A fire outbreak on Sunday at Grace International School, in Tanke, Ilorin, Kwara State, destroyed property worth millions of naira.

The incident which occurred at approximately 6:06 pm, destroyed nine out of the 14 classrooms of the school leaving them in ruins.

Grace International School, is located on Awolowo Street beside Kobiowu Mosque in Tanke, Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

The spokesman of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, in a statement in Ilorin on Monday, said firefighters on arrival, met a block of classrooms engulfed in flames.

According to him, the firefighters promptly swung into action to combat the blaze.

“Tragically, the fire had already ravaged nine out of the fourteen classrooms, leaving a significant portion of the school in ruins.

Through meticulous investigation, it was determined that the fire originated from an undergrowth that had been deliberately set ablaze by an unidentified individual.

The flames then rapidly spread to the school building, causing extensive damage, ” he said.

The Nigerian Army stated that troops of Headquarters 4 Brigade, personnel of Operation WABAIZIGAN, acting on credible intelligence, successfully arrested a suspected kidnapper and gunrunner, Ekenaye Festus.

Captain Chininso Polycarp Oteh, Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, mentioned in a statement that Festus was arrested alongside four of his collaborators in the general area of Agbor Road, Iguomor community, in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.

According to the statement, the suspects were apprehended in the early hours of February 25, 2024, while terrorizing the Obagie Community, engaged in kidnapping activities within the state.

The statement identified those arrested as Isaac Oghosa, Ameh Innocent, Odion Okpako, and Ajayi Ayoola, further noting that the suspects are currently in custody and aiding investigation.

As per the statement, items recovered include one Hilux vehicle with registration number Lagos SMK 219 FX fitted with an ember light, a handheld radio, three torchlight phones, an Android phone, a pair of desert boots, a pair of black boots, a fragmentation jacket, a jackknife pouch, and several charms.

Brigadier General Ebenezer Oduyebo, the Commander of the 4 Brigade Nigerian Army, commended the troops for their commitment and appealed to the public for more support to aid the troops’ operational efficiency in discharging their constitutional responsibilities.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador criticized YouTube on Sunday night after the tech company removed the video of a news conference in which the leader revealed the private telephone number of the New York Times’ Mexico bureau chief.

The platform said the video had violated their policies on harassment and cyberbullying. It later republished an edited version without the reporter’s private information.

In response, Lopez Obrador accused the platform of censorship and said it was acting with an overbearing and authoritarian attitude.

The message was accompanied by a picture of the Statue of Liberty, which he said had become a “empty symbol.” YouTube did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On Thursday, Lopez Obrador read aloud a letter from the Times requesting comment on a story reporters were preparing about a shelved U.S. government investigation into allegations that his allies met with and took millions of dollars from drug cartels after he took office in 2018.

Then he read the phone number of Times’ bureau chief. The same day, Mexico’s freedom of information body INAI said it was initiating an investigation into his revealing the number.

After the news conference, the Times issued a statement that called it “a troubling and unacceptable tactic from a world leader”.

Making public a journalist’s private phone number is particularly worrisome in Mexico, one of the most dangerous countries in the world for reporters outside of war zones, especially for Mexican journalists investigating criminal gangs and widespread corruption.

Lopez Obrador frequently attacks the news media during his daily press conferences.

“She is slandering us and if she is very worried, then she should change her phone number,” Lopez Obrador told reporters after the video was released.

“Above the personal data protection law, there is the dignity of the president.

“In the days that followed, social media users published the private numbers of one of Lopez Obrador’s sons and both candidates for the country’s June presidential race, Claudia Sheinbaum from the president’s MORENA party and rival Xochitl Galvez.

Galvez said that she had gotten a flood of messages since her number was published – both critical and supporting – and that she would not change it.

MORENA’s New York committee protested outside the Times’ office in New York City on Sunday afternoon.

The New York Times story in question, published just after Lopez Obrador revealed the reporter’s phone number, noted that the United States never opened a formal investigation and that officials ultimately shelved the inquiry.

Lopez Obrador denied all accusations and said it was “completely false.

“That story came on the heels of other recent reporting from other media outlets about a different U.S. investigation into possible collusion between a drug cartel and Lopez Obrador associates to accept money for his 2006 presidential campaign in exchange for leniency.

Lopez Obrador has denied those accusations, calling them slander, and responded by saying the journalist who broke the story was a “mercenary in the service” of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, which carried out the investigation.

Concerns about media safety have remained consistent throughout Lopez Obrador’s presidency.

In January, the theft of the personal data of hundreds of journalists in Mexico, including addresses and copies of voter ID cards and passports, raised fresh worries.International free-speech organization Article 19 has documented 163 journalist murders in Mexico since 2000.

The private residence of the FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud in Abuja was razed down by fire on Sunday.

Media Aide to the minister, Austine Elemue, who confirmed the incident the News Agency of Nigeria, said that the cause of the fire was being investigated by the authorities.

He said that the fire began around 10:00 a.m. at the residence located at number 7 Roseline Ukeji Close, Mark Okoye Street, Asokoro, Abuja.

When contacted, the acting director, FCT Fire Service, Amiola Adebayo, said that the service received the distress call at 10:30 a.m. and immediately dispatch firemen to the scene.

Mr Adedayo said that although no life was lost, all the households content of the upper floor of the 7-bedroom duplex were razed by the fire.

He identified some of the contents as beds, clothes, documents, credentials, jewelries and air conditioners, including the roof among other valuables.

He said that the fire was brought under control around 2:51 p.m., adding that the cause of the fire was suspected to be electrical fault inside the children’s room.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris was expected to reopen to visitors on Sunday after six days of closure due to strikes.

Workers first walked out on Monday in a dispute over the way the tower was managed.

Its operator, Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), said a deal was reached with unions on Saturday.

It is the second such strike at the iconic landmark in the last three months, as Paris looks ahead to hosting the 2024 Olympic Games this summer.

SETE apologised to ticket holders and said they would be reimbursed for bookings impacted by the action, which resulted in the loss of some 100,000 admissions.

The powerful Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT) union said that staff had decided to strike over SETE’s business model, which it claimed was based on an inflated estimate of future visitor numbers, and an underestimation of the cost of maintenance and renovation.

Stéphane Dieu, speaking on behalf of the union, accused SETE of seeking profitability in the short term.

Strikers have also expressed concern over the state of the monument, which Le Monde reported had not been repainted for 14 years, rather than the usual seven, with other repair work falling behind schedule.

This week’s strike was first planned to take place across five days, but CGT on Friday announced that staff had voted to extend the strike to Saturday after rejecting SETE’s initial proposal.

On Saturday, SETE said it reached an agreement with the unions “under which the parties will regularly monitor the company’s business model, investment in works and revenue through a body that will meet every six months”.

With an aim to balance its books by 2025, it added that both sides also agreed to see an investment of some €380m (£325m) to 2031 toward works and maintenance of the landmark.

On Thursday, French Culture Minister Rachida Dati suggested the Eiffel Tower be classified as a “historical monument” to allow the state to help fund works if needed.

The Eiffel Tower last closed on 27 December as workers launched a protest – again over its management – to mark the centenary of the death of the tower’s creator, Gustave Eiffel.

Eiffel, a civil engineer, made his name building bridges and viaducts for the French railway network. However, he was best known for the tower, which was designed to show off France’s modern industrial prowess on a world stage, as the centrepiece of the 1889 Paris Exposition, or world’s fair.

Built in little more than two years, it was at the time the tallest building in the world and soon became a defining image of the French capital.

Former Everton player, Li Tie has been sentenced to life in prison for corruption in his home country of China.

In a televised confession on Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, Li said he had paid around £330,000 to manage the national football team.

He also revealed he had played a role in a match-fixing scandal to secure promotions with club teams he featured for in China.

Li was ‘suspected of accepting and offering bribes’ by the Chinese public prosecutor.

This is coming after he left his role as manager of his nation.

The 46-year-old managed the China national team between 2019 and 2021.

Li made 40 appearances across all competitions for Everton having spent four years at the Premier League club from 2002 to 2006.

He had a spell at Sheffield United as player in the past.

The former midfielder is now set to spend the rest of his life behind bars, amid a Chinese crackdown on corruption in football.

An NGO, Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigeria (CWEENS), has decried the spate of child trafficking in Plateau.

Ochanya Fatoki, the legal officer and programme manager of the organisation, said this in an interview with journalists on Sunday in Jos.

Mrs Fatoki, who described Plateau as a ‘transient hub’ for child trafficking in Nigeria, called for collaboration between the state, federal ministry of women affairs and other relevant stakeholders toward combating the menace.”

CWEENS recently noticed an increase in child trafficking, labour and prostitution in Plateau.”

This may not be unconnected with the current security challenges in the state because traffickers now go to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp to pick these young girls without any form of legal procedures.”

Poverty, ignorance of the law, parental negligence and bad parenting, and other reasons are contributing to this illegal activity.”

While we call on government to go into aggressive awareness against trafficking and its attendant consequences, stringent measures should be put in place, particularly the enforcement of laws and regulations against child trafficking,” she said.

The legal officer, who accused some parents of pushing their young daughters and sometimes boys into the illegal act, worried about the existence of a human trafficking syndicate in the state.

The legal officer said that these girls were usually pushed out by their parents in search of better life for the family.

“These parents tell these young girls that it’s their duty to rescue the family from financial difficulties.

“Some time ago, we handled the case of a young girl who was taken to Mali from Plateau.

“She said the agent told her that it cost him N1.5 million to bring her to Mali and she has to do prostitution to pay back,” she explained.

Mrs Fatoki, however, said that CWEENS would support in the fight against child trafficking, adding arrangements had been concluded for its human resource department to go to the hinterlands to create awareness against the illegal activity.

The Forward Operating Base, FOB, of the Nigerian Navy in Badagry, Lagos State, has intercepted 15,540 litres of petrol stored in a building along the creeks.

The Commanding Officer of the FOB, Navy Capt. B A Amakiri, said naval operatives intercepted 518 ×30 Jerry cans on Thursday, at about 11:00 am, at Agbojetho-Akorin Beach along Badagry-Seme Road.

According to him, the navy acted after receiving an intelligence tip-off about the activities of some suspected smugglers within the area.

“The intelligence indicated that several jerry cans suspected to contain petrol were stored in a building within Agbojetho-Akorin Beach along Badagry-Seme Road.

“Consequently, the Base Quick Response Team proceeded to the beach general area for investigation and possible arrest and seizure.

“The team conducted a cordon and search operation in the area and discovered 518 x 30 litres jerry cans of the suspected products,” he said.

Amakiri explained that the quantity of the petrol product translates to about 15,540litres, valued at N9,479,400 at the current rate of about N610 per litre.

“The perpetrators absconded on getting information about the approach of the team.

“It is suspected that the perpetrators had the intention of smuggling the products out of Nigeria to the Benin Republic.

“The adjoining communities were also searched, but no other products or suspects were found,” he said.

Amakiri restated the commitment of his officers to continue making smuggling unattractive, adding that the economic saboteurs would be frustrated until smuggling was suppressed to the barest minimum.

FCT minister Nyesom Wike has assured the Nigerian Law School management of maximum security at its Abuja campus in Bwari, Abuja.

Mr Wike made the pledge when a delegation of the school, led by its director-general, Isa Chiroma, visited him in Abuja on Thursday.

He explained that the FCT Administration has ensured heavy security in the Bwari council area, where the Abuja campus of the law school is located.

He said the security deployment was based on intelligence agencies’ intelligence reports to ensure residents’ safety, including private and public institutions in the area.

“We didn’t want to take any chances at all, knowing fully well the intelligence we were getting. So that is why there is so much security within the Bwari area council.

“This is because if anything happens, it will be a setback to the entire country and the FCT,” the minister said.

Mr Wike reiterated the administration’s support to the NLS and pledged to consider the institution’s request to construct staff quarters and provide vehicles.

He noted that it was important for agencies within the FCT to be given necessary support.

“Luckily, the legal profession is my own constituency, and so it will be out of place if they have problems, and I won’t be able to support them. You should take it for granted that the FCT will support you,” Mr Wike said.

He directed the FCTA’s general counsel to liaise with the school management to see how the request for the staff quarters would be captured in the FCTA’s 2024 statutory budget.

On the request for vehicles, the minister said that he would look at available vehicles and make some available for the school.

Earlier, Mr Chiroma appealed to the minister to construct staff quarters and provide vehicles for the school’s Abuja campus.

He also explained that the delegation was in Wike’s office to congratulate him on his appointment as minister of the FCT.

He added that the visit also informed Mr Wike that he is among the NLS’ awardees to be presented at its 60th anniversary.

The Federal High Court in Ilorin restrained journalists from entering the court premises to cover the trial of the immediate past governor of Kwara State, AbdulFatah Ahmed.

The former governor was brought to court on Friday for trial over N10 billion of the state fund he allegedly misappropriated.

He was brought into the Federal High Court at FATE Road in Ilorin by 8:50 am for the trial.

The police and court registrar prevented journalists from entering the court, saying they are acting on orders from above.

Speaking with newsmen outside the court premises, Wahab Oba, Chief Press Secretary to the ex-governor, lamented what he described as a secret trial of his principal, saying the trial was a political prosecution.

“The former governor Dr. Ahmed is supposed to be arraigned by the EFCC so we are here to witness the commencement of the trial. Ordinarily the court is an open place, our concern is that the trial should be transparent and open.

“We cannot understand why the police have denied journalists from covering the event,” Oba said.

As of press time, journalists were gathered on the street, awaiting the arrival of the judge, and the outcome of the trial.

Yemen’s armed Houthi group claimed responsibility for launching missile attacks against a British cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday.

The Palau-flagged, British-owned cargo ship was damaged, and a minor injury was reported in the Gulf of Aden after it was hit by two missiles launched by the Houthis, according to the U.S. military.

The Islander is continuing its voyage following the attack south-east of the Yemeni port city of Aden.

UK maritime authorities said the missiles caused a fire on board.A Houthi spokesman confirmed they had targeted the Islander and said they had also launched drones at a U.S. warship.

The Houthis, who are backed by Iran and control much of north-western Yemen, have been attacking merchant vessels in the region since November.

They say their attacks are a show of support for the Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and have claimed – often falsely – that they are targeting ships only linked to Israel, the U.S. or the UK.

U.S. and British warships have been deployed as part of an international task force to protect freedom of navigation and commercial shipping in the critical waterway, which accounts for about 12 per cent of global seaborne trade.

U.S. forces, occasionally backed by British warplanes, have also been striking Houthi military targets in Yemen in response to the attacks since mid-January, but so far the Houthis have not been deterred.

The U.S. military’s Central Command said in a statement on Thursday that between 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. (01:30-02:30 GMT), U.S. aircraft and a coalition warship shot down six Houthi one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, in the Red Sea.

Later, between 8:30 a.m. and 9:45 a.m., the Houthis fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles from southern Yemen into the Gulf of Aden, it added.

“The missiles impacted MV Islander, a Palau-flagged, UK-owned cargo carrier, causing one minor injury and damage. The ship is continuing its voyage,” it noted.

Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported that two missiles set ablaze a vessel – which it did not identify – about 70 nautical miles (130km) south-east of Aden.

It said the vessel and crew were safe and proceeding to their next port of call.According to maritime security firm Ambrey, the ship’s AIS transponder gave its destination as “Syrian crew on board,” but it appeared to be heading toward the Red Sea from Thailand.

The Israeli military meanwhile said its air defence system had successfully intercepted a “launch which was identified in the area of the Red Sea and was en route to Israel.”

The Houthi spokesman later confirmed they had launched missiles and drones at various targets in what it called the “south of occupied Palestine.”

In a televised speech on Thursday afternoon, the Houthis’ leader said a total of 48 ships had now been targeted and that 13 operations had been carried out in the past week because the U.S. and UK had “failed.”

“Operations in the Red and Arabian Seas, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and the Gulf of Aden are continuing, escalating, and effective,” Abdul Malik al-Houthi declared.

He also announced that the Houthis had introduced “submarine weapons,” which he described as “worrying for the enemy.”

On Monday, the crew of a Belize-flagged, British-registered cargo vessel, Rubymar, had to abandon ship in the Bab al-Mandab Strait – which connects the Gulf of Aden with the Red Sea – after it was hit by a Houthi missile and started letting in water.

Images of the ship from Wednesday, which were obtained by the BBC, showed the ship was down by the stern but had not sunk, as the Houthis initially claimed.

It is carrying 22 tonnes of a fertiliser classified as “very dangerous.”The Houthis also said they had attacked two U.S.-owned cargo ships in the Gulf of Aden on Monday.

The U.S. military confirmed that two missiles were fired at one of them – the Greek-flagged Sea Champion, which was able to continue its journey to Aden to deliver grain.

The U.S. State Department condemned the attacks as “reckless and indiscriminate,” warning that they had delayed deliveries of critical humanitarian aid to Yemen, Sudan, and Ethiopia.

It also said the U.S. and its allies would continue to take “appropriate action.”

The Nigeria Police Force has revealed plans to review its ban on tinted glass permits.

The ban was initiated in 2022 due to widespread concerns regarding the role of tinted glass in aiding heinous crimes such as kidnapping, armed robbery, the illegal transportation of firearms, and human trafficking.

In a statement, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the proposed lifting of the ban, stringent measures are being implemented to prevent abuse and ensure strict compliance with guidelines governing the issuance and use of tinted glass permits.

Adejobi said ICT analysts and Enforcement Officers nationwide will undergo a comprehensive training scheduled for the 29th of February, 2024, as a prequel to the reopening of tinted glass permit issuance.

He added that the training will equip ICT Analysts and Enforcement Officers with the necessary skills and knowledge to regulate the registration process, guide registrants on the use of the portal where required, attend to complaints from members of the public and enforce compliance effectively.

The statement reads, “The proposed tinted glass permit will incorporate distinctive features aimed at enhancing enforcement efficiency and security.

“It will focus on the intricacies of the new guidelines, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a delicate balance between public safety and individual freedoms while safeguarding national security.

“These include a QR code linked to a central database for real-time verification, unique serial numbers correlated with vehicle and owner details, as well as a digital hologram ensuring authenticity and integrity, among other measures”.

The PRO further stated that the Nigeria Police remained committed to providing updates to the general public on the implementation of the reviewed process of tinted glass permit issuance, ensuring transparency and accountability in its efforts to maintain internal security.

The Police in Lagos and Ogun States have commenced a joint patrol on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to improve security in the area.

The Lagos State Police spokesman, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this in a post he shared on his X handle @benHundeyin on Thursday.

There had been cases of kidnap incidents and other crimes on some parts of the expressway.

Hundeyin said the joint patrols would cover Kara Bridge to Sagamu Interchange.

“As part of efforts to enhance security on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the Police Command in Lagos State and its Ogun State counterpart have commenced joint patrols of Kara Bridge to Sagamu Interchange.

“The patrol teams from the Lagos command will comprise mainly the Rapid Response Squad (RRS),” he said.

Hundeyin pleaded with motorists not to be scared by the heavy presence of police patrol on the road.

“Motorists are, therefore, enjoined not to panic at the sight of increased police patrols, particularly the RRS.

“This is a proactive measure to prevent crime and criminality on this stretch of the road, ” the image maker said.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has determined May 29 as the date for this year’s national and provincial elections.

The president has consulted with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on the election date and convened a meeting with all nine provincial premiers to discuss the state of readiness for the general elections.

The presidency said in a statement that the 2024 elections coincide with South Africa’s celebration of 30 years of freedom and democracy.

Mr Ramaphosa calls on all eligible voters to fully participate in the important and historic milestone of the country’s democratic calendar.

“I call on all South Africans to exercise their democratic right to vote and for those who would be campaigning to do so peacefully, within the full observance of the law.

“We also urge unregistered voters to use the online registration platform to register,” said Mr Ramaphosa.

A team of medical experts from the World Health Organisation (WHO), specialising in leprosy, will arrive in Sri Lanka in March to help eliminate the disease.

The director of the Anti-Leprosy Campaign (ALC), Prasad Ranaweera, said this on Wednesday.

He said the number of leprosy patients found in Sri Lanka had significantly increased in 2023 following a drop in numbers in 2020 and 2021 due to the advent of the Coronavirus lockdowns.

Mr Ranaweera said more than 1,550 instances of leprosy were reported in 2023, and out of those, 173 were among schoolchildren.

Out of the total number of 1,550, the Western Province, the most populated province in Sri Lanka, recorded 599 cases, he said.

Mr Ranaweera said WHO experts would help them develop a roadmap to eliminate leprosy from Sri Lanka over the next decade.

Noah Sewakanu became the new chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Ogun chapter, on Wednesday with a promise to uphold the union’s ethics.

Mr Sewakanu took office as the new state chairman following the retirement of his predecessor, Abiodun Akinola.

Speaking at his inauguration in Imeko, Ogun, Mr Sewakanu pledged an open-door administration, stating that he would be an impartial leader of the union.

According to him, all union members will be given the opportunity to contribute to the growth and development of the union.

He said his administration would strengthen the relationship between the union and all education agencies in the state through consultation and consolidation.

The new chairman said the agencies include the Ministry of Education, State Universal Basic Education Board, Teaching Service Commission, principals, and the headmaster’s general office.

“I make this solemn declaration between me and God to be an impartial leader and hold the ethics and ethos of the union high in spirit. I am poised to re-orientate, reorganise and build on the good legacies of the past leaders in the union activities.

“Our leadership will run an open-door policy, whereby we will give all members leverage to contribute to the growth and development of our great union,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Akinola advised union members to give the new chairman maximum support, noting that he could not do it alone.

He gave the assurance that though he was retiring as a headteacher, he would not get tired of the union.

The immediate past chairman said he would continue to ensure that Sewakanu had a successful tenure.

Also, the NUT president, Titus Amba, advised the new chairman to follow the good path of his predecessor, who had a meritorious service.

Mr Amba, represented by NUT’s national social secretary, Titilope Adebayo, urged the new chairman to always carry other members along in union activities.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has disclosed that each state governor has been allocated an extra N30 billion to address the challenges of food scarcity and hardships confronting Nigerians.

Akpabio said each state should properly utilize the money towards ensuring the availability of food.

Speaking on the floor of the senate, Akapbio said: “I must say that unverified report has it that each of the state government in the last few months received additional N30 billion from Federal Inland Revenue Service, outside their normal allocation from the federation account to assist them in ameliorating the food situation.

“We believe that every state government should utilise the funds so received towards ensuring that food is available.”

The current economic hardship has led to a hike in the prices of foodstuffs across the country.

The shortage of foodstuffs was also linked to the hoarding by some people and illegal smuggling to neighbouring countries.

Recall that Vice President Kashim Shettima had disclosed how security operatives discovered 32 illegal routes being used to smuggle foodstuffs and other items to neighbouring countries from Nigeria.

Shettima said security agents intercepted 45 trucks smuggling maize to neighbouring countries.

He noted that the price of “maize” came down by N10,000. The price of maize allegedly came down from N60,000 to N50,000″ when the trucks were intercepted.

Some operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have raided offices of some Bureau de Change operators in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The EFCC, during the raid, arrested no fewer than twelve operators, with shops in the Sabo area.

Sabo is a community in Ward 6 in Ibadan North local government area and is dominated by northerners.

The source said, “They arrested 12 people. They came around 10-11 am”.Chairman of the Bureau de change operators, Aminu Ibrahim Babankande confirmed the development.

Babankande, in a telephone conversation with DAILY POST, Change Operators noted that he is still investigating the number of people arrested.

He said, “I don’t know the number now. We are still investigating.

“We are ready to cooperate with the government “.

The Nkwo market in Umunze, Orumba South Local Government Area, LGA, of Anambra State was on Wednesday gutted by fire.

The inferno started about 1:20am as a result of a power surge.

According to eyewitnesses, goods worth millions, including household items and plastic materials were destroyed by the fire.

State Fire Chief, Dr Martin Agbili who confirmed the incident said there were no casualties.

According to him, “At about 0120hrs (1:20am) of Wednesday 21-02-2024, Anambra State Fire Service, received a distress call of fire outbreak at Nkwo Market, Umunze.

“Immediately, we deployed our fire truck and gallant firefighters to the fire scene. We fought, controlled and extinguished with the assistance of some traders and the public who came out at that incident time.

“The cause of the fire was unknown but suspected power surge. There was no casualty or lost of life during the fire incident but about four (4) shops were affected, mainly provision shops, plastic shop and attachments shop.

“Always remember to switch off your electrical and electronics appliances when they are not in use to avoid power surge.”

The Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria, NOGASA, has urged President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on the country’s refineries if the economy must be stabilized.

The President of NOGASA, Benneth Korie, made the appeal on Tuesday at a news conference in Abuja, while assessing current developments in the oil and gas sector.

Korie said declaring a state of emergency on the nation’s refineries would help to retool the economy.

“It is very important that the Nigerian government declares a state of emergency on our refineries. It will help in stabilizing distribution price, not just halting importation,” he said.

The NOGASA boss said Tinubu’s administration should do whatever is possible to ensure the refineries work and also stabilize the naira against the dollar.

This, according to him, was part of the reasons the refineries were yet to work.

“Whatever it will take for the refineries to work, let them work.

“So, the answer to all these increments is for our refineries to start working optimally, and the products should be sold in naira to marketers,” he added.

He also called for the reintroduction of bridging claim payment to marketers since the subsidy removal was not yielding any positive result.

He wondered why the government’s projection in the 2024 budget would be N750 to a dollar, while the black market price had moved close to N2,000.