The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Pandemonium

  • Pandemonium at Abuja Airport as irate passengers attack Air Peace duty manager

    Pandemonium at Abuja Airport as irate passengers attack Air Peace duty manager

    •We’ll no longer tolerate attacks on our staff, airline warns

    Pandemonium broke out last night at the departure hall of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NNIA), Abuja, when irate passengers attacked the duty manager of Air Peace over cancelation of Abuja-Benin flight.

    The passengers got angry when the airline announced the cancellation of the flight.

    The aggrieved passengers, according to eyewitnesses, vented their anger on the duty manager and the airline’s facilities.

    A source said it took the intervention of some men of the Nigerian Air Force, who were invited, to save the duty manager from being killed.

    Confirming the development, the spokesman of Air Peace, Chris Iwarah, said : “While we were making effort to resolve the challenge with the decision to commence our operations very early on Friday, a truck operated by SAHCOL rammed into another of our aircraft at the Benin Airport and the aircraft was again declared unserviceable.

    “The aircraft involved in the Benin incident was scheduled to do seven sectors, including our Abuja-Benin service.

    “Given the development, we had no choice but to cancel our Abuja-Benin service and asked those who were willing to reschedule for Saturday to do so, while others should be immediately refunded.

    “Some passengers, who were to fly with us from Abuja to Benin, however, went violent. They attacked our staff in Abuja and almost killed our duty manager.

    “It took the intervention of Air Force personnel, who were reportedly called in by the airport authorities, to rescue our duty manager from the mob.

    “But that did not prevent the passengers from destroying our facilities. The menacing passengers also prevented others from boarding their own flights, thereby complicating the situation.”

    Meanwhile, Air Peace has condemned the attacks on its staff by some unruly passengers in Abuja, Lagos, Calabar and other parts of the country, warning that it would no longer condone members of the public endangering the lives of its workers.

    A statement issued by the Corporate Communications Manager of Air Peace, Mr. Chris Iwarah, regretted that security agents had failed to halt the trend of members of the public invading airport facilities to attack airline workers.

    The airline said: “On Thursday, April 20, 2017, the winglet of one of our aircraft, which was being towed within the very limited space at the ramp of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos to position for departure, had a partial contact with the stabiliser of another of our aircraft.

    “We subsequently declared the two aircraft unserviceable in line with our high safety standards.

    “We were, therefore, compelled to adjust our schedules to close the gaps created by the two aircraft, which were scheduled to do 14 sectors.

    “While we were trying to salvage the situation, some unruly passengers took the law into their own hands, preventing passengers from boarding and making it impossible for our aircraft to fly.

    “In Abuja, a former number three citizen of this country, whose flight returned to Abuja when it could not land in Enugu due to the closure of the airport at 7 p.m., refused to disembark and incited others to join him in his lawless action.

    “The aircraft was eventually detained overnight in Abuja.

    “The action of the former federal lawmaker and other unruly passengers in our different stations worsened the already difficult schedule we were making effort to save.

    “Some flights we were prepared to operate despite the challenge we were facing were eventually cancelled.

    “In Lagos, some other passengers attacked and almost killed our station manager.

    “Also in Calabar, unruly passengers had an unchallenged day, preventing our aircraft from flying.

    “On Sunday, April 16 our staff were also attacked at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.

    “It is surprising all these attacks could take place at the nation’s airports, a high security environment, without any challenge whatsoever from security agents.

    “The situation has, therefore, left us with no choice but to resort to our right to self-defence to prevent our staff from being killed.

    “We can no longer tolerate unruly passengers maiming our staff simply because we have chosen to provide service in a very challenging environment.

  • Pandemonium in Mushin as stray bullet kills trader

    Pandemonium in Mushin as stray bullet kills trader

    A yam cake (Ojojo) trader was yesterday killed by stray bullet allegedly shot by officers from Olosan Police Station.
    The late Kudirat Adebayo, a mother of four, was murdered near the toll gate in Mushin.
    The incident occurred around 6pm at Ogunmokun/Toll gate area, Mushin, Lagos.
    The woman’s death led to fracas between the street boys and the officers.
    Many scampered for safety as police shot sporadically to disperse the street boys protesting the woman’s death.
    They stormed the police station on motorcycles.
    The Nation learnt that the officers were chasing a ‘Yahoo yahoo’ guy who ran through Ogunmokun/Toll gate areas on motorcycle and heading towards Onipanu.
    Policemen were said to have shot at him when it was impossible for them to nab him, but the bullet hit a woman selling yam cake (Ojojo) around Toll gate area.
    Angered by the officers’ action, the boys mobilised themselves and headed to the Olosan Police Station.
    Eyewitnesses said they were chased away with gun shots. About five of them were said to have sustained injuries.
    An eyewitness Seun Ojo said: “The boys regrouped and armed with broken bottles and headed back to the station to demand justice for the slain trader. Before they got to the station, the officers have called for reinforcement, who helped repelled the boys. Eight of them were arrested. They were seen at the station on kneels and raising their hands. Those injured were taken away for treatment.”
    Another eyewitness, who simply identified himself as Segun said the officers took the body of the slain woman away.
    “I don’t know where they (officers) took the body of the woman to. But they headed toward their station,” he said.
    According to him, the whole of Ogunmokun, Post Office Road, Toll gate, Onipanu, Abiodun Junction and Kumuyi areas are no go area as traders hurriedly lock their shops and residents went indoor.
    An Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) has been stationed on the Post Office Road as officers moving round the areas.
    The deceased’s elder sister Nimota Adebayo told The Nation last night that her sister’s remains have been deposited at Isolo General Hospital mortuary.
    “She was sitting with her goods and I was beside her. Immediately I entered the shop and came out, I heard gun shots. Bullet hit her head and she died instantly. The two policemen that shot are Prince and Charles. She sells Ojojo. It is not that she interfered or left her shop. Immediately the officers fled our area and shot at the people who followed them. One of them is a guy called Sabina who challenged them was shot at leg. He was rushed to hospital. The deceased body has been taken to Isolo Mortuary. We were just together discussing her make-up and teasing her about whether there was an event today. She is about 50 years.”

  • Pandemonium in Kaduna as Shi’ites, youths clash again

    Pandemonium in Kaduna as Shi’ites, youths clash again

    There was pandemonium in Tudun Wada area of Kaduna yesterday morning when members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly called Shi’ites, clashed with youths of the area again.

    It was gathered the whole Tudun Wada, Zango, Kinkinau, Kabala West, Unguwan Mu’azu, Hanyi Malam Bello and other communities within the axis were thrown into confusion during the clash.

    Our correspondent, who visited the area, observed that shops were suddenly shut and residents stayed indoors.

    The clash between the group and youths started last Wednesday in Kaduna, leaving two people dead and residence of the Shi’ites’ leader razed.

    A school belonging to the sect was also demolished.

    Yesterday’s clash, according to eye witnesses, erupted when the Shi’ite members placed their flag and started sweeping premises of the burnt house of their leader, Mukhtar Sahabi in Tudun wada.

    The youth were said to have asked the Shi’ites members ?to leave the premises.

    When they refused, it was gathered the youths attacked them with clubs and knives injuring a few of the Shi’ites members.

    An eye witness, Abdullahi Muazu said: “I just saw people running up and down when I was returning from my children’s Islamic school around 9am.

    “I later learnt that trouble began when the Shi’ites tried to place their flag in the premises of their leaders house burnt on Wednesday and I quickly went to collect my children from school in case anything happens.”

    Another resident, who preferred anonymity, said: “When the Shi’ites came to clean the burnt house of their leader, they were attacked by the youths.

    “I learnt the Shi’ites retreated to Unguwan Mu’azu but the youths followed them there and confronted them with knives and clubs and even injured some of them.”

    It was gathered parents who had taken their wards for Islamiyya were called by the school authorities to pick their wards over the incident.

    Meanwhile, normalcy had returned at the time of filing this report as police operatives have taken over strategic locations to curtail escalation of the crisis.

    When contacted, the Police spokesperson in Kaduna said the Command is issuing a warning letter to people in Kaduna state.

     

  •  Pandemonium as suspected land grabbers clash in Festac

    There was pandemonium at Festac Town in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, on Friday morning after some hoodlums engaged in gun duel.
    The hoodlums, suspected to be land grabbers were said to have clashed around Fifth Avenue, allegedly shooting sporadically.
    our correspondent learnt that sporadic gunshots frightened residents who mistook the hoodlums for bank robbers.
    Unconfirmed stories soon spread across the state that armed robbers had besieged branches of Diamond and First City Monument Banks (FCMB) on Fourth Avenue.
    Although the broadcast message claimed an innocent citizen was killed by stray bullet, security sources however dismissed the story.
    “There was no bank robbery in Festac. Nothing of such happened.  The only thing that happened was that some land grabbers engaged in gun duel around Fifth Avenue. They were fighting among themselves and policemen were deployed to the area and calm restored,” said a policeman.
    A mmebr of a local vigilance group in the area said men of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and Festac Police Division were deployed when the rumour of bank robbery went viral, adding that when they got to the banks, businesses were going on smoothly.

  • Pandemonium as man chops off neighbour’s arm with sword

    Pandemonium as man chops off neighbour’s arm with sword

    THERE was pandemonium in Ile Baba Isale area of Akinmorin community in the Afijio Local Government Area of Oyo State on June 6, 2016, after a middle-aged man, Kehinde Olaleye, allegedly chopped off his neighbour’s left arm with a sword.

    The victim, Folorunso Mathew Oyetayo, a farmer, who is in a critical condition at a private hospital in a neighbouring community, Ilora, recalled the incident, saying:” In the morning of the day of the incident, a man came to my grocery shop to buy some edible items.

    He brought out N1000 note but my son who attended to him said he had no ‘change’ (balance of lower denomination), as he was the first person to buy from the shop that day. The statement did not go down well with the man who vowed to deal with my son. I didn’t consider his threats seriously but only appealed to him not to be annoyed.”

    He said that he was attacked at about 9pm by the aggrieved customer shortly after he conferred with the chairman of the Community Development Council (CDC),Mr. Abiodun Ajayi, on the resolution of a disputed landed property.

    “After the discussion with the chairman, I was returning home when I saw light in one of my neighbour’s house, using a generator. I hurriedly went home and asked one my sons to help me charge my mobile phone at Kehinde’s house. He was however ambushed by the same customer who picked a quarrel with him early in the day. The man seized my phone from my son and I rushed to the scene only for the man to attack me and raised the alarm that he had caught the thieves who burgled his wive’s shop.”

    The alarm, according to Folorunsho, attracted Kehinde, who rushed out of his house with a sword and butchered his arm.

    Hear him: “Kehinde, who is my neighbour, immediately came out of his house with a sword and without hearing a word from me, started beating my son. I told him that my son was not a thief but he turned deaf ears and instead attempted to hit my son with his sword. I quickly raised up my hand to prevent him from hitting my son and the sword instantly chopped off my left arm. I fell down in a pool of my blood and that was all I could remember.”

    Folorunsho, who disclosed that since his admission in the hospital, he has been selling his property to pay medical care bills, urged well-meaning individuals to come to his aid and ensure that the

    culprits are made to face the full wrath of the law.

    The CDC, Abiodun Ajayi, who described the incident as sordid, said: “Some of the residents came to my house at midnight to inform me about the incident and I raced to the scene in my car. I was shivering on seeing how Folorunsho was badly butchered. On my way to the police station located at Jobele, I met some officers who accompanied me to the scene and recovered the sword from Kehinde and also arrested the man who raised the false alarm, while Folusho was taken to a hospital.

    “I returned to Kehinde’s residence and his wife explained to me that Foluso was not a thief and that he used to charge his phone in their house.”

  • Pandemonium as armed youths sack fishing communities in Rivers

    • Bayelsa, Edo, Ondo, Akwa Ibom fishermen vacate camps

    Armed youths have attacked fishing camps situated at the boundaries of Bonny and Andoni, local government areas in Rivers State.

    The hoodlums were said to have burnt houses and other properties belonging to the fishermen and their families.

    The youths who were armed with guns and cudgels, reportedly shot sporadically and injured the fleeing inhabitants of the camp.

    Over 10 of the thugs who were identified as Andoni youths were said to have stormed the area on two speedboats setting the camps on fire as they patrolled the waterways.

    The youths who were said to have operated for many hours, later departed and came back reinforced with more angry youths.

    It was learnt that the fishing camps were occupied by people from Okirika, Ogoni in Rivers State; Ifoko, Epelematubu, Ebeintubu, Forupaka, aka Ago Eri and Mumakiri, aka Ajengule.

    Others were Brass Nembe and Southern Ijaw from Bayelsa State; Ilaje from Ondo State and some tribes from Delta State.

    A fisherman from Bayelsa who sent a distress call to our correspondent in Yenagoa, said the camps had been sacked adding that the fresh attack occurred on Thursday.

    The source who spoke in hush tone from his hideout said there was commotion as fishermen and their families were running into the mangrove forest for safety.

    The fisherman, who spoke in confidence, urged our correspondent to save them by contacting security agencies.

    He said: “The armed youths arrived at exactly 2:48pm beating up every young man on sight and threatening to burn down the entire communities along the coast. Nobody can pinpoint the cause of their provocation. The government should do something fast to save lives.

    “These Andoni youths have been attacking and harassing us. We are not operating from their side. We are doing our business from the Bonny side of the boundary. The entire place is now empty because people are running away from their camps”, he said.

    In a statement via a text message, the Federated Non-indigenous Fishermen, Farmers and Traders in Bonny Coast called on the governments of Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Ondo states to come to their aide.

    The statement also sent a save-our-soul message to the Amanyanabo of Grand Bonny Kingdom and the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide.

    The statement said: “We have lived peacefully in Bonny lands and territories for more than 30 years doing legitimate business without any form of molestation from Bonny youths even in the heat of militancy in the Niger Delta region.

    “We have done no harm nor violated the robust business and neighborly relationship we have cordially maintained with the Andonis on the other side of the boundary.

    “Hence, we could not understand the reasons why the bands of armed Andoni youth should have the boldness to cross over to the Bonny to subject us to the most frustrating provocations.

    “In the last one month our young men have been under daily assault on return from the seas. They have been brutally forced to pay a daily fee of N1000 at gunpoint, immediately on return from the sea”.

    The statement was signed by the group’s President, Sola Aderibigbe; Vice-President, Mathew Kpabari; Secretary, Ingo Aye and Publicity Secretary, Opuala Oba.

    The statement added: “These criminals would further command elderly fathers to severe beatings and humiliation in the presence of their wives and children. We have taken enough of this brutality.

    “This is not the first time we have experienced these nasty treatments in the hands of miscreants from Andoni. As we speak the six communities have been evacuated of the aged women and children to avoid the daily trauma of being chased into the forest by these blood thirst miscreants from Andoni.”

    But the Naval Commanding Officer, Bonny, Capt. Semiu Adetegba, promised to send troops to the troubled area adding that the navy was doing something about it.

  • Pandemonium over Shoprite fire outbreak

    Pandemonium over Shoprite fire outbreak

    Thousands of shoppers were evacuated from the Delta Mall popularly known as Shoprite complex in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government area of Delta state yesterday afternoon over the outbreak of a mysterious fire.

    Though the cause of the fire was unknown as at press time, it was gathered it emanated from one of the restrooms.

    The outbreak came barely one week after armed youths invaded and looted some shops in the mall, which is located at the popular Effurun roundabout in the Urhobo town.

    “We were moving about from shop to shop when pandemonium broke out. When we asked what was happening, we were told that there was fire.

    “Everybody ran outside and it was while we were there that we heard that the fire started from the toilet,” a shopper told our reporter.

    The fire was successfully put out by workers and firefighters about one hour after it started.

    But most of the shoppers were too scared to return.

    Though there was no loss of live or injuries, the extent of the devastation was not known immediately.

    Police Public Relations Officer in Delta Command, DSP Celestina Kalu, who was contacted, said she was yet to be briefed on the incident.

     

  • Fire outbreak causes pandemonium in Shoprite

    Fire outbreak causes pandemonium in Shoprite

    Thousands of shoppers were evacuated from the Delta Mall (Shoprite) complex in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government area of Delta state on Saturday afternoon because of a mysterious fire.

    Although the cause of the fire incident was not known as at press time, it was gathered that it broke out shortly after midday from one of the restrooms.

    The incident came barely one week after armed youths invaded and looted some shops in the mall, which is located at the popular Effurun roundabout in the Urhobo town.

    “We were moving about from shop to shop when pandemonium broke out. When we asked what was happening, we were told that there was fire.

    “Everybody ran outside and it was while we were there that we heard that the fire was started from the toilet,” a shopper told our reporter.

    The fire was successfully put out by workers and firefighters about one hour later after it started. But most of the shoppers were too scared to return.

    There was no loss of live, although the extent and worth of the devastation were not immediately known.

    Police Public Relations Officer in Delta Command, DSP Celestina Kalu, who was contacted said she was yet to be briefed on the incident.

  • Pandemonium at PDP secretariat as police teargas Kaduna, Taraba govs, Ihedioha, others

    Pandemonium at PDP secretariat as police teargas Kaduna, Taraba govs, Ihedioha, others

    Tempers ran riot yesterday as aspirants that went to the headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party to submit their nomination/expression of interest forms were tear- gassed.

    What began as a multiple rally of aspirants and their supporters, with drumming, singing and hundreds of colourful banners and posters, almost turned to a near tragedy yesterday.

    One of the policemen attached to the Wuse Zone 5, Abuja PDP headquarters, (popularly called Wadata House) at about 11:25am, released tear-gas on the first floor, in the corridor leading to the office of the National Organizing Secretary where the forms were being submitted when scores of people, including aspirants, were struggling to gain entrance into the office.

    Those that were in the building when the incident occurred included the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha (who came to submit his governorship nomination form); Governor of Kaduna State,  Ramalan Yero; the Acting Governor of Taraba State,  Garba Umar; and Senator Abubakar Gada (Sokoto).

    Others were Chairman, House Committee on Health, Ndudi Elemelu (who also came to submit his governorship form); Chairman, House Committee of Sports, Godfrey Gaya; Hon. Ibrahim El- Sudi and others.

    There was confusion as people ran out of the back door, eyes and noses covered with handkerchiefs. Tears flowed freely from people’s eyes, while others were sniffing intermittently.

    Two men slumped on the floor, one of them was being fanned vigorously. They were eventually helped out through the back door.

    Many of those that came were furious that the police could use tear gas inside a corridor in which sitting governors and other important aspirants were in the queue to submit their forms.

    Though many of the aggrieved visitors who were caught within the deadly fumes protested vehemently, but shied away from commenting to reporters for fear of repercussions.

    They wondered why the party could not have used a more spacious portion of the building rather than cramping sometimes over a hundred people in a tiny corridor with the attendant discomfort.

    Meanwhile, efforts to reconvene the House of Representatives by the Peoples Democratic Party caucus before the December 3 resumption date has failed.

    The Nation learnt that PDP members in the green chamber are reluctant to heed the call by the National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Muazu, who has asked the Deputy Speaker. Emeka Ihedioha,  to reopen the House, sequel to the October 28 defection of Speaker Aminu Tambuwal to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The consent of the Speaker or 240 members of the House are needed to re-open the House, and there are indications that the PDP members would get neither.

    However, the Deputy Leader of the House, Leo Ogor, has opined that the PDP caucus does not need the consent of the Speaker to reconvene the House, a position which the All Progressives Party Caucus in the House has faulted.

    Speaking to reporters under anonymity, a PDP member of the House from Cross River State, yesterday said trying to reconvene the House before December 3 may as well be a futile effort.

  • Pandemonium in Zaria

    Pandemonium in Zaria

    …as Shiite, soldiers clash

    •El-Zakzaky son’s, four others fear dead

    There was pandemonium in the ancient Zaria City yesterday, as son of Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria otherwise known as Shiite, was one of the five people that were reported to have been shot dead by soldiers when the group and soldiers clashed in Zaria yesterday.

    According to an eyewitness, members of the Shiite group were on a procession to celebrate this year Quds Day and at the same time to condemn the military operation on Gaza by the Israeli forces in Zaria yesterday.

    The witness further disclosed that the sect members while carrying out procession passed a military check point close to the popular PZ roundabout. In the process, there was a misunderstanding between the protesters and the soldiers and it resulted to soldiers firing warning shots but this was said not to have deterred the protesters who still carried on their protest.

    The Nation’s investigation however revealed that, in the process, Mahmud El-Zakzaky, son of the Sheik who was among the leaders of the protest was hit by bullet attributed to the Army.

    His junior brother, Ahmad El-Zakzaky was one of the dozens of the people arrested by the military.

    When contacted the Military authority did not out rightly confirm the incident but a source close to the military said the army authority was aware of the incident and was studying the situation.

    As at the time of filling in this report, there is confusion and commotion around the PZ area of Zaria and more soldiers have been drafted to the area.