2 burnt to death in Edo accident – FRSC

The victims died in an accident involving a petrol tanker.

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The Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, said two people were burnt beyond recognition at the Oluku end of the Benin bypass following an accident involving a truck and a fuel tanker.

The FRSC Zonal Commanding Officer in Benin, Charles Akpabio, said this in a statement made available to newsmen on Sunday in Benin.

Mr. Akpabio said four others, who sustained serious burns, had been taken to the Central Hospital, Benin for medical attention.

He said the accident occurred on Friday, when an articulated Mark Truck, belonging to Dangote Group of Companies, rammed into a tanker fully loaded with fuel, causing the tanker to burst into flames.

He said the fire also affected two other trailers.

Mr. Akpabio attributed the accident to “wrongful overtaking’’.

He stated that his men quickly called in officials of the Fire Service who put out the fire to prevent further damage.

“As a result of the chaotic situation at the scene, FRSC personnel from Toll Gate and Uwan Esigie Command were detailed to control traffic at the scene.

“While others were at the entrance of the bypass diverting traffic to the town to avoid congestion near the scene,’’ he said.

Mr. Akpabio said the charred bodies of the deceased had been deposited at Benin Central Hospital morgue. (NAN)

Gastroenteritis Outbreak Kills 7 In Jigawa

Jigawa State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tafida Abubakar, has announced that seven people lost their lives in Hadejia community, Hadejia Local Government Area of the state following an outbreak of gastroenteritis.

Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday in Hadejia, he said that the deaths were recorded on Monday and Tuesday, adding that about 306 other persons were affected by the endemic but have been treated at the community's General Hospital. 

According to him, the affected persons were treated freely by the state government in order to curb further casualties as well as bring the situation under control.

"The disease is caused by bacterial infection from consumption of contaminated water" Abubakar said, adding however, that sample of faeces of some affected persons had been taken for laboratory analysis to ascertain the cause of the epidemic."

Related: Ogun Cholera: Monarch, 106 Others Hospitalised

Abubakar further revealed that the state government had set up a technical committee, comprising representatives of the ministries of Health, Water Resources and Environment to investigate the outbreak, adding that government had also ordered a total overhaul of old water pipes and upgrade of the reticulation system in Hadejia to avoid a re-occurrence of the misfortune.  

The commissioner stressed that his ministry had sensitised inhabitants of Hadejia and other communities in the area on personal hygiene and sanitation as measures of controlling the spread of the disease.

Related: Gastroenteritis Ravages Kebbi Community: Eight Dead, Many Hospitalised

Meanwhile, gastroenteritis or infectious diarrhea is a medical condition from inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract that involves both the stomach and the small intestine. It causes some combination of diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain and cramping. Dehydration may also occur as a result. Gastroenteritis has been referred to as gastro, stomach bug, and stomach virus. Although unrelated to influenza, it has also been called stomach flu and gastric flu.

2 Students Struck Dead By Thunder, Another Injured

Two students were reportedly struck dead by thunder while another sustained serious injuries in Plateau state.

The victims who were students of a secondary school in Shendam area of the state were said to be returning to their hostel in the evening shortly after a downpour, when the tragic incident occurred.

The principal of the school, Mr. Raymond Gofut, disclosed that the injured student was immediately rushed to an undisclosed hospital.

The bodies of the deceased students were later deposited at a local mortuary.

Related: How The 15-Year Old Son Of A Director In The Kogi State Ministry of Information Was Killed By Lightning

According to the state Commissioner for Education, Mr. Nanle Dashe, who confirmed the incident, it was not a government-owned secondary school.

He added that he was yet to receive full details about the incident.

'Do Not Eat Suya Without Onion, Cabbage' - Nutritionist Warns

A nutritionist, Prof. Ignatius Onimawo has advised regular consumers of grilled and barbecued beef and chicken popularly called  suya, to always eat the delicacy with generous portions of the slices of onions, cabbage, tomatoes and other vegetables.

Speaking during a workshop organised by Coca-Cola Nigeria for health writers in Lagos, Onimawo, who is a Professor of Nutrition and Director of Academic Planning at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State said research has shown that while there is a strong link between consumption of suya and increased risk of cancer,  consumption of suya garnished with onions and other vegetables, has a strong cancer-lowering effect.

He said, "Breast cancer is everywhere. It is even killing people in the village. When we carried out studies to try to look at the aetiology of the disease, to find out where it all started, what we discovered was that we could trace the origin to suya consumption."

Onimawo explained that during suya preparation, the meat is cooked over an open fire, and oils from the meat undergo complex chemical reactions that produce toxins that are carcinogenic (cancer-causing) in nature and causes the formation of toxic compounds known as Heterocyclic Amines, HCAs, which are carcinogenic compounds.

He said cancer is due to  oxidative processes in the body and onions are powerful antioxidants that effectively stop the oxidative process triggerred by consumption of suya from taking place.

"The onion and other vegetables are actually added to act as antidote to the effect of the oil from the suya. Onions neutralise the oxidative effect of the chemicals in the oil and help prevent cancer.

"I’m not saying suya is bad, on the contrary, it is a great delicacy, but beneficial only when eaten in moderation and along with the onion and cabbage," he stated.

Meet Medusa, The World’s Longest Snake (PHOTOS)

A reticulated python has slithered into a place where few snakes have gone: Guinness World Records.

She’s named Medusa and the 25-foot-long, two-inch, 350-pounder has been confirmed as the longest snake ever in captivity in the Guinness World Records 2013 edition.

The 8 years old reptile is on display at The Edge Of Hell, a haunted attraction based in Kansas City. Mo., and spends her days helping to scare up business by scaring customers who are already afraid of snakes — not just gigantic ones.

Medusa’s handler Larry Edgar says, “We try to keep Medusa well-fed and slightly out of reach as there have been instances with Reticulated Pythons where they’ve had to cut people out of them!
“We never underestimate that she does always have the upper-hand.”

So far, Medusa does pretty well on a diet that includes rabbits, hogs and deer, served to her every two weeks.

Medusa inherits the title from the previous record holder, Fluffy, another Reticulated Python from Ohio’s Columbus Zoo, who measured in at 24 feet long.

Man sets wife ablaze for not delivering male children (Graphic Photo)

A 35-year-old man and medicine dealer,  Paul Mkpuke from Onuojgon Alike Ikwo in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State is  in police net for  setting his wife, Monica, ablaze, because she’s been delivering only female children.

The man had earlier sent his wife back to her parents, a source said.  But  not satisfied with that, he allegedly mobilized suspected hoodlums whom he led to his wife’s parents’ house with the intention to kill her.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Chris Anyanwu who confirmed the incident said Mkpuke and his boys laid ambush for Monica at night waiting for her to come out to ease herself and when she did, three men  rushed and grabbed her while one of them slapped her repeatedly before forcing her onto a standby motorcycle.

He said   when they got to a particular bridge, Monica was brought down from the motorcycle and  her wrapper was removed and used to  blindfold her. Subsequently, they poured  fuel on her  and set her ablaze.

The PPRO noted  when the hoodlums were convinced she had been severely burnt and may not survive, they abandoned her but after some time, Monica regained little strength and rolled into a nearby pond and subsequently struggled her way into  an uncompleted building to hide because she was naked  until a farmer discovered her.

Monica was later rushed to Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki where she underwent surgery and now convalescing.

When Sunday Sun visited her, she was still too weak and could not talk but her younger brother, Sunday Nwigbo who was with her at the hospital narrated her ordeal in  her husband’s household where she had spent  12 years.


He said  the man impregnated his sister when she was in secondary school at Ikwo and continued living with her, adding that Mkpuke had not even paid her bride price but often threatened to kill her whenever the issue was raised and for not delivering  a male child.

Nwigbo further revealed that Mkpuke had earlier sent his sister packing in March 2014 declaring that he was fed-up with her  and the case was reported to the Family Law Centre of the wife of the governor for intervention.

The PPRO said  the suspect had been charged to court for prosecution.

How fake spiritualist killed customs officer and her 10 year old daughter after selling property for N375million

Operatives of the Lagos State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Ikeja yesterday exhumed the dead bodies of a woman and her daughter killed and buried in a room by a suspected fraudster.

The decomposing bodies were exhumed in the suspect’s one room apartment at No, 9 Wadoye Street, Pipeline Ajuwon, Ogun state.

The suspect, Alhaji Olatunji Azeez, had allegedly abducted the 64-year old retired customs officer, Angela Uzo Kery and her adopted 10-year-old daughter, Obiagulum after selling the woman’s landed property.

The younger sister of the retired customs officer, Susan, was the person that reported to the police at Oko-Oba Division that her elder sister and daughter were missing.

It was gathered that when Susan paid a visit to her sister on 31st May, she discovered that the customs officer and her daughter had not returned home since 10th May when they went for a prayer session at Sango area of Ogun State.

The police were told that the victim left home in her Toyota Camry car marked LND 554 A2, which was later traced to an uncompleted building in Alakuko area of Lagos through a tracker.

When the police team from Oko-Oba and Alakuko divisions visited the building, two suspects, Ahmed Sholotan and Waliu Akiniyi, were arrested in connection with the missing car.

It was learnt that the owner of the uncompleted building is living in the United States but asked Akiniyi to take care of the building.

When Akiniyi was arrested, he told the police that Sholotan told him to keep the car for him until they find a buyer.

The police arrested Sholoton, who took them to Sango, where Azeez was arrested. 

It was alleged that the suspect offered N9 million bribe to the police to persuade them not to proceed with theinvestigation, which was turned down by the officers in charge.

During interrogation, Azeez allegedly confessed to the police that he deceived the customs officer he was a spiritualist and told her that her family members were after her property and wanted to kill her .

The suspect  told the police that he sold the woman’s property at Ajah for N180 million, the one at Omole for N75 million and the one at Oko Oba for N120 million, without the consent of the owner.

Azeez, in a bid to cover up the dastardly act, invited the deceased customs officer and her adopted daughter for prayers at Sango, where he kidnapped and killed them. 

He took the remains of the woman and the 12-year-old girl to a building at Ajuwon, which he reportedly just acquired, and buried them in a shallow grave.

Azeez also confessed to the police that he had to kill the young girl to completely erase traces of the murder to him. 

Culled from the Nation

Fan Celebrating World Cup Jumps to his Death from Cruise Ship (Photos)

A Mexican football who had been toasting the success of his team at the World Cup jumped to his doom from a cruise liner as he tried to impress a fellow female passenger.He reportedly cried out 'Look at me!' before jumping to his death.

Jorge Alberto Lopez Amores, 28, was on the deck of the cruise liner MSC Divina when he plunged over the railings into the ocean below last Wednesday.Pepe Guardilo, a fellow passenger, said:

'I saw him chatting up a pretty female journalist aboard the ship. He was animated, a result of too much booze and the team doing so well so far in the tournament.I heard him say to her: 'I am so happy that I can fly! Look at me!' And with that he stuck his arms out and dived overboard.The ship was moving at a fair clip and he vanished into the foam created in the ship's wake.By the time the ship had stopped and turned around, he was nowhere to be seen.

Shocked passengers alerted the ship's crew which slowed the massive vessel and turned it around to look for him.But the manoeuvre took over an hour and by the time the ship had returned to the spot where he took his dive he was nowhere to be seen.


The son of a wealthy lawyer, Mr Amores was one of 3,000 people aboard the ship that is cruising around Brazil, taking in football matches en-route.

Brazil's coastal waters are filled with dangerous currents not to mention sharks, with government officials in some coastal areas increasing lifeguard numbers and erecting signs in English to warn World Cup tourists about sharks.

Although the Brazilian navy has joined in the hunt for Mr Amores, the chances of him being found alive are slim.

He posted the photos on the ship, will a female friends moments before the fall...

Culled from mailonline....

Meet The World’s Largest Family: 181 Members, 1 Man, 39 Wives, 94 Children (PHOTOS)

He is head of the world’s biggest family – and says he is ‘blessed’ to have his 39 wives.
Ziona Chana also has 94 children, 14-daughters-in-law and 33 grandchildren.
They live in a 100-room, four storey house set amidst the hills of Baktwang village in the Indian state of Mizoram, where the wives sleep in giant communal dormitories.


You treat this place like a hotel: With 100 rooms, the Ziona mansion is the biggest concrete structure in the hilly village of Baktawng in Mizoram, India

Mr Chana told the Sun: ‘Today I feel like God’s special child. He’s given me so many people to look after.

'I consider myself a lucky man to be the husband of 39 women and head of the world’s largest family.’

The family is organised with almost military discipline, with the oldest wife Zathiangi organising her fellow partners to perform household chores such as cleaning, washing and preparing meals.
One evening meal can see them pluck 30 chickens, peel 132lb of potatoes and boil up to 220lb of rice.

Coincidentally, Mr Chana is also head of a sect that allows members to take as many wives as he wants.


*Feeling peckish? The senior ladies of the Chana family show what it takes just to make a meal


*The wives and me: Mr Ziona Chana poses with his 39 wives at their home in Baktawng

He even married ten women in one year, when he was at his most prolific, and enjoys his own double bed while his wives have to make do with communal dormitories.

He keeps the youngest women near to his bedroom with the older members of the family sleeping further away – and there is a rotation system for who visits Mr Chana’s bedroom.

Rinkmini, one of Mr Chana’s wives who is 35 years old, said: ‘We stay around him as he is the most important person in the house. He is the most handsome person in the village.

She says Mr Chana noticed her on a morning walk in the village 18 years ago and wrote her a letter asking for her hand in marriage.


*Shared bedroom: A look inside the four-storey mansion, Chhuanthar Run – The House of the New Generation

Another of his wives, Huntharnghanki, said the entire family gets along well. The family system is reportedly based on ‘mutual love and respect’

And Mr Chana, whose religious sect has 4,00 members, says he has not stopped looking for new wives.

‘To expand my sect, I am willing to go even to the U.S. to marry,’ he said.

One of his sons insisted that Mr Chana, whose grandfather also had many wives, marries the poor women from the village so he can look after them. 

Herdsmen vs. Farmers clashes: Nigeria considers embedding trackers on grazing animals

Some of the herdsmen are believed to be from neighbouring West African countries, particularly Niger.

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To prevent the incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers across Nigeria, the federal government says it is considering inserting trackers on grazing cattle.

The Minister of Agriculture, Akinwunmi Adesina, stated this on Monday at the international conference on security and development challenges of pastoralists in West Africa.

Hundreds of people have been killed in several Nigerian states in clashes between the Fulani herdsmen and the farmers.

Some of the herdsmen are believed to be from neighbouring West African countries, particularly Niger.

Flooding: Ebonyi on the precipice

Flooding and erosion continue to threaten Ebonyi State, laeingd to loss of lives and destruction of properties.

In 2012, devastating floods ravaged 14 states in Nigeria, killing an estimated 363 people and displacing 2.1 million people. Also 597,476 houses were destroyed while several farmlands and livestock were destroyed. In all, more than seven million people were affected by the flood.

Ebonyi State was among the 14 states affected by the flood with at least three people confirmed dead and thousands of others displaced.

In 2013, the state witnessed more severe flooding.

According to the state governor, Martin Elechi, the 2013 flood disaster displaced about 332,938 persons in different parts of the state.

He also said the effect of flooding, gully erosion and other natural disasters in the state has been so devastating and had caused the loss of property estimated at several billions of Naira, including cash crops and other agricultural produce.

The state is also ravaged by gully erosion which is rampant in most local government areas of the country.

But the worst hit is Afikpo South Local Government Area which has over 21 erosion sites.

At present, erosion has so far submerged three buildings in the local government headquarters while the administrative building which houses the offices of key officers of the council, including the Chairman, is also at the risk of caving in any moment.

The situation forced the council administration to construct a new 40 room administrative building in another part of the local government area to relocate the workers.

The town, it was gathered, is in imminent danger of being cut off from their neighbours as the erosion is fast encroaching into the roads built by the state government which link the community with her neighbours.

Already, the road linking the community with Ohafia in Abia State has collapsed, forcing motorists and other road users to resort to using track roads in order to connect the two communities. This situation has brought indescribable hardship on the people.

In a bid to tackle the menace, the state government recently launched the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), which is a World Bank-assisted project for Ebonyi State.

The Governor, during the launch at the Women Development Centre (WDC), expressed his hope that the intervention of NEWMAP would rewrite the ugly trend.

Elechi further said the state government, in conjunction with the Federal Government, had put in series of intervention measures aimed at controlling and containing flood and erosion menace in the capital city.

“I wish to implore you to kindly take time off your schedule to visit some of the major flood and erosion sites to appreciate ongoing remedial measures being put in place by the state in conjunction with the Federal Government.

“Survey shows that Southeast zone of the country is at imminent danger as gully erosion alone contributes to environmental degradation and other associated damage estimated at millions of dollars annually.

“It is for this reason that the Federal Government solicited the support of the World Bank and the response of the bank gave rise to the NEWMAP,’’ Governor Elechi said.

He further commended the World Bank for its timely response to this daunting challenge and for its many partnering developmental initiatives in the state.

He enumerated areas of assistance to include HIV and AIDS, Community-based Urban Development Project (CBUDP), Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) and Health System Development Project (HSDP), among others.

Mr Amos Abu who is the task team leader of NEWMAP commended federal and state governments for tackling challenges of erosion menace, especially in the Southeast zone of the country.

He said NEWMAP would collaborate with relevant stakeholders to address the problem of flooding and gully erosion in Ebonyi State.

“Ebonyi State is the first among the five southeast states to key into the NEWMAP programme and we are optimistic that the project will go a long way in tackling the flooding and erosion menace in the state,” he said.