ONITSHA FIRE: BUHARI MOURNS, RESCUERS RECOVER MORE BODIES - PUNCH


PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI HAS EXPRESSED SADNESS OVER THE TANKER FIRE THAT CLAIMED LIVES OF A WOMAN AND HER BABY AND DESTROYED PROPERTY IN ONITSHA, ANAMBRA STATE ON WEDNESDAY.
BUHARI’S REACTION CAME JUST AS THREE MORE BODIES WERE RECOVERED ON THURSDAY. TWO OF THE DEAD BODIES WERE SAID TO BE SALESGIRLS. TRADERS FOUND THE BODIES ABOUT 9AM ON THURSDAY IN A SHOP AT THE OCHANJA MARKET.
ONE OF THE RESCUERS, WHO SPOKE WITH OUR CORRESPONDENT ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY, SAID HE SUSPECTED THE GIRLS WERE TRAPPED.
 HE SAID, “WE ALSO RECOVERED THE BODY OF A YOUNG MAN IN ONE SHOP. HIS BODY WAS NOT BURNT. WE SUSPECTED HE MUST HAVE DIED OF SUFFOCATION. THE BODIES OF TWO SALESGIRLS WERE ALSO RECOVERED IN ONE SHOP.”
PROTESTING TRADERS, WHO STOPPED GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM JOINING IN THE THE STATE GOVERNOR, WILLIE OBIANO, WHO VISITED THE MARKET AT ABOUT 9.20AM, COULD NOT ADVANCE TO THE ACTUAL SCENE OF THE INFERNO DUE TO THE LARGE CROWD OF TRADERS WHO OBSTUCTED TRAFFIC FLOW.
SPEAKING WITH ONE OF OUR CORRESPONDENTS, A VICTIM, CHUKWUKA OKEKE, A NEIGHBOUR TO THE WOMAN THAT DIED WITH HER CHILD ON WEDNESDAY, DESCRIBED THE TRAGEDY AS UNFORTUNATE AND AVOIDABLE.
HE SAID, “WE WERE IN OUR SHOPS WHEN I GOT THE CALL THAT THERE WAS FIRE BURNING AT UPPER IWEKA. THOUGH WE SAW SMOKE GOING UP FROM A DISTANCE, NOBODY COULD BELIEVE IT WOULD EXTEND TO THIS PLACE.
 “FOR OVER THREE HOURS, WE PERCEIVED THE SMELL OF PETROL PROBABLY MIXED WITH GAS FROM A DISTANCE AS IT FLOWED THROUGH THE DRAINAGE UNTIL THE WHOLE THING WENT UP IN FLAMES.
 “THE WOMAN HAD ALREADY RUSHED OUT OF THE SHOP WITH HER BABY BUT SHE SUDDENLY WENT BACK.  SHE SLIPPED OFF IN THE PROCESS AND FELL INSIDE THE GUTTER WHICH WAS ALREADY IN FLAMES.
THURSDAY RESCUE, BLAMED THE GOVERNMENT FOR NEGLIGENCE.




READ FULL STORY IN PUNCH NEWSPAPER.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

10 World Most Eloquent People

Image
Only the eloquent can adequately describe eloquence. It includes articulation, a mellifluous tone of voice and poise under pressure. To be eloquent is to speak well in a persuasive and deeply thoughtful way. Though it appears to come easily, eloquence does not often come naturally. The most talented speakers often have training in rhetoric and behavioral psychology. Here are 10 great examples of eloquent speakers who have made their mark on the world. 1. Martin Luther King, Jr “I Have a Dream” is perhaps the most powerful speech in American history. In poetic, unequivocal language, he explains how people can live up to their ideals for the sake of their children. 2. Abraham Lincoln In a speech only two minutes long, Lincoln explained the moral justification for the Civil War in his Gettysburg Address. 3. Winston Churchill In a few short years Churchill transformed himself from a burly, unemployed, failed novelist to a leader of the free world with ...
Read more

St. Finbaar’s College, Akoka wins the annual Helmbridge Science Challenge for secondary schools in Lagos State.

St. Finbarr’s College Akoka, Lagos at the weekend won the annual Helmbridge Science Challenge for secondary schools in Lagos State. The school in a six-week-long competition defeated May Day College and Topgrade Secondary School, Surulere in the preliminaries to qualify for the final. The Akoka boys who walked-over Penny International College Coker, the defending champions, for late coming, went into sporadic jubilation on their victory. The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reports that 16 schools participated in the competition, including Yaba College of Technology Secondary School, St. Finbaar’s College, Penny Internatinal College, Shining Lord’s Secondary and Technical School. Others are St. Michael’s Anglican College, Jubilee Model Grammar school, Fountain Heights Secondary School, St. Gregory’s College and St. Jude’s Private Secondary School. Also in the competition are Methodist Boys’ High School, Birch Freeman High School, Community Senior Grammar School and ABS College. ...
Read more

BIAFRA: IPOB, MASSOB shut down markets, Uwazuruike expelled

Image
  Visit Late Odumegwu Ojukwu’s house to seek his blessing Uwazuruike expelled, Madu takes over as MASSOB leader Forget Biafra, secession —Nwabueze Over seven thousands members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday,   shut   down markets and all commercial activities in Nnewi, Anambra State in solidarity protest for the release of the Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, who has been incarcerated by  the Directorate of State Services, DSS, for over one month. Members of the IPOB mobilized from Onitsha, Asaba, Awka, Ekwulobia, Awka-Etiti, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi and Abia states, converged at  Nnewi from where they marched to the house of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu to ask for his blessing even in death. This came as constitutional lawyer and leader of eminent group of Nigerians, The Patriots , Professor Ben Nwabueze (SAN),  admonished  the  groups to have a re-think over th...
Read more