. I think they are both one. It is a case of the substructure and the superstructure. Where I’m coming from is my substructure while where I am now is my superstructure.

    How would you compare today’s movie industry to when you started out in relation to the quality of actors?

    The truth is that the industry is growing. In the past, we did not have something as dynamic as this. But I may say that we had more discipline because it was passion-driven. But now it is money-driven and stardom-driven. In other words, people who are coming now may not have that passion. If you have the passion, you do not just end there. You continue to build yourself. That passion will take you to the height you are supposed to get to. I think the past and present are very important. They are all okay.

    Even with the talk about improprieties in the industry?

    It is usually seen as something very ridiculous when we say such things. Because even in your field, in journalism, it is not uncommon to find an editor wanting to sleep with a potential reporter. In the banking sector, it is not a new thing for the bank manager to want to sleep with a potential employee. It is everywhere. It is funny when people just single out the movie industry and begin to say such things. I think it is a general problem.

    It is a societal problem that must be dealt with. It is not something peculiar to the industry. I frown at such things. But again, I always tell people that it takes two to tango. For instance, if I want to employ you and I’m making certain demands, you have a choice to accept or not to accept. If you accept, then you are to blame. If you look at it from an angle of somebody who should be a role model, then you can also blame them. But how many people care about being role models? They tell you ‘to hell with that’ and that it is relative or a matter of definition. What I’m saying is that for such a thing to happen, it takes two irresponsible people.

    Looking back, if you had the power to change anything from the past, what would that be?

    I disagree with the term ‘if’ because I know I have the power. We all have the power to do anything because we may not be able to change the thing holistically. But, individually, we have our contributions. If our contributions are positive, then that is a change in itself. It could be just one percent; it is a change. So if I put in that one percent and you put in yours, then gradually the change will come.

    Any regrets so far?

    I won’t say I have any regrets because I always learn from my mistakes and my problems. That is not to say I have not had challenges or problems, but I try to face them squarely. I try to address them. When I’m able to deal with them, that takes me to another level.

    How much time did acting take you away from your family?

    A lot, but by the grace of God, I have a wife who understands and my children understand too. What I do is that, the time I spend with them is very sacrosanct. I don’t spend all my time working. It is not possible. I try to find time to be with them. I must build my home, I must build my family. No matter how much time I give, I think it is the quality of what I give that matters. The quality of concern, the quality of attention I give to my family, what comes out of what I give them; that is what actually matters. I may spend a whole day with them, if it is not positive, then it is useless. But if I spend two minutes of quality time, it is good.

    As a veteran, people expect that one of your offspring should fit into your shoes…

    In the first place, I don’t follow people’s expectations. I just let my children grow and desire what they like to. If I want to follow people’s expectations, that would mean forcing my children to do what I’m doing. It is very possible that they are not even interested in what I am doing. If that’s the case, fine. It is not what the people want, it’s not what the people expect but what my children want in terms of their own personal desires and visions. My duty as a father is to guide them and prepare them for whatever they want to do.

    Do you intend to retire from acting?

    It is very unfortunate that people expect artistes to retire. It is as good as saying that my talent has retired. Talent is dynamic. It keeps improving. It has nothing to do with age. Talent is ageless. The body could age but your talent cannot age. It is just like in sports. It is not the talent of the sportsman that ages, it is his body. That’s just it. The talent is just there. It is potent enough to live till Jesus comes, but the body cannot. As long as that talent is there and my body is still alive, I do not intend to retire.

    Are you nursing any political ambition?

    A philosopher said man is a political animal. In other words, you cannot separate politics from human beings. The only thing is, you may not be an active politician, but, inwardly, you are actually a politician. It’s just that people may say if you are not active, then you are not a politician. But what about electioneering? Those who we call politicians cannot do without the electorate and if you want to look at the subject of government, the subject of politics, elections and government are inseparable. In other words, all these make up politics.

    What is the most memorable role you have played?

    I don’t have any favourable role. As long as I’ve accepted a role, then it is favourable. I look at a character and I think about how best I can actually interpret the character. That is what I do.

  • One die, three injured in explosion

    A 37-year-old man, Odunayo Folorunso, yesterday, died in an explosion at the Golden Penny Flour Mill, Eric Moore in Surulere, Lagos.

    It was gathered that the incident occurred in the morning just as workers resumed for their daily activity.

    Director, State Fire Service Razaq Fadipe said he received distress calls around 10.55am but on getting there, the late folorunso’s body was found in the boiler machine.

    He said: “There was no outbreak of fire. We realised that the boiler got burst and with full force hit and threw the man.”

    Fadipe urged people to be observant and always service their equipment regularly to avoid similar situations.

    The incident suspected to be a gas explosion caused panic in the Eric Moore axis as many thought that it was probably the handiwork of the insurgent group, Boko Haram.

    Police new spokesperson Patricia Amadin said she wasn’t aware of the incident.

    However, National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA)  confirmed that one person dead and that three people injured.

    ”We don’t know if it is gas explosion or an improvised explosive device(IED) until investigation is concluded,” NEMA Spokesman Ibrahim Farinloye said.

     

  • ‘We felt we were going to die’

    ‘We felt we were going to die’

    They were shivering as they were ordered to say their last prayers. They kept mumbling as their captors bombarded them with questions after yanking off their shirts and covering their faces with them.

    “We felt we were going to die as their leader had told them to deal with us,” The Nation photographer Solomon Adeola said yesterday.

    Adeola and his The Sun colleague Omoniyi Aiyedun relived their ordeal in the hands of vandals who have turned themselves into “lords of the creeks”, ordering their men to kill strangers they suspect to be their “enemies”.

    Adeola and Aiyedun were on their way to the scene of Tuesday night’s Arepo pipeline fire that reportedly left scores dead.

    Arepo, an Ogun State riverine community, is on the outskirts of Lagos.

    Tearful, Adeola recalled how it all began. He said: “On getting to Arepo bus stop, bike men, popularly known as okada riders, led my friend from The Sun and I to where the pipeline exploded. We rode on separate bikes. On getting to the entrance to the place, we disembarked. The place is called ‘Beach land’.

    “Then, a guy came to inquire from us what our mission was. I thought he was the one to paddle us to the place. I told him we were going to where there was a fire. Then, more than four guys suddenly showed up, held us, collected our bags and whisked us away. There were many canoes with people in them. At this point, I hadn’t told them we were journalists, but they saw my ID card and said I was working with the Federal Government and we were sent.  They began beating us.”

    “Who sent you before we kill you?” asked one of the men who led us away. I told them I am a journalist.”

    As they were being led away, Adeola and Aiyedun saw some women, who were watching the scene from their home. “They were lamenting for us, biting their fingers and clasping their hands on their heads. They were begging for us because no one they take away comes alive – as we later learnt. The place is a forest and the water is dirty. Bamboo and raffia palms cover the area. The handle of my bag was used to cover my face. When I refused to cooperate with them, they brought out their guns and told us to be saying our last prayer. They transferred us from one canoe to another,” he said.

    “We got to their bosses, who wore military gears, bearing riffles. I was so scared. They commanded the boys to take us to where they would kill us. They bound my hands and legs (displaying scars. Tears welled up in his eyes).

    “I began to beg them, telling them that I am the only child of my parents. They said it was none of their business, that we had got to a point of no-return. We were beaten and slapped several times, as they inquired who our boss was. There was no escape. I tried jumping into the river but was hit with a gun.

    “They spoke Ijaw. When asked my state of origin, I told them I’m from Ikare-Akoko in Ondo State. I told them my language and that we share boundary with Edo State. I even tried to speak the language which I don’t know well so that they will believe me.  I was slapped for my ‘long explanation’.

    “By the time we got somewhere I don’t know, about 300 of the fierce-looking men surrounded us. We were just standing in their midst.

    “These men kept asking questions and interrogating us. I told them I live at Iyana-Ipaja and I’m the only child of my parents, that I just got married, that I’m a photo journalist, yet they insisted that I was lying and had no business covering the explosion.

    “I’d died even before death came as they said our cameras should be used to take a photograph to show that our execution was successful and that my prayer should stop as it wouldn’t save me. Once again, our eyes were covered and I was asked to kneel down in the water in my trousers and bare chest. My shirt was used to cover my eyes.

    “Then a slim, tall man in white shorts approached us. He told us we were to be spared, but had no reason for doing so. We were unveiled and shown a place where they claimed to have killed many policemen and soldiers.”

    Adeola sobbed as he spoke. He went on: “I called Issac but I could not speak. They snatched the phone from me and hung up the call.”

    “The slim man promised to spare our lives if we could sing for him. I told him I was too scared to sing any song. He insisted. I could make no sense of what I sang. I apologised, blessed him and called on God in the song.

    Other guys around said in pidgin- Anybody wey reach this point no dey come back. I no wan see you here again.

     “Another one said, ‘this is our only means of livelihood and the government wants to take it from us’. We were promised some money to go back. Another shirt was bought for me after I had been asked to promise never to return to the area.

    “My N600, 000 camera was not returned to me, even when I told them I was still paying for it installmentally. Our bags were given back to us and our ATM cards and other things were intact.

    “Immediately we got to the shore, one fair complexioned woman was paid to give us  shirts. They threw a shirt at me and gave us some money to go back. They reminded me that I should thank God for sparing our lives as we hurriedly left the area on a bike organised for us.”

    Aiyedun said his inner shirt was torn and used to cover his face. While he said his “last prayers”, he had a lot of flashbacks and regrets.

    “The militants argued over our phones – whether they should release to us or not. Neither my Samsung nor itel-branded phone I bought for N25, 000 or his N300, 000 camera was returned. I still gave them a thankful handshake as they warned us never to come there again.

    “They also revealed to us that such a job they are doing was caused by Federal Government, adding that many military men had been killed. “

    It was still unclear yesterday what caused the pipeline fire in which many suspected vandals reportedly died. Emergency workers had no access to the scene. The Pipelines Products Marketing Company (PPMC) has cut off supplies through the affected pipeline.

  • Three siblings die in Lagos fire

    Three siblings die in Lagos fire

    Three siblings were on Saturday burnt to death in their sleep at Egbeda in Alimoso Local Government Area of Lagos.

    The fire was said to have been caused by candle light.

    Fire has been wreaking havoc in the state of late.

    Just yesterday, another fire consumed 30 shops in a popular market in Ajah, a Lagos suburb.

    The victims – Ufoma, 9, Emeka,7, and Udoma,3,- ýlived in a self-contained apartment with their parents.

    The candle was said to have been lit by their father, who left to visit their mother who just gave birth. The candle fell and started burning the furniture.

    The fire which started around 10pm, was not noticed that until smoke started coming from the ceiling.

    Residents battled to put out the fire, without knowing that the kids were trapped inside the apartment.

    The Nation gathered that their bodies were evacuated by the police.

    “The incident happened on Fakoya Street, around Vulcaniser bus stop, Egbeda. It affected a building with three rooms-and-a-parlour self-contained apartments. The affected family stays in one of the apartments.

    “The fire was noticed around 10pm after their father had gone out to check on their mother who had just given birth at a nearby hospital. Before he left the house, he lit a candle and shut the door, while his children – two girls and a boy – slept off.

    “The candle stick must have either burnt out or fallen, causing the fireý. No one knew the kids were inside the apartment else they would have probably survived,” said a source.

    Confirming the incident, Director, Fire Service Rasaq Fadipe said: “We got the call at 10.48pm. We quickly sent the Agege Fire Station to the place with 10,000 litres of water. The fire started from the children’s apartment and consumed the three apartments in the building. The kids were fast asleep when the fire started and they were burnt to death.”

  • 38 die in Rivers after consuming local gin

    38 die in Rivers after consuming local gin

    No fewer than 38 persons have  died in Rivers State after  consuming locally made gin.

    The tragic incident occurred barely twomonths after a similar one in Ode-Irele, Ondo State, where 18 people died in April after consuming locally made gin.

    The Permanent Secretary of Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr. Somieari Isaac-Harry, confirmed the incident in a chat with newsmen in Port Harcourt, the state capital, yesterday.

    Isaac-Harry said 42 cases had so far been recorded. Of the number, he said, 29 are males and nine females while four others survived.

    He said the victims died as a result of the presence of methanol in their drink.( The Permanent Secretary urged members of the public to remain calm and desist from further consumption of the substance, pending the tracing and removal of the contaminated products from circulation.( He said the ministry’s surveillance team is already in communities and villages across the state to educate and sensitize dwellers on the need to stop further intake of alcohol until the bad batch was stopped from circulation.( He said the state governor, Nyeso Wike, was deeply pained by the tragic development, and appealed for the cooperation of members of the public to rid the state of the product.( Isaac-Harry said: “We had a call on June 3 from Woji town in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state on the sudden death of some people who ate dog meat and drank local gin.

    “However, what really caused the death of those who consumed the illicit gin was methanol alcohol and not the dog meat.( “The victims presented symptoms like abdominal pain, vomiting, sudden blindness, speechlessness, fast breathing and confusion.( “Despite rushing many of them to hospitals, we still recorded a lot of mortalities.

    “Eleven cases were recorded in Woji, 10 died, including a woman, while one survived.

    “In Bonny LGA, 18 cases were recorded, 17 died, including 11 males and six females, while one survived.

    “In Gokana LGA in Ogoniland, 13 persons were affected, 11, including two women, died, while two survived.”( “The mortality rate is very high and we wish that we tell our people to stop taking this illicit alcohol. It is not the right type we were taking before. This is an industrial alcohol that is highly poisonous to the body.( “The governor is very angry that this level of mortality could be recorded in the first week of his administration

    “Meanwhile, our surveillance teams are in the 23 LGAs educating and sensitising people to stop intake of alcohol, at least for now.”( The news had broken on Sunday evening of some residents of Woji in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, who died after feasting on dog meat delicacy at their usual joint in the area.( It was later said that those who died of the dog meat also drank Kaikai. It is difficult to ascertain the actual cause of the deaths, following the Ondo State saga.( The mysterious death later spread to Bonny Island. In Bonny and Gokana LGAs, all the deaths were linked to kaikai consumption while the victims reportedly presented the same symptoms of abdominal pain, vomiting, sudden blindness, speechlessness, among others.( He called on traditional rulers, youths and women leaders in communities to talk to their members to stop taking the chemical substance until the bad/contaminated ones were traced and removed from circulation.

  • Kano REC, wife, two daughters die in fire tragedy

    Kano REC, wife, two daughters die in fire tragedy

    A mystery fire yesterday killed the   Kano State Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Alhaji Abdullahi Munkaila, his wife  and their two daughters, just seven days after he supervised    the  conduct of last weekend’s presidential and national assembly elections.

    The fire was said to have been sparked by a faulty air conditioner at their 2, Sir Kashim Ibrahim Road, Nassarawa, GRA, Kano residence on Thursday night while they were asleep.

    The circumstances of their death immediately triggered  speculations  that they may have been murdered by some vested interests ,coming so soon after  the last elections.

    The police  took reporters  to the scene  and  dismissed  speculations that  the fire might have been organized  as unfounded.

    Police Commissioner Ibrahim Idris said preliminary investigation showed that the victims were suffocated to death by the smoke  from the fire.

    Idris said his men found no   trace of sabotage at the scene of the incident.

    He said: “Today (Friday) at about 4:30 a.m., the policemen on guard duty at the official residence of the Resident Electoral Commissioner Kano State, Alhaji Munkaila Abdullahi, located at 2, Sir Kashim Ibrahim Road, Nassarawa, GRA, Kano, observed a fire emanating from  a split A/C in the sitting room.

    “They made  several attempts to get in touch with him, including banging the doors and breaking some of the toilet windows, but he was not responding.

    “The policemen and local guards broke the door leading to the sitting room and discovered the sitting room was engulfed by fire and smoke.

    “They then went to the side of the door, leading to the master bedroom, broke the door and entered. They were not inside the bed room and the police then went into the bathroom, inside the master bedroom and found the REC, his wife and his two daughters unconscious on the floor.

    “They quickly removed them to the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital where the doctors confirmed them dead. The doctors confirmed the family died from inhalation of hot and black smoke.”

    The police have sealed the scene, and together with the fire service, have commenced  investigation into the  incident.”

    The deceased were laid to rest  yesterday in Dutse, Jigawa State, where  a shocked INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega, described the late  Abdullahi as one of his best resident electoral  commissioners.

    “His death is shocking. Munkaila is  one of my commissioners I’m proud of.

    “He  was gentle, committed, honest and hardworking. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace,” Jega said.

  • 15 die in road accident

    Fifteen persons died yesterday in an accident on the Ilesa-Ife Expressway.

    It was gathered that the accident, which occurred at 4.30 pm, was caused by the driver of an 18-passenger commercial bus, who reportedly ran into an oncoming Toyota Sienna bus.

    The Toyota Sienna, it was gathered, was on its way to Lagos.

    Besides the six male adults, four female adults and four children who died on the spot, several others were injured.

    Though the state Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Mohammed Hussein, confirmed the accident he said he was yet to be properly briefed.

    Motorists were held up for many hours because of the traffic caused by the accident.

    The victims were taken to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital for treatment.