Happiness Chidinma Opara's Blog

Monday, April 14, 2014

Abuja explosion: Security agencies on red alert – IGP

Security agencies have been placed on red alert throughout the Federal Capital Territory following the explosion that occurred in Nyanya bus stop on Monday morning. CSP Frank Mba, Police Force spokesman, told newsmen in Abuja at the scene of the incident that the blast occurred at about 6.55 a.m. “The FCT police are already on red alert; security in and around Abuja is being strengthened; we are paying very close attention to all vulnerable points. “We are also paying close attention to motor parks. We advise the public to avoid unnecessary huge crowd. We are also paying close attention to government buildings. “We want to appeal for calm, cooperation and patience,’’ he said, describing the incident as sad. Mba confirmed that 16 high capacity buses, some cars and motorcycles were affected in the explosion. He said investigation had begun. “Experts from the Bomb Disposal Squad are on ground, the police are working with other security agencies. “At this stage, we may not be able to give the casualty figure; the reasons are obvious; a lot of people are in the hospital; our detectives are visiting hospitals and taking count. “We want to give you figures that we can back up with facts,’’ he said. A survivor, Prince Igwe, however, said a vehicle was driven into the park and parked in front of the already loaded high capacity buses. “The driver hurriedly parked and disappeared shortly after the explosion went off. I was inside one of the buses; I struggled to come out. “Many people died,’’ he said. The car was burnt beyond recognition but its chassis number could still be located on the engine. A NAN correspondent who got to the scene shortly after the blast, counted about 70 corpses at the scene. The huge explosion left a big crater at the scene of the blast. Those affected were passengers, mostly workers leaving the park to the city centre, petty traders and vehicles conveying passengers to other locations within and outside the FCT. Police and other security agencies as well as para-military agencies carrying out rescue operation had hectic time controlling crowd at the scene. The force spokesman appealed to them to leave the scene for unfettered investigation. The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar; Commander, Guards Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Anthony Omozoje and top security personnel visited the scene. (NAN)

70-yr-old HIV patient rapes girl, 13....

JOS— A 70-year-old man has been arrested for raping a 13-year-old girl in Barkin Ladi Local Government of Plateau State. The man whose name has been withheld was said to have raped the girl last Thursday. The suspect said to be in police net is infected with HIV and is on anti-retroviral drugs. The old man was said to have been caught in the act by the son of the landlord, who immediately reported the matter to the police. It was also gathered that the old man had confessed committing the crime, but later denied after some of his kinsmen told him to deny raping the minor. The Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Mr Chris Olakpe confirmed that the 70-year-old man is in police custody in Barkin Ladi, for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl but said he would be transferred to the headquarters in Jos. -

I Quit Education After I Scored 17 In Jamb - Timaya

Ukwu crooner Timaya in a recent perfomance in Uyo last weekend made a bold confession on stage and urged his fans to stay in school.

He bravely revealed that he scored only 17 in JAMB, and really urged his fans to not abandon school even though he said it wasn't for him.
The Singer said:“Education is not for me, it is important, yes, but not for me. I scored 17 in JAMB, that's when I gave up. I don’t have the brain for education but for those of you who do, please do it, its good.” Enetimi Alfred Odom AKA Timaya was born in Port harcourt, Rivers State in 1977, he was the youngest of fifteen children. His father was a banker and Mother a trader. He schooled at Assemblies of God Nursery and Primary school and secondary school at Nkpolu Oroworukwo in Port Harcourt but he got a secondary school certificate in Lagos ' at Ikeja Grammar School.
READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/64395.html

READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/64395.html

Abuja Bomb Blast: NEMA Request For Blood Donation As Death Toll Rises

Following the bomb blast, this morning, at the Nyanya Motor Park in Abuja, which has left scores of Nigerians dead, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have called on Nigerians to rally round to donate blood to save the lives of some of the victims who survived the blast.

Scene of the bomb blast

According to the agency, most of the survivors are in desperate need of blood.
They are calling on Nigerians to visit the General Hospitals in Nyanya and Asokoro in Abuja for the donation while those within the main city can donate blood at NEMA office at 39 Abidjan Street, Wuse Zone 3 Abuja.
The bomb had exploded this morning in Nyanya when commuters were boarding the mass transit buses to get to their place of work.
The number of casualties is still rising as about 200 people have been reported to have lost their lives.
READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/64404.html

READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/64404.html

Man Kills Roommate During Fight Over Cooking Pot

The Lagos State Police Command has apprehended a 20-year-old man, Ngwuta Nweke, for allegedly killing his friend in their apartment in the Sawmill area of Ebute Meta.

Emeka James

According to the police, the suspect strangled Emeka James during an argument over a cooking pot on March 22, 2014.

Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, said, “On the fateful day, around 12.30pm, Nweke strangled James who lived in an apartment at Kadara slum, close to Sawmill, Ebute Meta, during a fight over a cooking pot.

“The corpse has been deposited at the Mainland Hospital Mortuary, Yaba, while the matter is under investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.” The suspect, however, told the police that he did not mean to kill his friend, but only strangled him in a bid to overpower him in a free fight.
He said, “James is the owner of the apartment, I only started living with him about a month before the incident. I sell fuel pump for a living at Idumota and I did not have the money to secure an accommodation so James took me in. “On the day of the incident, I had some stew in a pot and James told me to empty the pot because he wanted to make use of it. I told him that I could not pour the stew anywhere and he should be patient, but he got angry. “In a fit of rage, he picked up the pot and poured the stew into a dirty container. I also got angry and we started fighting. “I grabbed him from behind and as we were struggling, we both fell to the ground. When I got up, I realised that James was no longer breathing.”
It was learnt that the deceased was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead.
Neighbours were said to have alerted policemen at the Denton Police Station after which the suspect was arrested and transferred to the homicide department of the SCID.
The landlord of the victim, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said he was surprised that the suspect was living with the deceased. He said, “I have known James since 2011 when he started living in the house. He was a good person and was very hardworking. He was a hawker, but when the state government began a clamp down of their activities, he started doing other menial jobs.
“I never knew anyone was living with James. It was when I was invited by the police that I saw the guy (Nweke) for the first time.”
It was learnt that the matter would soon be charged to court.
READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/64370.html

READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/64370.html

Abuja Bomb Blast: President Jonathan To Visit Nyanya Park

President Goodluck Jonathan has reportedly cancelled his scheduled trip to Ibadan, due to deadly bomb blast that rocked Abuja in the morning of April 14, 2014, Monday.

President Jonathan Cancels Trip To Ibadan; Expected At The Scene Of The Tragedy

President Jonathan Cancels Trip To Ibadan; Expected At The Scene Of The Tragedy

The president condemned the attacks and ordered to beef up the security within the Abuja Metropolis.
The president will visit the scene of the blast at an undisclosed time today (Monday) to ascertain the nature of the attacks by the suspected terrorists.
Currently, the scene of the tragedy has already been cordoned off. The blast point caused a crate at the scene. NSCDC officials, fire services, NEMA, the DSS and police have been on ground battling to contain the situation and manage crowd control. Many of the victims were delivered to the Asokoro General Hospital. It would be recalled that the bomb has gone off at the Nyanya Park in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, claiming about 200 lives. The bomb exploded when commuters were boarding the mass transit buses. The number of causalities is constantly increasing.

May God accept the lost souls in His kingdom and and grant the bereaved the Grace to deal with this ungodly situation in Jesus Name....

READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/64396.html

National Conference Delegate Spotted Playing Scrabble Responds

The photo of a delegate to Nigeria's ongoing National Conference playing Scrabble on his Laptop went viral sometime last week and the culprit is Professor Oyewale Tomori.

Professor Oyewale Tomori

A national daily had posted the photo with a caption, ''Does anyone have a name for him?"

Prof. Tomori playing scrabble

Responding to this, the Elder statesman, Professor Tomori, said:

"Yes, indeed, I know the person, because I am the one. I have responded to some of the blogs on the matter. The truth is this activity was done during the lunch break between 2-4 pm. As soon as the Chairman calls the meeting to order, I switch off my computer. Is there any rule against spending my free time as I like? Moreover, is there anything wrong, if others engage in reading newspapers and talking with others during their free time, and I prefer engaging in activities, I consider more useful to my development, such as using scrabble to improve my word power and discover new words? Indeed, I often play against the best in the world, world champions, and I have been beaten many times. But in the process I learnt new words, their meanings and improve my written and spoken language.

"Journalists live and sell their papers through the sensation route, which often is the opposite to telling the truth or providing full details. If the person who posted the picture had said the activity took place during the lunch break, that would have been no news; but to create sensation, he or she was economical with details.

"I will certainly continue to play such other mind engaging games like Sudoku, Logic, etc, if only to make me a better thinker and presenter. Only thing, is I will do this at my own free time!

"Thank you very much."

Professor Oyewale Tomori is a University administrator and academician and the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ogun State. He is a researcher and laboratory specialist has a wide range of experience in virology, disease prevention and control, national capacity building and development in the African region.
READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/64378.html

READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/64378.html

READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/64378.html

“I Saw Many People In The Bus Dead”, Says Abuja Bomb Blast Witness

A witness to the early morning explosion that occurred at a crowded bus station on the outskirts of Abuja today has given a jaw dropping account of what he saw.

“More than two buses carrying workers were cut up by the blast,” witness Kingsley Ajimobi said.
“I saw many people in the bus dead, and many were injured.”
READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/64392.html

* Scene of the blast in Abuja

* One of the victims of the explosion that happened in Abuja this morning

No fewer than 50 people were said to have died while scores were reported injured in the blast at Nyanya major bus park, the first such attack near the Nigerian capital for two years.
Body parts and blood were strewn across the station and an unruly crowd of several hundred onlookers were roaming around with security forces unable to keep them away.
“I was waiting to get on a bus when I heard a deafening explosion then saw smoke. People were running around in panic,” said Mimi Daniels, who works in Abuja.
Also, a foreign media house cameraman said he saw 20 bodies at the station near Nyanyan bridge, south of Abuja. Another news reporter was also quoted saying that he saw at least 15 bodies separately loaded into waiting ambulances. Police and the military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/64392.html

READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/64392.html

Friday, April 11, 2014

Photos: Meet the Indian Conjoined Twins who are Worshipped as gods and say They Never want to be Separated

Conjoined twins Shivanath and Shivram Sahu caused quite a stir when they were born in India, with some people in their village worshipping them as divine incarnations. And while one doctor has said that it would be possible to separate them, the 12-year-old boys, who were born joined at the waist, are determined to remain together.

The twins share two legs and four arms and work in tandem to get around. They are believed to share the same stomach but have independent lungs, hearts and brains.