Google has yet to put a firm timeline on the consumer launch of its own Google Glass wearable computer, which is available to developers and early adopters via Google's 'Explorer' program. Some reports had suggested a general launch for late 2013, but then later information from Google revised the release timeline to sometime in 2014. Samsung could conceivably beat Google to the punch, but as we saw with the Galaxy Gear, that's not necessarily a good thing.
The Gear was likewise telegraphed before its actual launch, with Samsung coming right out and admitting the device was on the way at IFA. This time around, there's no named source discussing the device, but the Korea Times does quote a Samsung official as saying that the potential in the market is huge, and that Samsung is very interested in getting a first-mover advantage in the space.
As for what Samsung Glass would do, it sounds like it would essentially provide a basic heads-up display for your smartphone on your face, pushing notifications, music playback information and basic controls to the lens of a head-mounted display.
Samsung getting in among the early crop of device-makers hoping to ride this trend is in keeping with its recent strategy, which seems to be one of putting everything they can out as a shipping product. It's a plan that gets them lots of props as a company eager to pursue innovation and drive new product development, but the first-mover advantage has only questionable use value if these first generation products keep failing to impress.
Both the smartwatch and the eyeware-based computing models are interesting because OEMs seem to be pursuing them fairly aggressively without any evidence that this is a direction consumers necessarily are interested in. We'll apparently see in September if Samsung has managed to build a face computer that moves the tech forward, however.
Culled from TechCrunch
Both West African perennial foes will confront each other on Wednesday at the Free State Stadium, Manguang to decide who progress to the final of the biennial football showpiece.Nigeria stopped Morocco 4-3 in the quarter finals on Saturday while the Ghanaians pipped DR Congo 1-0 to set up the epic clash between familiar opponents on Wednesday.
Hamilton said the semifinal encounter will turn out to be the most unpredictable game of the entire matches played at the championship."The Ghana, Nigeria semifinal tie will be the most exciting game of the championship, both countries are perennial rivals and West African football giants."Both sides play good football, it's an encounter that'll be too difficult to predict its outcome. We'll just keep our fingers crossed hoping for the very best for the Nigerian side. Everybody must expect a. tough contest between both sides.
"But I know the Nigerians are equal to the task and I'm confident Nigeria will win the battle on Wednesday," said the former Nigerian star to supersport.com.Hamilton said the Super Eagles must do everything humanly possible to avoid trailing their Ghanaian opponents, the Black Stars as they did against the Atlas Lions of Morocco."We must not for any reason trail behind the Ghanaians as it may prove too tough to comeback as we did against the Moroccans.
"And once we go up scoring we must not stop scoring and not until the whistle sounds signifying the end of the encounter the Ghanaian side remain a dangerous side. Only goals win the match so we must continue to score goals," said the former Super Falcons manager.Hamilton assured the Eagles coaches will correct the lapses noted in the side's previous matches before the game on Wednesday against Ghana.
"No side is perfect but correction of mistakes is a continuous exercise, we've our shortcomings same as the Ghanaian side but I'm sure the coaches will work on those mistakes before we face Ghana," Hamilton said.
"No side is perfect but correction of mistakes is a continuous exercise, we've our shortcomings same as the Ghanaian side but I'm sure the coaches will work on those mistakes before we face Ghana," Hamilton said.
"No side is perfect but correction of mistakes is a continuous exercise, we've our shortcomings same as the Ghanaian side but I'm sure the coaches will work on those mistakes before we face Ghana," Hamilton said.
Culled from Supersport
I am a very good fan of your comedy show including my husband and kids, I would rather have spoken to you over the phone or make time to see you face to face, but as it is the season of open letter in Nigeria, I would like to use this medium to express how disappointed I am over your comment or joke as you may call it on "Rape".
First let me try to educate you about the meaning of Rape, maybe you did not check your dictionary for the meaning or you don't have one at home.
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another without any consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or against a person who is incapable of valid consent, such as one who is unconscious, incapacitated, or below the legal age of consent. The term rape is sometimes used interchangeably with the term sexual assault.
Rape and sexual slavery are recognized as crimes against humanity and war crimes. Rape is also recognized as an element of the crime of genocide when committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a targeted ethnic group.
People who have been raped can be severely traumatized and may suffer from post traumatic stress disorder; in addition to psychological harm resulting from the act, rape may cause physical injury, or have additional effects on the victim, such as acquiring of a sexually transmitted infection or becoming pregnant. Furthermore, following a rape, a victim may face violence or threats thereof from the rapist, and, in some cultures, from the victim's own family and relatives. More about rape and its effect of victims can be obtained for free from the Encyclopaedia.
Bright, let me ask you, have any of your relation been raped before? Have your blood sister or daughter been raped before? If the answer is yes, then how can you possibly make a joke about it. but if the answer is no, then you must be ashamed of yourself ….
Your lack of respect for women has manifested. When you first began to make jokes about Nigerian women we thought that it was to make people laugh, now you can be easily accused of making these jokes because you want to disrespect, humiliate and insult Nigerian women. Why should Nigerian women be painted black by a fellow Nigerian who they pay money to watch his show? These women who come to your shows are the people putting food on your table, the clothes you wear, pay your bills, fuel your car and you have the innuendo to rubbish them?
As a brand ambassador of some companies in Nigeria, you are supposed to be a role model for our children, but what are you teaching them, are you teaching them that rape is fun?
you are telling them that any girl they want to have sex with and who says no should be raped? To the girls you are simply calling them sex toys that can be bought with money. By your joke you have reduced Nigerian women to zero. How will men from other countries see our women?
Finally, I will advise you to always think about the consequence of what you open your mouth to joke about because that mouth that brought you fame and good things of life may still play a part in bringing you down.
Evelyn Ejiogu
In a statement issued by the Corporation's General Manager, Media Relations, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, it insisted that issues surrounding the allegation of the unremitted $49.8 billion against it had since been explained, but it appears that the initial dust raised by Sanusi's letter was yet to settle.
It explained that repairs on Nigeria's 5,000 kilometres of petroleum pipeline network, which is constantly subjected to vandalism, unpaid subsidies on kerosene and petrol, as well as its maintenance of national strategic reserves for petroleum products, were all parts of its operational costs accounted for by the $10.8 billion.
According to Ibrahim, the Corporation considered it necessary to make further clarifications on the burning issue, considering the extant media reports on the same issue, which it considered as misleading.
"We are therefore constrained to respond and clarify the issues once again to help those who do not yet understand the clarification made earlier by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, at a joint press conference which was widely reported in the media.
"For the avoidance of doubt, there was no where it was stated or admitted by any of the parties in the course of the press conference or anywhere else that the sum of $12 billion or $10.8 billion out of he alleged unremitted $49.8 billion was missing.
"The truth of the matter is that as at the time of the press conference, $30 billion of the alleged unremitted oil revenue had been reconciled by all the parties involved. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala did explain that the reconciliation was an ongoing process and that the balance of $10.8 billion was still being reconciled," said the Corporation's spokesperson.
"At no time did anybody, be it the Coordinating Minister for the Economy or the CBN governor say that the outstanding $10.8 billion was missing. It is simply curious how some sections of the media are not prepared to see the difference between the two positions – reconciliation in progress versus money missing. These two positions are simply not the same thing no matter the angle from which anyone chooses to see them."
Giving a breakdown of NNPC's operational expenses, which make up the $10.8 billion, Ibrahim said, having made that point, it is also pertinent to further clarify that NNPC as a national oil company is saddled with certain onerous responsibilities that other oil companies are free from.
"For instance, as the supplier of last resort, NNPC has the responsibility of ensuring that there is adequate supply of petroleum products whether the market is favourable or not.
"The yet to be reconciled $10.8 billion can be located in the expenses on some of the responsibilities, which the Corporation carries out on behalf of the federal government with respect to the domestic crude oil utilisation.
"One of such issues is the unpaid subsidy on kerosene and premium motor spirit (petrol). It would be recalled that Dr. Okonjo-Iweala was earlier in 2013 reported to have stated that she had not paid any subsidy on kerosene since she assumed office.
"The truth of the matter is that since 2007 when the late President Umaru Yar'Adua reviewed the prices of petroleum products, following the general strike in protest against the price hike by his predecessor, the issue of subsidy payment on kerosene was left hanging and NNPC was mandated to continue to sell the product at a subsidised rate of N50 per litre.
Tukur said this in reaction to a letter written to him and President Goodluck Jonathan, dated Jan. 7, 2014, by Obasanjo.
Obasanjo had, in the letter, raised some issues related to the PDP in the country's South-West geo-political zone.
The letter had also conveyed Obasanjo's decision to withdraw from participating in the party`s politics at all levels.
'It is an honour that you deemed it fit and proper to intimate me with an issue important to your mind and our party in the south-west zone.
'It is my wish and prayer that such cordial and positive relationship will continue,'' Tukur said.
He stated that Obasanjo's experiences as one of the party`s founding fathers were required in its drive to get stronger and become more formidable.
Tukur said the PDP had more pressing challenges, bordering most importantly on the coming Ekiti and Osun states' governorship elections and the 2015 general elections.
All this, he said, required strong inputs from the former president.
The PDP national chairman said continuous dialogue was needed for a stronger partnership among the party's stakeholders.
He maintained that the need for PDP to reclaim lost grounds in the south-west required the full support of party leaders like Obasanjo.
Tukur expressed gratitude to Obasanjo for his manner of approach and for presenting his grievances on issues in the PDP south-west.
''1 thank you for your gesture and I pray that we shall all continue to dialogue and partner, so he can move our party forward.'' he said.
Baba also said there was the need for PDP to attain success in the governorship elections coming up in Ekiti and Osun and the subsequent elections in 2015.
This, according to him, was critical to reclaiming lost grounds in the South-West zone of the country.
On issues raised by Obasonjo in the letter on the state of PDP in the south-west, Tukur said the crisis within the PDP in the zone preceded his emergence as the party`s national chairman.
He insisted that the party`s National Executive Committee (NEC) and the National Working Committee were never part of the problems in the south-west PDP.
"We came in when we were threatened with contempt of court charges for not obeying the court's order to dissolve the south-west zonal executive and remove some officers of the party.
"We complied with the court orders because of our belief in the rule of law and to avoid consequences of disobeying such orders.'' Tukur said.
There were conflicting accounts, claims and counter-claims over who shot the serving senator, who has been flown to London for better medication after first aid treatment in two hospitals in Nigeria. While Governor Amaechi's aides accused the police of shooting Abe, the police distanced themselves from the act, saying that they do not use rubber bullets and did not fire any shot at the event.
Also, there was an allegation that the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, directed the police to disrupt the rally, which the minister denied.
The Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Mr Tony Okocha, who claimed that he was with the Senator when the Police shot him at very close range, said they also fired teargas at them, adding that one of the canisters of the teargas hit him (Chief of Staff) on his leg.
Okocha said he had to escape into somebody's house in the neighbourhood to save his life, adding that the Police kept on firing the teargas to disperse those that were there for the rally.
How we were attacked — Okocha
His words: "This morning was a huge surprise to me. It's the turn of Obio/Akpor Local Government to host the Save Rivers Movement; we had gone to Eleme and also to Asari-Toru. Today (yesterday) is the turn of Obio/Akpor and as law-abiding citizens of Nigeria we wrote to the police, informing them of our programme and there was no negative response. We chose College of Arts and Sciences because it's more expansive, it could accommodate at least 10,000 persons that will come out of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area today (yesterday).
"At about few minutes past 12, I received a call from somebody; highly placed, informing me that the Commissioner of Police had been reached by the Supervising Minister for Education to dislodge our people today and I couldn't place it. About 4:30am, our men on ground, who were left there to secure the gadgets and facilities, called me to say that the police had taken over the place. For God's sake, we are defenceless free citizens of Nigeria, we don't carry arms. Save Rivers Movement is an organisation that insists that Rivers State must be saved, out to salvage the state from political buccaneers who want to put Rivers State into their pockets. We are in the business of sensitising our people from LGA to LGA. You are aware of a group called GDI, they go through all the LGAs with convoys of police, giving them all kinds of protection, including the commissioner of police, he's always in their convoys, providing security for them and ensuring that what they do in the LGAs are trouble-free.
"When they called me I couldn't place it immediately so I had to go there myself to see things. I was smoked as if I was a rabbit. I ran into someone's house and unfortunately the man has children, they were all suffocating, they were all dying. So we had to improvise, they said we should use coke, some said kerosene would work. We had to use all of that to ensure that the man's children live. That was what I saw; I was quarantined in somebody's house.
"I was wondering whether it is the CP that is the chief security officer of Rivers State or the governor. They said the CP ordered that we should not gather and I said our rights to gather and associate is inalienable, you can't take that away from us.
"As I talk to you, a Senator of the Federal Republic (Senator Abe) is lying critically ill in the hospital. I learnt arrangements are being made to fly him out of the country. We were together, he was even trying to make contacts with the IG when they shot him point blank. Senator Magnus Abe was shot in the chest with this their rubber bullet thing. My own was teargas shells. If they were doing the right thing they wouldn't be shooting teargas and be picking the shells, so they knew they were doing the wrong thing. They brought in seven Armoured Personnel Carriers inside the College of Arts and Sciences. To kill common criminals? Are we criminals? These are defenceless citizens of Rivers state and Nigeria. We have our rights and we are not aware of any court order that has taken these rights away or restricted us from gathering."
Continuing, Okocha said: "I heard that a young boy in the company of his mother, coming to church, suffocated and died instantly. I also heard that one house at Number 1 Elegbam Road was burnt because of the canister of teargas shot into it. They said it almost burnt down but people came to help put the fire out. A lot of people have been injured, there are people with varying degrees of injuries. Look at Magnus Abe, a senator of the republic, both of us were talking to the police, we were trying to explain to them and somebody was bold enough to shoot him point blank. Of course, they are working on the orders of the commissioner of police."
Hospitalised Abe can't talk — Aide
Meantime, Media aide to Senator Abe, Mr Honour Sirawoo, told Vanguard that Senator Abe who represents Rivers South East Senatorial district, was first admitted at a hospital in D line area of Port Harcourt but was later transferred to another hospital with better equipment to handle his situation after series of tests.
Sirawoo told newsmen that he was not with the Senator when he was shot but that he rushed to the hospital to see the Senator who was on drip and could not talk.
Senator treated for traumatic shock – Doctor
Dr Mackay Anyanwu who administered first aide to Senator Abe at Krisany Medical services, in D line where he was first rushed to, told newsmen that the Senator was treated for traumatic shock.
He said: "The patient was brought in a state of shock, as evidenced by low blood pressure. He was restless and he couldn't communicate or reason coherently. As a first aid, we treated him for traumatic shock because the implication of his state was that there was severe blood trauma and the amount of layers affected could not be detected immediately. This can only be done through haemorrhoid tests".
….Abe hit by high calibre weapon
"We have administered oxygen treatment on him for resuscitation and primary medication, but we also detected severe internal bleeding and high level haemorrhaging in him. Another bad news is that we also detected that the affected side is showing severe swelling, which led me to the conclusion that he must have been hit by a high calibre weapon and my fears were confirmed when I was told that he was shot with a rubber bullet", he said.
Effort by the Save Rivers Movement to regroup at Rumuigbo Civic Centre for the rally was again aborted by the Police as Policemen came and fired teargas to disperse the gathering.
The Police later blocked the civic centre part of the ever busy Ikwerre Road to traffic, a situation that caused gridlock on the other sections of the road and the adjourning part of East West Road.
Senator Abe was not shot —Police
However, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, said it was not true that the Police shot at Senator Abe with rubber bullets. According to him, Senator Abe and the Chief of Staff, Mr Okocha "walked peacefully" out of the venue of the proposed rally. While urging the press to give the Police fair hearing on the issue, he challenged media men to try to access Senator Abe to confirm if he was shot.
The Police spokesman confirmed that the Police used teargas to disperse youths who were there, stressing that no bullet was expended during the exercise. He also said the Police had to disperse the gathering because the organisers did not apply for police approval for the event.
"I want to state categorically that the Police did not fire any shot, no single ammunition was used. We don't shoot rubber bullets. We used minimum force to disperse the gathering at College of Arts and Science, Rumuola. When I say minimum force I mean smoke, teargas.
"Senator Abe along with the Chief of Staff walked peacefully out of that place. I wonder why people now say that he was shot at. I challenge you Journalists, you have a social responsibility to go and see Senator Abe if they will allow you to see him. You know they are very good in telling lies against the Police. I want to remind you that this gathering they planned to do today (yesterday), there was no application for permit to the Police neither was there approval. Based on this reason we had to disperse them. You will recall that we even provided security for them in Eleme because they applied.
When they gathered at the stadium we provided security for them because they applied and the Commissioner of Police granted approval. You remember Chief Bisi Akande, General Buhari, the governor, etc, all of them were at the programme at the stadium. Because they did not apply for approval for this programme that was why we dispersed the gathering," he said.
Newsmen gathered that the Police moved into the Arts and Science venue of the rally on Rumoula Road as early as 6am to start dismantling canopies that had been mounted for the event. When they allegedly retreated, the youths came back again to erect the canopies. Eye witnesses told newsmen that the Police later mobilised to the venue this time heavily armed. They allegedly fired teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the gathering.
Some members of the group who spoke to newsmen under condition of anonymity said they had wanted to shift the rally which was originally fixed for 12 noon to about 9am, yesterday, before the Police aborted the exercise.
Chairman of the Save Rivers Movement, Aholu Okechukwu said the Police lied when it said the group did not apply for permit for the rally. According to him, they wrote to the Police on January 7 over the rally.
Wike's convoy diverted
Meanwhile, at about 10.20 am, the Police mounted barricades on the two portions of the ever-busy Rumoula Road, diverting traffic heading to the two ends of the road to adjourning streets. At about 10.28 am, the Supervising Minister of Education, Mr Nyesom Wike drove from Aba Road into Rumuola Road in a convoy which included some security vehicles. He did not alight from the unmarked jeep conveying him. When his convoy got to the Police blockade on the Oroazi end of the Rumoula Road, it made a U-turn back to Aba Road.
I didn't disrupt rally —Wike
Denying allegations that he asked the Police to disrupt the rally, Wike in a telephone chat with Vanguard said it had become the tradition in the state for his opponent to link him with any action of the Police. "So I was the one who told Police to allow them to hold their rally at the stadium. I was also the one who asked the Police to allow them to hold their rally at Eleme. Sometimes you people should not be asking some questions".
Reminded that his convoy was on Rumuola Road at about 10. 28 am yesterday, he said: "' Yes. I was on my way to
Ahoada. I got to the road but the Police blocked it. I had to turn back. Did you see me come down from my vehicle? You must have seen that I did not come down from the vehicle."
The accident, an eye-witness, Mr. Peace Monday told Source occurred when a Cross Link bus carrying 18 passengers from Calabar to Onitsha, in Anambra State was hit by two trucks at the Obot Isong bridge in Odukpani Local Government Area, close to the Calabar River.
According to him, the bus was descending the slope leading to the bridge when a truck which had apparently failed brake swept it from its lane to the lane of oncoming vehicles and was hit by a truck coming from the Akwa- Ibom State end of the road. "The truck was descending the slope on very high speed. May be, its brakes had failed as it attempted to over take the bus from the right side but ended up sweeping the bus towards the other lane and a low board truck was coming on top speed and it hit the bus head on"
The impact of the hit tore the bus apart killing everybody except one lucky passenger who sustained severe injuries.
The truck that swept the bus to the other lane also tore through the railings on the bridge and plunged into the valley with its tires facing the sky. "The driver and the conductor were removed from under the truck dead but two other conductors who sat behind the truck on the chippings sustained serious injuries because they were flung very far from the truck to the bush". Peace narrated.
Narrating further, Peace said, those who came out alive were the driver of the low board trailer which ran over the bus and the two conductors who sat atop the rock chipping of the upturned truck who were flung into the bush and one passenger in the bus ."The Federal Road Safety Commission men from Akwa Ibom came to remove the corpses, while the man who survived was taken back to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, for medical attention.
When the scene of the accident was visited on Thursday morning, personal effects including bags, shoes, clothes and consumables like biscuits , cocacola, laca cera bottles were liltered around the scene of the incident.
In a telephone interview, Federal Road Safety Commission Commander for the Cross River State Command confirmed the accident, stressing that officers from Akwa Ibom State carried out the operation that removed the dead and wounded victims.
But I know that God has His reasons for everything. I am happy that you are now resting in heaven without worry about the cares of this world. I know that you will always be watching over Adeoto and me."
The mother of the boy, Esa Egbo, told newsmen, yesterday, that her son had been arrested four times for attempting to rape little girls between the ages of 10 and 15 years by the police in Badagry Division.
Mrs. Egbo also said she and her family are members of Perfect Christianity Mission in Surulere area of Lagos, where Dr. Ofuche Ukoha (aka Sign Fireman) is the General Overseer, adding that her son does not know or have any access to the cleric, whom he claimed sent him to kill the girl.
Neighbour laid a curse on him
She explained that two years ago, a neighbour laid a curse on her son and after then he started behaving strangely, thereby attempting to rape little children whenever he sees them.
According to her, "He started two years ago to molest girls in attempt to rape them. It is not an ordinary thing. You know some people are very good in hurting other people's children.
So for that reason I am suspecting that. He has been staying with me from birth and just two years ago when he was 16 years old, a man who lives close to us laid a curse on him.
"What happened was that we have a well in our compound and Ikechukwu and one of the man's daughters were at the well fetching water and they had a quarrel. Ikechuwu beat up the girl and when the man returned he brought out a belt to whip Ike and I prevented him. He started boasting that he was going to make Ike useless and miserable. I thought he was joking but after that Ikechuwu started behaving funny.
"Whenever he goes out during the day and sees a little girl he would grip and attempt to rape her and the girl would scream alerting people around, who would arrest and beat him up before handing him over to the police at Badagry Police Station.
Arrested four times for attempted rape
"On lucky days, he would escape and flee the area. He has been arrested four times over the same offence and I am the one who normally goes to bail him.
"In April last year, he made me lose over N25,000 I paid as WAEC exam fee. On the day he was supposed to start the exam, he left home with his school uniform and didn't return until after two weeks. When he came back he told me that the demon came over him on his way to school and he gripped a girl and when the girl screamed he managed to escape so he decided to run away from home.
"I and the father went to beg the people whose child he molested and I decided to follow him to school through out his NECO examinations.
"The last one before this occurred on December 10, 2013 at Imeke. He was arrested and charged to court and remanded in Badagry Prison. I got a lawyer who stood for him before he was granted bail.
"While these things were happening, I told our branch pastor at Badagry about it but I didn't tell our GO.
"Whenever he sees a little girl he would grip the girl and when she screams he would return to him self. He does not do it at night, it's always during the day time.
On the current issue
"On this particular case, he told me that he was going to work at a place where a building was demolished by government opposite the French Village in Badagry. They are actually constructing a factory at that place and he used to help them carry bags of cement for which they paid him some stipends at the end of the day.
"He failed to return home that day and I and his father went out to look for him at his place of work and people around told us that they didn't see him. The next day we didn't see him, so by Wednesday, we decided to go to the police station at Badagry.
"A police woman we met told us that we should go to the SCID to look for him. I asked her what was his offence and she refused to tell me, rather she said when I got to the SCID that I would know what was my son's offence.
"The next day I and my husband went to the SCID and when I saw my son he told me that there was a woman who sells food close to where he used to work and the woman had a daughter.
"He said on that day he was eating at the woman's shop when he saw the girl passing and all of a sudden something came over him and he stood up and followed the girl and gripped her so tight and the girl screamed and died after which he regained consciousness.
"He attempted to run, but someone at a building close by who saw all what happened apprehended him. He used to tell me that he was not misbehaving consciously but that something used to come over him and I have told our branch pastor about it and he prayed for him.
I dont know the boy — Sign Fireman
"My son didn't accuse the GO. I don't have the GO's phone number and that of my son. My son didn't beg the GO for money and even our branch pastor he has never gone to beg for money. Ikechukwu was the most gentle of all my children but this demon destroyed his life."
Contacted, Dr. Fireman told source that he was innocent of the allegations, saying he does not know the boy.
He said: "I don't know that boy and if anybody should know him or his family as members of our church, it's the Badagry branch pastor. I am the GO of my church. You can imagine how possible it would be for an 18-year-old boy from a distant branch to have easy access to me talk alone contracting him to kill someone on my behalf."
Also, the victims want the government to assist them get back on their businesses.
A victim, Mr. Daniel Apere, lamented that he lost goods worth more than N5 million to the inferno.
"I don't know where to start from, I watched all my life earnings totalling more than N5 million being consumed by the raging fire. Also, my elder brother lost over N30 million to the fire."
Apere appealed to the Federal Government to relocate the tank farms from Apapa, saying: "The number of casualties from tanker-related accidents is increasing daily, as a result the tank farms should be removed from Apapa and environs.''
It would be recalled that Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, while assessing the extent of damage caused by the explosion at the MRS tank farm, last year, urged the Federal Government, in the interest of the masses, to relocate the tank farms from the area.
Another victim, Collins Okafor, said: "All my goods were completely burnt and I could not salvage anything. For the past four months, we have been experiencing fire disasters around here but this is the greatest of all. An orange seller lost her son to the inferno and she also got burnt in the process, in her bid to rescue her son."
Mr. Oke Udeagbara, President of the Berger Business Community, lamented the loss of his members. He said: "The loss was unimaginable. We lost over N1 billion on that day.
One can imagine all the shops loaded with engines and the least of the truck engines costs N800,000. The explosion occurred at a time some of our members had just stocked their shops with new arrivals.''
Mr. Moses Okolie, chairman, Board of Trustees of the traders, said five of the traders who had rushed to the scene to salvage their property were injured in the process.
Mr. Arinze Okolie, manager, Berger Suya car park, said: "The fire started at about 10:00 pm and immediately spread to nearby buildings, burning several people to death."
Okolie, who attributed the incident to negligence on the part of the tanker driver, said: "The fuel-laden tanker experienced brake failure and rammed into the Police post at the bus stop.
Its content spilled on the road caught fire. The driver should have checked the brake system and other parts of the vehicle before setting out on the journey.''
Govt should rehabilitate our roads —Residents
Residents of Osho Drive, the closest community to the scene of the incident, yesterday, expressed disappointment with the state of Kirikiri-Ajegunle road and called on government to rehabilitate its and save them from incessant tragedies.
Chairman, Osho Drive Community Development Association, Mr. Nwogu Emmanuel, who spoke to Vanguard said the road was an eyesore.
He said: "May I state categorically that the tragedy was aggravated by the bad road. The tanker driver would have been able to handle the situation if not for the deplorable condition of the road. The bus-stop is prone to gridlocks as a result of the bad road, the number of casualties would have increased if there was gridlock on that day.''
The CDA chairman, however, affirmed that many of the victims were non-residents of the community.
He said: "Nobody has come to search for their relatives because the victims mostly consist of traders, lotto dealers and suya dealers who come from far away places to transact their businesses in the area."
Tankers should operate at night —Petroleum dealers
President, Petroleum Dealers Association, Badagry branch, Otunba Adisa Osiefa, said the tankers were causing more havoc than good especially in day time.
He said: "We cannot continue to lose lives on our roads. Tankers are not supposed to be on the road during the day, rather, they should move in the night. I have travelled far and wide and discovered that things like this rarely happen in foreign countries.
I have told the government on many occasions to restrain tankers from operating during the day. The amount we make on tankers cannot be compared with the number of lives lost each time an explosion occurs on our road."
Fresh tanker explosion averted
What could have been another petroleum tanker explosion was averted in Lagos, yesterday, through the quick intervention of the state's fire fighters and men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, who prevented an overturned tanker from igniting fire.
According to an eyewitness, a tanker fully loaded with petrol which registration number was removed, while on transit suddenly overturned in the process of negotiating a bend and spilled the content on the road.
The incident which reportedly occurred at about 1pm at Oke Ajuwon, along Iju-Ishaga road, in Ifako-Ijaiye Local Council Development Area, LCDA, led to traffic congestion as men of the Lagos State fire fighters and LASTMA, who sped to the scene following distress call, kept onlookers and motorists away from the spot of the incident.
According to Mr Tayo Adewale, a banker in one of the new generation banks in the area, "It is a miracle that the tanker did not burst into flames. But thank God for the quick arrival of LASTMA and fire fighters, it would have been a different story."
The situation was brought under control few hours later and the tanker was removed from the road.
The Ivoirian won the title for a third straight time beating off competition from compatriot Didier Drogba and local favourite John Obi Mikel to the title.
In a ceremony dominated by Nigeria who swept the Coach of the Year and Team of the Year awards, many had expected Chelsea's Mikel to win the top gong on the back of the Super Eagles' victory at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.
However, it was the Ivoirian Toure who was called up to the podium again, walking in the footsteps of Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o who won it thrice between 2003 and 2005.
Toure told media that he felt 'lucky' to win it considering the size of the competition. In the other awards given on the evening, Egyptian Mohamed Aboutreika won the award for best African player based on the continent. It was a good send off for the 35-year-old who announced his retirement from football at the end of last season.
Aboutreika beat off competition from compatriot Ahmed Fathy and Nigerian midfielder Sunday Mba. It wasn't all gloom for Nigeria as their coach Stephen Keshi was named best coach and the Super Eagles won the award for Team of the Year.
Youngster Kelechi Iheanacho who led Nigeria to the Fifa U17 World Cup victory was named Promising Young Player while his team was named the Youth Team of the Year.
Four Nigerians also made it into CAF Team of the Year.
The Full Awards
National Team of the Year
Nigeria
Youth National Team of the Year
Nigeria U17
Club of the Year
Al Ahly of Egypt
Fair Play Award
Nigeria Supporters Club
Referee of the Year
Djamel Haimoudi (Algeria)
Most Promising Talent
Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria U17)
Coach of the Year
Stephen Keshi (Nigeria)
African XI:
Enyeama; Fathy, Benatia, Constant, Mikel, Yaya, Aboutreika, Pitroipa, Emenike, Gyan, Aubameyang
Coach: Keshi
African Player of the Year (Africa-based)
Mohamed Aboutreika (Egypt)
African Player of the Year
Yaya Toure (Cote D'Ivoire)
CAF Legend Award
Bruno Metsu
Jose Mehdi Faria
Also, several buildings, eight vehicles and about 200 lock-up shops including a commercial bank in the area were razed.
There were, however, conflicting accounts of the number of casualities. While Federal Fire Service and National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, put the figure at 15, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, and the State fire service said only five bodies were recovered.
The fire which started at about 10:35pm on Tuesday was said to have been caused by a tanker laden with 33,000 litres of petrol which lost control as it was negotiating a sharp bend. It exploded close to suya spots in the area.
The driver of the truck, his assistant, several passengers in two commercial buses, by-standers and two Hausa suya vendors were burnt beyond recognition. Rescue workers were seen picking and collecting bones and burnt human parts into cellophane bags.
A commercial bank was not spared as a part of the building which housed the Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, was badly damaged. Eyewitnesses said that the bank guard was trapped and burnt in the inferno.
Fire fighters led by the Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Fadipe Razaq Idowu, had hectic time combating the fire which lasted about five hours.
Speaking with source early yesterday, Idowu stated that the team which comprises 21 officials responded promptly with three fire trucks each containing 10,000 litres of water. According to him, each of the trucks was replenished three times.
He said: "The State Fire service responded with three fire trucks, each containing 10,000 litres and was replenished three times. We also used 600 litres of synthetic chemical foam to stop the raging fire, if not, the whole building would have been razed."
Idowu disclosed that the tanker which was carrying about 33,000 litres of petrol, went up in flames after it lost control when trying to negotiate a bend at the Berger Suya Junction leading to Wilmer.
Reacting to the number of deaths recorded, Idowu stated that five bodies were evacuated by Lagos State Environmental Unit at the spot.
The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said 15 people died in the conflagration.
But an eyewitness said more than 15 people were burnt beyond recognition. "It will be more than that (15 people).
They don't know what they are saying. Two buses which were at the spot when the incident happened caught fire and all the occupants were burnt. The suya sellers including a woman selling orange at the junction were burnt.
Victim wails
One of the executives of the Berger Suya Traders Association, Gabriel Ojum, cried that they were like orphans now having lost everything they had laboured for. He said he lost more than N5 million worth of goods to the inferno. He disclosed that more than 200 shops were affected with goods burnt.
Ojum pointed to another member of the executive of the union who lost about 30 articulated vehicle engines, each costing about N850,000.
How it happened
An eyewitness, who resides in the area told source that the tanker, which number plate could not be identified was coming from Kirikiri jetty and lost control probably as a result of brake failure. He said the tanker fell as it was trying to negotiate a bend and caught fire immediately.
As it lost control, the truck fell close to the suya spot at the junction with its content spilling across the road into the immediate environment, from the suya furnace it wildly spread to the street. The driver and the conductor were trapped in the truck which was burnt beyond recognition. Two buses which were carrying several passengers were also burnt without a survivor. A woman who sold oranges at the junction; a guard in the bank was also burnt to death. Some policemen at the junction were also not spared. But I don't know whether they (the policemen) survived it or not."
On how it spread to the adjoining street where about 200 shops were affected, another resident, who also lost goods worth about N5million to the inferno said: "As the tanker fell, its content (petrol) spilled and flowed into the gutters and as the fire began, it spread immediately to the gutters, linking the shops and vehicles parked along the road. The entire area was gutted. We immediately reached the fire service, which responded promptly."
An eyewitness said the fire was put out at around 3:00 am yesterday with property and goods estimated at N500million destroyed.
This is a bad New Year gift —Victims
Edwin Ibe, who had just returned from his village for the Christmas celebration said he lost more than N45 million worth of goods. He described the incident as bad new year gift.
A middle aged father of six who spoke amid tears, lamented: "As you can see, I lost a lot of money here. Not only that my engines worth more than N25 million got burnt to ashes, a fairly new trailer that I recently acquired which is worth over N15m was also burnt."
Promise Lezieanya, a trader, absolved the tanker driver of blame saying "he tried his best to maneouvre shouting that the truck had lost its brake as he was approaching the junction.
"A commercial bus by the side which was fully loaded with passengers to Wilmer got burnt. No one survived in the bus. I counted more than 28 people, 94 shops, eight motorcycles and eight vehicles that were burnt that night. I lost 38 pieces of engines to the fire outbreak each at the rate of N1.1m and a new truck that I had sold at the rate of N7million but had not delivered to the owners. All the Okada riders that used to stay at the junction were all burnt to ashes," he narrated.
Fire fighters
No fewer than 21 men from the state fire service were busy fighting the fire with about 90,000 litres of water. The State Director, Lagos State fire service, Fadipe Razaq Idowu stated that apart from the fact that three trucks were used, they also used 600 litres of synthetic chemical foam to stop the raging fire.
He, however, acknowledged the support of private fire units of Julius Berger and the Navy which complemented the state fire service to combat the inferno.
Looting spree
Razaq told source that street urchins had a field day looting as the fire was raging. He noted, "Many of them were carrying machete, sledge hammer and other dangerous weapons trying to loot. They impeded our work, we would have recorded more successes if they had stayed out of our way."
Another eyewitness indicated that looters were trying to gain access into the ATM compartment of the affected bank just as others were busy vandalising property around.
Lagos government reacts
Lagos State Government yesterday described the Apapa fire incident which killed 15 people as a shock,saying "in order to avoid this, that was why the state government embarked on the enforcement of the 2012 road traffic law."
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, while reacting to the inferno said: "We noted it and have always advised full compliance with the Lagos Road Traffic Law 2012 in terms of maintenance of vehicle road worthiness, compliance with speed limits and use of indicator lights.
"That's why we also reorganised and strengthened our Vehicle Inspection Agency. There's often a tendency for tanker drivers to resist enforcement, gang up and threaten to withdraw their service. We must all resist this and insist on full compliance with the Law."
Lagos records 194 fire incidents in 39 days
The inferno was the 194th fire incident that Lagos would witness in 39 days since December 2013.
As of Tuesday, Mr Rasak Fadipe, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, that 193 fire outbreaks had occurred in Lagos within the last one month.
Before the Berger Suya disaster, Fadipe said the last incident occurred on January 7 at about 3.08 a.m., at Sawmill Market, Ipaja, Lagos.
Addressing the investigative panel of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, yesterday, the DSS said it was satisfied that most of the squatters in the uncompleted building were Boko Haram members, insisting that it was occupants of the building that initially opened fire on security agents that came for a search operation following a tip-off by an apprehended terror suspect.
Speaking through its senior lawyer, Mr. Clifford Osagie, the DSS, while imploring the Federal Government to, in the meantime, ignore demand by the National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria, NATOMORAS, that families of the deceased and injured victims should be compensated, said there was need to firstly ascertain that the eight persons that lost their lives during the operation were innocent.
The DSS, which took the position shortly after the Nigerian Army tendered exhibits before the NHRC panel, further maintained that its investigations revealed that eight persons that were arrested at the building on the day of the incident were die-hard Boko Haram members who were planning to unleash mayhem within the Federal Capital Territory and its environs.
No to N500m compensation
According to Osagie, "The position of the DSS on the N500 million compensation demand is very clear.
"We need to first ascertain and determine whether those people that were killed were actually innocent. Until you reach that decision you cannot pay compensation.
"Moreover, eight of the people that were arrested at the building on that day were Boko Haram members. It will be difficult for anybody to conclude at this point until investigation is concluded.
"This is why we think that the NHRC has a big task on hand. We must first ascertain the culpability or otherwise of those that died as well as determine the nexus between the occupants of the building and Mallam Suleiman who is currently at large.
"We have submitted a written submission to this commission where we articulated that the speed and manner with which the corpse of people that died during the shoot-out where removed, hampered our investigation and made it difficult for us to link them. We would have carried out a post mortem test on the corpses.
We came under fire
"Like we have said here repeatedly, we came under fire and we responded. Now if the government is to give compensation, it must be determined that the deceased persons actually fell under the bullet of security agents and not from Boko Haram elements in the building.
"Unless there is a pre-conceived notion by this commission that the institution is responsible already for the deaths, then we can start talking about compensation. We have no problem if you have reached a conclusive decision that they died innocently and therefore deserve compensation.
"However, we insist that this panel must first prove that the institution was responsible.
"Some of those that were arrested in the building were released on bail while we detained others we think have connection with the Boko Haram sect. We came under fire and under the rules of engagement for the operation, we were entitled to return fire."
Missile strikes on Ramadi, the provincial capital, killed 25 people on Tuesday, according to an Iraqi Defence Ministry spokesman, while Fallujah remained deserted as residents fled the violence and the army prepared to launch an operation to regain control of it.
"It is not possible to assault [Fallujah] now" due to concerns about civilian casualties, Staff Lieutenant-General Mohammed al-Askari, a Defence Ministry spokesman, told AFP news agency.
Attacking the Sunni-majority city would be extremely politically sensitive, as it could further inflame tensions between members of Iraq's Sunni Arab minority and the Shia-led government.
It would also be a major test for Iraqi security forces, which have yet to undertake such an operation without the backing of US troops.
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has warned people in Fallujah they face dire consequences it they support the government.
The immediate trigger for the unrest was the December 28 arrest of a Sunni politician sought on terrorism charges, followed by the government's dismantling of an anti-government Sunni protest camp in Ramadi.
Parts of Ramadi - the capital of Anbar province, west of Baghdad - and all of Fallujah were seized by al-Qaeda-linked fighters last week.
It is the first time al-Qaeda-linked fighters have exercised such open control in major cities since the height of the insurgency that followed the 2003 US-led invasion.
Overnight, security forces and allied tribesmen sought to retake south Ramadi from fighters loyal to the al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), but the assault failed.
"Security forces and armed tribesmen tried last night to enter areas controlled by ISIL fighters in the south of the city," a police captain in Ramadi told AFP.
"Clashes between the two sides began about 11:00 pm (2000 GMT) last night and continued until 6am," he said, adding that "security forces were not able to enter these areas and ISIL fighters are still in control."
Four civilians were killed and 14 wounded in the fighting, according to Ramadi hospital's Dr Ahmed Abdul Salam, who had no casualty figures for security forces or the fighters.
Meanwhile, three loud explosions were heard outside Fallujah early on Tuesday, a witness said, while the army deployed reinforcements.
"Today, the army sent new reinforcements, including tanks and vehicles, to an area about 15km east of Fallujah," a police captain told AFP.
Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, has called for residents to expel ISIL fighters and stave off a military offensive.
But senior tribal leader Sheikh Ali al-Hammad told AFP on Monday that ISIL's fighters had left Fallujah, and that it was now in the hands of tribesmen.
