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Tag: shuts down

  • Plateau shuts down over 100 illegal schools

    The Plateau State Government has shut down more than 100 illegal schools across 17 Local Government Areas (LGA), Mr. Jude Dakur, the commissioner for secondary education said.

    Dakur said  in Jos yesterday that the schools which were closed last year did not meet the standard requirements to educate children, who are the future leaders of the country.

    He spoke while receiving  an award on human values and education given to him by a research organisation.

    ”Some of the schools were not certified to operate, some had unqualified teachers and inconducive environment for learning,’’ the commissioner said.

    Government, according to him, is committed to improving the standard of education in the state by enforcing strict compliance to standards of operations.

    He pledged himself to the improvement of human capital in secondary schools in the state.

    He commended Gov. Simon Lalong for his massive investment in the education sector through infrastructure development and procurement of science laboratory equipment for secondary schools.

    Earlier, Dr Rhuefe Khaese, the Director of Research, in the organisation, said that Dakur was honoured with the award because of his supervisory role that had kept teachers on their toes and ensured positive teaching and learning outcomes.

    “He ensures teachers are disciplined in the provision of services through punctuality to duties; and building their capacity to prepare them for public exams,” he said.

  • Navy shuts down 146 illegal refineries

    The Navy has shut down 146 illegal refineries and seized 23,000 bags of 50kg imported rice and other contraband smuggled by hoodlums.

    The operation was carried out within the territory of the Eastern Naval Command.

    Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Rear Admiral Adeniran, disclosed this during his address marking the end of the year activities, held at the Nigerian Navy Ship Jubilee (NNS), Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State.

    Read also: Lasisi defeats Yohana to claim WBC International Silver title

    Chronicling the achievements of the command for the year, the FOC said the ENC had taken steps aimed at securing the maritime space within its territory from criminal activities.

    “To a great extent, we have successfully deployed ships and boats in order to tackle maritime crimes such as illegal bunkering, crude oil theft and smuggling among others. It is gratifying to state that the command cumulatively patrolled a total of about 135,000 hours.

    “Our patrols have led to the arrest of suspects, seizures of materials and destruction of illegal facilities. These have discouraged illegal activities within Eastern Naval Command Areas of Responsibility. The command through its efforts has been able to shut down more than 146 illegal refineries.

     

     

  • NAFDAC shuts down wine shops in Abuja

    NAFDAC shuts down wine shops in Abuja

    The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down some wine shops worth N100 million in Wuse market, Abuja, for selling fake and unregistered products.

    Mr Shaba Mohammed, the Deputy Director, Investigation and Enforcement, NAFDAC, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said this yesterday in Abuja during an operation.

    Mohammed led a team of NAFDAC officials on enforcement to the market in continuation of a renewed global anti-counterfeiting fight against counterfeits.

    He warned that unwholesome food and beverages pose threat to human lives.

    “This operation is being carried out in 60 countries of the world which includes Africa, America, Asia and Middle East.

    “The operation is in continuation of a renewed global anti-counterfeiting fight against counterfeit, substandard, fake and unwholesome food and beverages in collaboration with Interpol and Europol,”Mohammed said.

    He said that the raid was tagged “’Opson VI”.

    Mohammed said that most of the items seized in the operation were mainly 100 per cent ethanol mixed with other additives and contaminants.

    Some of the fake wine found in the market includes Chamdor, Toma, Valdepenas, J and W, and Charmat, among others.

    He further explained that the contaminants cause damages ranging from affecting human brain, communication, inflammation of the liver and cancer.

    He said that suspects arrested would be prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.

    Mohammed advised the general public to be watchful of food and beverages they purchase and consume on daily basis.

    He urged Nigerians to purchase only products that carry NAFDAC registration numbers.

    He also advised Nigerians to insist on obtaining payment receipts for any purchase made and to report any suspicious activities or illegal warehouses found in their vicinity.

  • Fayose shuts down abattoirs as butchers protest against cow tax

    Fayose shuts down abattoirs as butchers protest against cow tax

    Butchers in Ekiti State yesterday trooped out in large number to protest against the imposition of new tax and forcible closure of all abattoirs by the Governor Ayo Fayose administration.

    Government had imposed a tax of N1,000 on each cow slaughtered in the state but the butchers refused to pay the new tax which they described as “exorbitant and outrageous.”

    Apart from the new tax of N1,000 jerked up from N300 per cow, the butchers also claimed that they are paying veterinary tax, inspection rate and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) levy.

    The angry butchers said the new tax which, according to them, would see each butcher paying at least N26,000 in a month could kill their businesses

    The state government has however shut down all abattoirs in the state following the refusal of butchers to pay the new tax.

    Tension had mounted since Thursday following a radio announcement by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Kehinde Odebunmi, that all abattoirs would be shut down following the resistance of the butchers to pay the new tax and that any butcher caught operating illegal abattoirs is liable to a fine of N20,000.

    Led by the Chairman of Butchers Association in Ado Ekiti Local Government, Alhaji Mustapha Kareem, the protesters who held leaves and chanted war songs stormed the abattoir as early as 6.30 am but they met a detachment of armed policemen who prevented them from occupying the place.

    The butchers who were denied access to the Ado Ekiti Main Abattoir along Iworoko Road stayed some meters away from the junction of Radio Nigeria Progress 100.5 FM vowed to force the place open tomorrow and slaughter cows if government fails to accede to their demands.

    Kareem disclosed that they had met with Fayose to reconsider the new tax and suggested N500 but the governor rejected. He added that abattoirs in nearby states don’t pay as high as N1,000.

    “It is too much and it will affect what we sell to the public. We suggested N500 to the governor but he refused. Members of the public will bear the brunt, people will suffer and those that want to celebrate occasions will be affected.

    “We urge the governor to accommodate N500 tax instead of the N1,000 because we believe N500 is reasonable and it is the consumers that will suffer most.”

    The effect of the closure of the abattoirs is already being felt as many consumers searched in vain for meat.

    Addressing reporters on the development, Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Ayodele Michael, said the new tax was aimed at providing better facilities at all the abattoirs in the state.

    Ayodele said government held meetings with the butchers before the new tax was arrived at to generate more revenue and make the abattoirs more conducive to business.

    Commissioner for Information, Youth and Sports Development, Lanre Ogunsuyi, said N1,000 tax per cow is not too much, regretting that facilities at public abattoirs had fallen into state of disrepair.

    Ogunsuyi said government would not succumb to blackmail and intimidation adding that the new tax and other levies recently imposed in the state were done in public interest and not intended to make life difficult for the citizens.

  • Shell shuts down two key pipelines over sabotage

    Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell has shut down two key supply pipelines in Nigeria because of leaks and sabotage and declared a “force majeure” on crude oil exports.

    Shell’s subsidiary in Nigeria SPDC said in a statement the force majeure became effective from Thursday “following the shutdown of both the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) and Nembe Creek Trunkline (NCTL).”

    The two pipelines take crude to the Bonny Light exports terminal, one of the country’s  main oil terminals.

    The company said a leak was reported on the TNP at Oloma in southern Rivers state, “while the NCTL is shut down for the removal of crude theft points.”

    Shell said it was working to repair and reopen the two key pipelines as quickly as possible.

    “Force majeure” is a legal term releasing a company from contractual obligations when faced with circumstances beyond its control.

    Shell, a major oil operator in Nigeria, did not disclose the volume of output affected by the incident.

    The company has blamed repeated oil thefts and sabotage of key pipelines as the major cause of spills and pollution in the oil-producing region.

    It is estimated that Nigeria loses about $6billion worth of crude to thieves annually.

  • MASSOB shuts down Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi

    •Says Jega must go

    •Faction disowns protesters

    Members of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) on Friday marched round major streets in states in the South-East and South-South of the country, calling for the removal of INEC’s chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega.

    In Enugu, MASSOB members, displaying placards bearing various inscriptions and clad in navy blue uniform with the Biafran rising sun insignia, assembled at Edinburgh Road, New Layout, from where they ‎trooped to other major streets of the capital city.

    Some of the placards read: ‘Jega must go’; ‘Jega has compromised’; ‘No election with Jega on seat; ‘Jega is not impartial’ etc.

    The protesters were led by their Enugu zonal chairmen, Mrs. Augustina Ugwuoke, Ben Ekwunugo and E. Ilogu.

    In Ebonyi State, the police used tear gas to disperse MASSOB members who were on a peaceful protest in the state capital Abakaliki.

    Thousands of MASSOB members gathered at the Spera-in-Deo Junction Abakaliki and embarked on peaceful protest to call for Jega’s removal.

    Earlier, the Ebonyi North Zonal leader of the group, Gideon Iloke, said they were protesting against Prof. Jega, accusing him of having a Northern agenda and attending secrete meetings to install a Northern president.

    He, however, said MASSOB does not belong to any political party but was interested in the welfare of the Igbo race and the country in general.

    ‘’We are not members of PDP, APC, APGA or any other political party. But we believe in equity and justice and that is why we are protesting. Jonathan has done well and should be allowed to rule Nigeria again, especially if we consider the number of years the North has govern this country.”

    The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions during the protest which disrupted human and vehicular movements.

    The story was the same on the streets of Awka, Anambra State, where MASSOB members trooped out in large numbers to demand for the removal of the INEC boss.

    Activities around major streets in  the capital city were grounded, as MASSOB members, some of them wearing uniforms bearing the photograph of President Goodluck Jonathan, sang solidarity songs to register their protest.

    Speaking with newsmen, the zonal leader of MASSOB, Prince Jawey Okosi, described the INEC boss as a saboteur.

    He said MASSOB does not see Jega as an umpire that would be fair during the elections, having postponed the February 14th, date.

    Members of the group resident in Rivers State were not left out of the protest, threatening to boycott the election if Prof. Jega is not removed.

    The protesting members of the group marched round parts of the state, especially Oyibo and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas (LGAs).

    They accused Prof. Jega of plans to support irregularity in the elections.

    The protesters, numbering over 500, walked from Mbano Camp in Oyibo through Oyibo Market /Afam junction, displaying placards and chanting solidarity songs.

    The march was orderly and peaceful, while men of the police force and SSS were on hand to maintain peace.

    Speaking to newsmen during the march at Oyibo South-East Zonal, the Administrator, Sunday Kalu expressed lack of confidence on the INEC boss, alleging plans by Jega to disenfranchise Ndigbo during the elections.

    MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike in a telephone chat told our correspondent accused the INEC of bias. He said: “We are organising the protest against Jega because he is biased and cannot conduct a credible election for Nigerians.

    “We know that he is in favour of APC and if allowed to conduct the elections, he will definitely favour the party, and when that happens, there will be crisis and people will die. The crisis will and can even lead to a war and we don’t want bloodshed.

    We are not hiding the fact that we are supporting Jonathan because of the burial he gave to our leader, Ojukwu, and therefore we are sure that if the election is free and fair, that Jonathan will win.

    But a twist was introduced into the story, with another group, claiming to be authentic members of MASSOB, describing the protesters as hirelings, who were allegedly assembled by Chief Ralph Uwazuruike to please his pay masters at Abuja.

    MASSOB national Director of Information, Uchenna Madu, also dissociated his group from yesterday’s protest march.

    In a terse statement he issued yesterday, Madu said: ‎”Today’s rally is against the interest of MASSOB, and as such diminishes the image and status of the organization.

    “Uwazuruike has so commercialized himself with his shameful and uncontrolled romance with the politician that he has suddenly become the political errand boy of Abuja.

    “Public protest for the removal of Jega is for civil right groups, non- governmental organizations and some sponsored groups, not MASSOB as a Biafran agitation group.

    “How can Uwazurike be so insensitive, callous and wicked against the relatives of members who died in active service while serving MASSOB. He does not console or sympathize with their family members, but has the money to hire people for this shameful protest rally. Uwazurike paid N500, 000 to each LGA to hire people for today’s rally with a communiqué written by him for submission to the press.”

  • Buhari’s rally shuts down Ado-Ekiti

    Buhari’s rally shuts down Ado-Ekiti

    For several hours yesterday, Ado- Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, stood still for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari as his campaign train hit the, town ahead of the February 14 election.

    It was the party’s first major outing in the state since it lost the June governorship election to the PDP.

    Traffic stretched over several kilometres while hundreds of thousands of party faithful walked long distances to be part of the huge crowd  at the Ekiti Parapo Square,venue of the rally.

    Shouts of ‘Sai Buhari’ filled the air as the people weaved their way to the square where the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in  last year’s  governorship election and House of Representatives member, Opeyemi Bamidele, and his political family, Ekiti Bibiire Coalition,formally returned to the APC.

    His entry to the square sparked a deafening ovation from the crowd.

    And so was the introduction of several PDP chieftains in the state who defected to the APC.

    They included former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Sola Ajigbolamu; former Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Otitoju and former House of Assembly member, Mr. Amogunniyi Fadare, all of whom were received by the party’s national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

    Security was tight, the weather cool and the atmosphere tension free despite earlier threat by Governor Ayo Fayose to hold a rally of his party,PDP, also yesterday.

    The APC had warned him not to provoke violence by his plan.

    With popular fuji musician, Saheed Osupa, supplying music, the crowd had fun dancing, singing and waving.

    They hailed the leaders as they found their way into the arena one after the other.

    Gen. Buhari, Chief Odigie-Oyegun and other national leaders drove into the arena in a bus atop of which sat Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    Other APC  front liners  at the rally  were  the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; the Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Segun Oni; former Interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande; former Ekiti State Governor, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo; Deputy Chairman of the party’s National Convention Committee, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje; Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume; Deputy Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora; former Ekiti Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu.

    Fayemi said the huge crowd was a clear sign that Ekiti remains firmly in the progressive camp.

    “The mystery of June 21 shall not stand on February 14, the day of the presidential poll,” he said and commended the people for trooping out in defiance of threats by the PDP-led government in the state.

    Buhari told the cheering crowd that their collective dream of a future where corruption, unemployment and insecurity would have no place would soon be realised.

    The presidential flag bearer urged Nigerians to go to the polls on election day and vote APC to make the change possible.

    “It is time to send PDP packing; we will make sure that unemployment is tackled. We will take care of our youth, majority of whom are unemployed,” he said.

    “Insecurity and corruption will receive our attention, we will reposition the education sector by employing qualified teachers as well as prioritising mining and agriculture to generate more employment for our people.” National Leader Asiwaju Tinubu said Buhari’s election as President would change the fortunes of Nigeria.

    Tinubu said the Buhari-led presidency means liberation for the youths, stressing that “the Nigerian youths cannot afford to continue with this government of fake policies and fake ideas.”

    The former Lagos governor deplored  the  death-wish advert placed by  Governor Fayose against Buhari  and declared that Nigeria is in dire need of someone with  Buhari’s wisdom to manage the affairs of the country.

    Tinubu recalled that when economic recession hit the United States, the country turned to an old man in the late Ronald Reagan, who deployed his wisdom and experience to take his country out of the doldrums.

    He paid tributes to the 19 APC members of the Ekiti House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Dr. Adewale Omirin, for standing firm against the impunity of the Fayose administration

    The APC leader deplored a situation in which seven PDP lawmakers passed the 2015 Appropriation Bill into Law in Ekiti Assembly urging the people to reject the rascality being witnessed in the state. Tinubu also explained that Buhari has come to rescue Nigeria from the abyss of economic recession, insecurity and political instability, which Jonathan has failed to address.

    Tinubu said: “They (PDP) have no wisdom to lead Nigeria; this is common sense revolution, jobs, education and empowerment. Go and pick your voter cards and don’t sell your tomorrow.

    “They cannot change the date (of the election); it is our right to vote.”

    Tinubu also used the occasion to welcome Bamidele saying: “We have forgiven Opeyemi Bamidele; he is now back home. He is no longer in the party of, Labourers.”

    Speaking in his capacity as the APC Southwest Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign, Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, urged the people to “change President Goodluck Jonathan with their votes” and replace him with Buhari.

    Aregbesola, who spoke in Yoruba, said Buhari represents the light that would drive the PDP darkness away.

    He said: “The Yoruba race will not embark on an unprofitable venture and all the Yoruba cannot follow these evil people. We must liberate ourselves from this bad government and we must be part of the good government to be led by Buhari.

    “The accursed one has been threatening that we will not come to Ekiti, who owns Ekiti? We own Ekiti, the APC owns Ekiti.

    “When we take over government from February, my friend knows that he will be sent parking. He is dancing the dance of shame all around; tell him that the game is up for him.”

    Mamora, who represented the APC Presidential Campaign Director General, Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, said Nigerians are going to enthrone righteousness on the ticket that will give them restoration. Vice presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, urged Ekiti voters not to allow any “electoral magic” to repeat itself in the state. He promised that Buhari would stop corruption.

    His words: “Gen. Buhari will stop corruption and that is why they are afraid of him. It’s time for change in Nigeria. On February 14, take your cards and go to voting centers and stay there until your votes are counted.”

    Oyegun also deplored Fayose’s death wish advert.

  • EFCC shuts down Laide Bakare’s boutique

    EFCC shuts down Laide Bakare’s boutique

    This is certainly not the best of times for popular Yoruba actress, Laide Bakare, as she seems to have been caught in the web of the faceoff, involving her husband, Alhaji Atanda Orilowo and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    For the actress, things became worse over the weekend when the EFCC reportedly obtained a forfeiture order on all known properties of her husband, following an alleged fraud.

    Consequently, he will be required to give up his choice properties, including the new boutique he opened for the actress.

    It was also learnt that copies of the court orders had been displayed at Orilowo’s two filling stations.

    His ordeal began after he was alleged to have been involved in a N2.5bn scam for the construction of a Y’ellow Estate in Okun Ajah, Lagos

    A few weeks back, Orilowo had denied that he was on the run and that the EFCC did not follow due process before declaring him wanted.

    He, therefore, threatened to go to court to “put a stop to the intimidation by EFCC and settle all the issues once and for all.”

     

  • Kano shuts down 69 private schools

    The Kano State Government’s Task Force on Private Schools has shut down 19 schools indefinitely.

    Fifty others were suspended for allegedly refusing to comply with the regulations guiding the operations of private schools in the state.

    The Chairman of the Task Force on Private Schools, Alhaji Baba Umar spoke yesterday in Kano on the government’s action.

    He said despite operating in an unsuitable environment, like garages and makeshift structures, some of the schools’ proprietors still increased fees.

    He also said despite collecting verification forms since June, last year. Majority of the proprietors did not return the forms to the task force, thereby making it difficult to ascertain the number of private schools in the state.

    Umar noted that the refusal of some proprietors to follow due process forced the task force to close down indefinitely 19 of the defaulting schools, while 50 others were suspended, pending their compliance with the rules and regulations on private schools in the state,

    According to him, the task force, which was inaugurated last year by Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, is not out to witch-hunt anybody but to ensure sanity in the system.

  • Road accident shuts down Lagos

    Road accident shuts down Lagos

    It was a six-hour traumatic moment in parts of Lagos, the nation’s commercial nerve-centre, yesterday. Agonised motorists and commuters gnashed their teeth in helplessness, following an auto accident on the Ikeja axis of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

    A trailer carrying two loaded containers, which fell on an Eko Meat Van marked XY433AAA, wreaked the havoc, killing the van’s driver and one bystander. Three other occupants of the vehicle were injured.

    The accident, which occurred directly opposite the Muslim Praying Ground at Ile Zik bus stop, caused a long queue of vehicles from Ikeja/Iyana-Ipaja route, spreading all the way to Mushin and its environs.

    Thousands of people trekked to their destinations. Train services from both directions were temporarily suspended, while security agencies had it herculean controlling the mammoth crowd at the scene.

    Horrified, many took pictures of the scene with their mobile phones; others simply took pictures of themselves at the scene for keeps.

    The cause of the accident was laid sorely at the feet of the police. It was learnt from eyewitnesses that at about 9:30 am, a police van on patrol along the expressway sighted a commercial motorcyclist popularly called okada, apparently flouting the Lagos traffic law banning bikes from the highways, and gave it a chase.

    The motorcyclist, unwilling to forfeit his bike to the police, decided to make a run for it but in the process, it lost control and fell, throwing its two passengers on the ground. The Eko Meat Van was said to have been forced to a screeching halt. The loaded articulated lorry marked AKD 964 XB, was also making its way towards Iyana-Ipaja.

    The trailer, it was said, hit the van from behind, causing it to spin around. The driver did his best to avoid a collision. It swerved to the right, but lost control and veered into the pavement.

    Four bystanders managed to escape thorough the drainage channel, but one was unlucky. As he attempted to run towards the rail line, he was crushed to death by a fallen container. He was identified as Gbenga, a manager at Slot a computer and phone company.

    When the policemen saw the carnage that occurred, they allegedly shot tear gas into the air to scare off the public and paved the way for their escape. No one got the identities of the policemen and their vehicle’s registration number.

    An eyewitness who works at Anifowoshe Primary School, opposite the scene of the accident, said: “I sat down here when it happened. I saw the trailer hit the man and the container dropped on him; he died instantly. Also, the police van that caused the accident ran away.”

    Another eyewitness, Kehinde Bereola, told The Nation: “The policemen passed by my car right here. They were chasing the bike man and the trailer was trying to avoid the van and the okada. That was how this accident happened. While running away, the policemen shot tear gas in the air and escaped. I saw everything that happened.”

    The Nation learnt that it took almost 20 minutes before emergency operators arrived at the scene. Officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) were said to be the first to get there, but could do very little to save the situation.

    According to the South West Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Iyiola Akande, rescue operations were delayed by the late arrival of the crane.

    “The crane could not get here on time because of the traffic; so, we tried to use our own cutters to cut the scrap. The two containers were loaded; it was not an easy job, but since the crane arrived, we have had more progress and there is hope.”

    Other emergency management agencies at the scene included: Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA), Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Marine Navy and the Nigeria Police, led by Assistant Commissioner (Operations) Emma Ngwu.

    Commuters recounted their agonies.

    “I walked from Cappa in Ilupeju to Ikeja. I am almost crippled now and I cannot go any further; that is why I have decided to stay in this van. Today is finished; if I can get out of here, I’m going home,” Sola Richards said.

    A motorist, Adebayo Olusoji, said he got to the accident site at 10 am and had remained stuck in the traffic for five hours. He said: “I think the police overreacted in the issue of ban on okada. People now label okada as “police ATM.” There is no sense in chasing bikes. Now, see what it has caused. My lost revenue today cannot be compared with the lives that were lost.”

    Soji Babatunde, a commercial driver, also lamented his wasted day. “I did morning shift from Sango to Oshodi. I was coming from my second trip when I got into this misfortune. Now, if this traffic clears, I am not working again. I have not been able to meet up my payment for today,” he said.

    But as many were moaning their losses, others were rejoicing. Small-scale entrepreneurs and road-side sellers cashed in on the opportunity to do brisk businesses.

    Chinoso Mbamoh said he had sold more than six cartons of Gala sausage rolls, an increase of almost 50 percent of his usual sale.

    Some commercial bus drivers also made the best use of the situation by declaring a party in the middle of the road. Loud fuji music tunes blasting from their buses, dry gin passed from one hand to the other and road-side food sellers became emergency caterers as they made quick gains from providing refreshment for the impromptu party.

    “We don’t have a choice; we don’t know when we will leave here. The day is already spoilt, so we should just enjoy ourselves,” said Olalekan Amujo, one of the stranded drivers.

    The trailer and the van were removed from the scene at 3.30 pm, while the injured were taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.

    The driver of the meat van was said to have died at the hospital, while the whereabouts of the bike rider was unknown. “He ran through the gutter, you can still see his footprint here,” a NEMA official said.

    The state police spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent (DSP) Ngozi Braide, could not be reached for comment on the incident.