The Nation Newspaper

Tag: explosion

  • Gunshots, explosion as inmates attempt to break jail in Bayelsa

    How did an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) get into the hands of inmates in Okaka Prison, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital?

    Six inmates, led by Victor Tekekuma (awaiting-trial for murder and kidnapping) deployed an explosive in a failed operation to escape on Sunday night.

    They blasted a toilet wall about 9.02 pm and crawled out through an improvised hole into the prison yard.

    But it was learnt they were stopped by prison guards and other security operatives.

    They reportedly ran to the massive fence with the intention to blow the wall with the second explosive but were accosted and arrested.

    It was learnt the state’s Controller of Prisons, Mr. Chiabu Chuks Victor, whose residence was close, called the Police Commissioner, Amba Asuquo, who sent a detachment.

    Director, Department of State Sevices (DSS), Mr. Segun Agbaje; Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. (NSCDC), Mr. Desmond Agu; and the Joint Task Force (JTF), were said to have operatives to foil the attempt.

    A security operative, who spoke in confidence, said the mastermind of the failed prison break got the IEDs through his visiting brother-in-law.

    He said the explosive was concealed in a sealed beverage given to him by his in-law.

    “The IED was concealed in blue band margarine 900mg plastic pack. The content of the plastic was scooped out first.

    “Then the powdery device was buried inside the plastic and later covered with margarine. It was sealed with a foil to make it look like a new product. It was smuggled into the cell as grocery. It is difficult to detect such things”, he said.

    He added that Victor later produced two IEDs out of it to blow the walls.

    Investigation showed that they were all awaiting-trial for kidnapping, murder and armed robbery. Victor Tekekuma arrived the prison in November 2016.

    Others are Korinake Mark (November 2016); Gideon Gbagbe (October  2016); Angiamene Alex (November 2016); and Daniel Abraham (June (May 2016).

    It was gathered security operatives shot sporadically to ward off possible pre-arranged external aides by the inmates.

    The gunshots temporarily disrupted the peace in Okaka as residents deserted the street and ran for safety.

    A resident, who identified himself as Destiny, said there was heavy presence of security.

    “Bars and shops were forced to close down because of shootings by security operatives. But nobody was killed and injured. People ran out of fear because nobody knew what was happening. But after some time, peace returned”, he said.

    State’s Controller of Prisons Victor confirmed the attempted jailbreak and said the synergy among security agencies  rescued the situation.

    He said investigation was on to unravel circumstances behind the attempt.

    “About 9.02 pm on Sunday, there was a loud bang in the prison yard, which attracted attention of security officials.

    “The response was immediate as the prison arm squad and other security officials  advanced to the scene. The about-to-flee inmates were accosted and kept in separate cells. They were six”.

    He said security agencies are trailing John Koko, who resides in Sangana, Brass Local Government; Tunichi Michael; Stanley; and Ebiogi, who are linked to the incident.

    The controller added that a device, suspected to be an unexploded IED was recovered and handed over to the police.

    “The prompt response of the Bayelsa Police commissioner; Director DSS, Mr. Segun Agbaje; Commandant, NSCDC, Mr. Desmond Agu, were instrumental to aborting what could have been a jailbreak”.

  • Explosion rocks Koko town in Delta

    There was an atmosphere of panic across Koko town in Warri North council area of Delta state Tuesday evening as a massive explosion rattled the town.

    The explosion, which occurred within the premises of Ebenco Global Link Limited in Koko, happened at about 6:25pm and reportedly impacted the company’s immediate neighbourhood.

    Although details were still sketchy as at the time of filing this report, The Nation gathered that a container within the premises of the company suddenly exploded, sending the bits and pieces into the air and the surroundings.

    A community source, who pleaded anonymity told The Nation that there were no casualties, adding though that the lid of an exploded drum or container, which flew out of the company’s yard, landed on the roof of one of the adjoining houses, pierced the roof into the living room.

    “It was like an explosive that burst out from the yard. What came out was like the cover of a container, the thing sprang up and went like 60 metres away and landed on somebody’s house, bursts the roof and pierced into the parlour. But to God be the glory, nobody was injured in the house,” he revealed.

    Another reliable source, Comrade Omatsola Gboye, who said he had not gone out yet, promised to investigate and come out with full details later. He was yet to return when this report was filed.

    Efforts to get the police spokesman in Delta state, DSP Andrew Aniamaka to confirm development was not successful.

    It would be recalled that Ebenco was recently at the heart of a toxic waste dump controversy in Koko town.

  • 12-year-old dies in Borno explosion

    A 12-year-old Fulani cattle breeder, Gambo Bukar, died in last Saturday’s bomb explosion at Muna Delti, Jere Local Government of Borno State.

    A witness, Grema Bana, said the incident occurred about 4.45pm, at one of the pastoralist hamlets.

    According to him, the deceased and his brother were returning home after grazing their cattle in a nearby forest. He said the boy allegedly had an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on him.

    “The bomb went off at the entrance of the boys’ residence. One of them died and the other sustained injuries. The injured was referred to the Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri,” he added.

    A source at the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), who confirmed the incident, said only the two boys were affected in the blast.

    It added that SEMA had deployed Emergency Rapid Response team to evacuate the body and provide medical assistance to the injured.

    Police spokesman Victor Isuzu, who confirmed the incident, said: “The explosion affected two Fulani boys – Gambo Bukar (10) and Umar Bukar (8) – of Delti village in Jere council.

    “On Saturday, about 10am, they went out for grazing at Baram and Tamsongamdu villages in Mafa council. They, however, came across Boko Haram insurgents and one of them was strapped with an IED vest and allowed to go.

    “They returned home about 4pm and failed to disclose their encounter with the terrorists.

    “In the process of un-strapping the vest, the IED exploded, killing Gambo Bukar alone.”

    Isuzu said the other brother sustained injuries and had been hospitalised. He added that an Explosive Ordinance Detective (EOD) team was deployed in the area and normalcy had been restored.

  • Borno multiple explosions: Hospital discharges 23 victims

    Dr Laraba Bello, Chief Medical Director of Borno Specialist’s Hospital, said on Saturday that 23 of the 34 victims of last Wednesday’s Maiduguri multiple bomb explosion on admission at the hospital, had been discharged.
    Bello the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri that the remaining patients were in stable condition, receiving adequate medical attention.

    “We received 34 patients, out of which two died within a short while; we have discharged 23 of them, while the remaining nine are responding to treatment and are in stable condition,” she said.
    Authorities at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), also confirmed that 29 victims of the explosion were still on admission at the hospital.
    Dr Bashir Tahir, Chairman of the UMTH Medical Advisory Committee, told NAN that the patients were also in stable condition.
    “Thirty two patients were brought in, out of which three died; the 29 remaining are receiving treatment,” Tahir said.
    He said that the hospital had no challenges offering free treatment to the victims.
    “We have no problem of money in providing treatment to the patients because the Victims Support Fund (VSF) had provided some Money for free treatment of bomb blasts and other attacks,” Tahir said.
    The Borno Police Command had earlier confirmed the killing of 13 persons after the attack.(NAN)

  • Explosion Kills three in Niger

    Three people have been confirmed dead and four others injured in a bomb explosion in Kontagora, Niger state.

    The explosion occurred in Gari market, a few kilometers from Kontagora town on Saturday when a man in military uniform detonated the bomb and died in the process.

    The Police Public Relations officer, DSP Bala Elkana who confirmed the explosion said it was as a result of wrong handling of explosives device by a newly recruited soldier identified as private Tanko Damina who just came back from Maiduguri.

    According to Elkana, Tanko Damina was in the habit of showing explosives to the villagers to prove that he was involved in the Maiduguri operation against the Boko Haram terrorists.

    “Tanko Damina used to carry the explosives on his body around the village to show off to the villagers. The explosion was as a result of wrong handling of the explosives. We thank God that it was not a market day, the casualty would have been very high”.

    Elkana assured that there is no need for panic because the incident was not caused by a suicide bomber, adding that “it was an accident like I told you”.

    The police spokesman said the force and the army have despatched anti-bomb experts to the home of the deceased to check if there were other IEDs in the residence.

  • Breaking: Major pipeline explosion in Rivers community

    A major pipeline explosion has occurred  around  Eveko community near Rumuji in Emuoha LGA, Rivers state on the East-West highway.

    The explosion occurred a few kilometers from a new gas company under construction in the area around 3:03pm. on Wednesday.
    It sent tremor across the area, including the east west highway. Truckloads of sand were poured several metres from the scene.
    Massive evacuation is ongoing as inhabitants of the communities around the area are fleeing.
    Chinyere, a pregnant woman was seem fleeing with her naked toddler named Chibo. Our reporter had to help evacuate some of the panic stricken residents of the area.
     Casualty figures of the  incident which occurred near a police checkpoint  is not  yet known as jackets and other items of the security men were seen around the scene.
     Kitoye Basutor in a facebook comment to this report wrote ” Its not something to witness, our vehicle had to turn back at the sound of the pressure coming out from the explosion.”
    “People fleeing their homes. From afar, I could see the plantation dancing to the breeze of the gas. Motorists should divert through Elele-Isiokpo as any little spark could result to great fire inferno,” Basutor.
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Kerosene explosion claims pregnant woman, son

    The Enugu State Police Command has confirmed the death of a pregnant woman and her son after a kerosene explosion in Ngenevu axis of Coal Camp within Enugu metropolis.

    The command’s spokesman, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, disclosed this in a statement issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Enugu.

    Amaraizu said that the incident occurred at about 7.30 p.m. on Jan. 30, when a kerosene lantern exploded.

    He said that several other family members, who sustained fire burns, have been hospitalised.

    “It was gathered that on that fateful day, one Hillary Ugwuoke, also from Ngenevu axis of Coal Camp community had allegedly bought kerosene from a neighbour in the evening.

    “He later poured it into his lantern and in the attempt to lit the lantern, the kerosene exploded and went into flames.

    “In the process, the said Hillary Ugwuoke, his pregnant wife and his children were burnt by the inferno and sympathisers assisted in their being taken to National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, for medical assistance.

    “It was further gathered that at the hospital, Mrs Ugwuoke, who is said to be pregnant, was confirmed dead together with her four-year-old son.

    “While others who sustained severe burns are receiving treatment,’’ he said.

    Amaraizu said that investigation had begun into the incident. (NAN)

  • Many feared killed as tanker explodes on Lagos-Ibadan Express

    Many feared killed as tanker explodes on Lagos-Ibadan Express

    Many people have been feared killed and several others trapped after a tanker exploded around Mowe-Ibafo, Ogun State.
    The explosion which occurred at about 1am on Wednesday was said to have affected mostly residents who went to scoop petrol from a fallen tanker.
    It was gathered that the explosion resulted to heavy gridlock on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, forcing people to flee their vehicles.
    The Nation gathered that many vehicles were engulfed by the fire.
    More details later.

  • Update: Six killed in Maiduguri explosion

    A bomb explosion rocked Maiduguri, Borno State capital, on Thursday.

    Six people died, while six others were injured in the incident.

    The explosion reportedly occurred at the gate of Shehu Usman State Secretariat located in the city centre.

    The Chairman of Borno State Emergency Management Agency, (SEMA), Engr. Satomi Ahmed, while briefing Governor Kashim Shettima and his deputy, Alhaji  Usman Mamman  Durkwa, who visited the scene of the explosion said, one policeman was killed alongside five other people.

    Six other persons were seriously injured in the blast.

    The SEMA chief said bodies of the victims, including that of the suicide bomber had been taken to the state specialists’ hospital.

    An eyewitness said the explosion occurred at 11:40am and was carried out by a male suicide bomber.

    The area has since been condoned off by military and members of the civilian joint task force.

     

  • Lagos: Army officer’s car explodes after collusion with truck

    There was chaos around Fagbems petrol station along Oshodi – Apapa expressway Tuesday morning after a Toyota Camry saloon car exploded.

    The car belonging to an Army personnel identified as Lasisi Adeleye caught up in flames after a Mercedes Benz 1428 truck marked AKM162ZW, driving recklessly, hit it from the rear.

    It was gathered that in the process of avoiding severe impact with the truck which was involved dangerous overtaking, the Camry knocked down a passerby who fell and sustained leg injury.

    Carrying three 25 litre kegs filled with fuel in its boot, the Camry still trying to avoid crushing the victim, was said to have somersaulted, crossing the median on the expressway.

    Sensing danger, the army officer was said to have ran out of the vehicle unhurt before it eventually hit the padestrian walkway and exploded.

    Immediately the incident occurred at about 7am, motorists on the busy expressway scampered for safety while others assisted the injured man off harm’s way.

    The truck driver identified as Joseph Chima, a resident of 50, Emodi Street, Olodi Apapa was said to have attempted to flee but he was caught by the army officer who took him to the nearest police station to make an entry.

    Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps got to the scene few minutes and assisted the injured man into their patrol van.

    According to Assistant Corps Commander, Emmanuel Edeh, the unidentified victim was taken to New Age Hospital, Kirikiri Apapa where it was discovered he has fractured ankle, adding that he was responding to treatment.

    The police command’s spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent, confirmed the incident.

    She stated that investigations were ongoing, adding that the saloon car got completed burnt.