Dusk To Dawn Curfew As Church, Mosques Burnt In Southern Kaduna

By SaharaReporters, New York

A dusk-to-dawn curfew has been imposed following the burning of a church, and at least two mosques, including some buildings today in Southern Kaduna by armed Christian and Muslim followers. The skirmishes occurred in the military town of Kachia that houses both the Nigerian Navy and Army institutions, military personnel confirmed the occurrence of the attacks to SaharaReporters.

The source, speaking to us on the condition of anonymity, said angry Muslims had attacked a church after their own praying ground was torched by Christians in the area. The military source also said the Nigerian military, and police officials, have both taken over the town as a dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed by the Kaduna State government in view of a possible escalation.

The mood in Kachia on Sunday evening following both events is “tense,” say our sources. The police authorities in the state are yet to make an official public announcement of their on-the-ground observations on the unfolding events of recent hours.  On the issue of casualties, possible fatalities, and details of property damage to the other buildings inside Kachia are not yet known.  

Police officials have also not yet released any information following the series of attacks, nor what caused the inflamed religious confrontations in Kachia.  

Two undergrad sisters burnt to death in Agbor

File: Fire Razes Katsina Governor's Office

TWO female undergraduate siblings have been burnt to death following a midnight inferno that razed their hostel in Agbor, Delta State, Tuesday.

The two girls were students of College of Education, Agbor and were among those living in a private hostel adjacent the college.
Their names were given as Favour and Ndidi from Obiaruku in Ukwuani Local Government Area of the state.

According to an eyewitness, “the unfortunate incident occurred while they were sleeping in the hostel. The fire started at about midnight unknown to neighbours that the two girls were in their rooms.”

The cause of the fire was not immediately ascertained but Vanguard gathered that men of the state fire service were called in for rescue operation after the havoc had been done. The two corpses were deposited at the Central Hospital, Agbor.

State Commissioner, Bureau for Special Duties, Dr. Tony Nwaka, had while delivering his mid-term report last year said 90 lives and property worth over N7 billion were lost to fire in the last six years.
He said over N65 billion property were salvaged.

VANGUARD

20 women raped, police van burnt as hoodlums invade Agbarha-Otor

THERE is apprehension in Agbarha-Otor kingdom in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State following a reign of terror unleashed on the people by hoodlums in the last few days.

The Area Commander, Ughelli, Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, Awosola Awotinde confirmed to Saturday Vanguard that 34 persons were in police net in connection with the orgy of violence.

THUGS

It was gathered that no fewer than 20 women and girls, including an eight-year-old daughter of the Vicar of an Anglican church in the community were raped by the hooligans, who also set ablaze a police patrol vehicle.

A number of police officers were, at the outset, sent to the palace of the monarch of Agbarha-Otor, His Royal Majesty Richard Oghenevwogaga, Ebelle-Okorefe I, to secure the king’s abode following a breakdown of law and order in the community, Wednesday night, but rampaging hoodlums overpowered them.

At press time, last night, the monarch has relocated from the palace for safety reason, while the Area Commander, Ughelli, has reinforced security in the town. Saturday Vanguard also sighted soldiers in the troubled community.

The hooligans, numbering about 100 were angry that the monarch refused to participate in the traditional “Ekene” festival on grounds that he is a Christian.

According to our source, “they wanted the king to make sacrifice to the deity, but he refused, saying he is a Christian and they should go ahead without him contributing money or cooking for them during the feast, as some of the priests and chiefs demanded.

“His refusal to take part in the feast infuriated the hooligans, who vowed to foment trouble and they executed their mission on Wednesday, the last day of the feast. The unfortunate thing is that some chiefs even supported their rebellion,” he added.

Saturday Vanguard learnt that hoodlums allegedly expelled from the community because of their criminal escapades, started with the clergyman because it was in his church that the king held a thanksgiving service recently.

Besides raping the clergyman’s eight-year-old daughter, hospitalized because of the incident and other girls, they also hijacked the property of people, claiming that the deity wanted them.

A community leader said, the miscreants engaged in raping of women (married and single) since the festival, which is held once every 15 years started on 27th of March. It took a worrisome dimension Wednesday night as they invaded the Church’s vicarage, destroyed and looted properties worth thousands of naira after making the vicar and his households undergo some inhuman treatments.”

According to our source, “on their way from the vicarage, they invaded the shop of the Queen Mother of Agbarha-Otor and raided her shop; they stole wines and practically every other thing in the shop and also vandalized the freezer.”

Culled from Vanguard

Six year old boy, others die in fire explosion.

Photo Credit: Channels Tv

A six-year-old boy was on Sunday burnt to death in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, while trying to jump down from a bus, which caught fire on the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.

The deceased was among the 18 passengers in a bus coming from Lagos, which ran into a tanker that  earlier had an accident.

An witness said that the articulated  vehicle  was found around 7.30 a.m to have fallen, with its side on the median of the expressway.

According to him,‘’I found out that the fuel it was conveying had  spilled.  About 30 minutes later, I saw some people  trying to scoop the fuel, but some firefighters later arrived and chased the people away. They sprayed all the surroundings of the tanker to prevent explosion. Later, they left.

‘’Around 9.30 a.m, I heard a loud sound which was followed by a thick smoke from the articulated vehicle. I also saw some people  scampering out of another bus a few metres away.

‘’The bus was coming from Lagos and because  traffic was already building, the driver tried overtaking other vehicles when the bus’ exhaust pipe scratched an iron by the side of the road and sparked, igniting fire.’’

He added that, it was the fire that trailed the fuel, which made the fallen tanker to explode afterwards.