An early morning fire outbreak has burnt a section of the Gidan Rumfa palace of the 16th Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II.

PUNCH Online gathered that the fire outbreak, which happened on Friday night, around 11 pm, was set by yet-to-be-identified persons.

A source, who spoke with Daily Trust, said the palace located at Kofar Kudu, where the Emir sits every Monday for the court, was seriously affected by the fire.

The source added that the throne, air conditioners, and other valuables were destroyed in the inferno.

“It was the palace at Kofar Kudu. You know the palace has an entrance from inside while the main entrance is from the front (outside). The key was forced open, and what was suspected was that they broke in, set the fire and locked the door.

“The throne, air conditioners and other valuables in the palace have been destroyed,” the source said.

However, the Chief of Staff to the Emir, Munir Sanusi Bayero, confirmed the incident in a statement, a copy of which was made available to The Punch on Saturday evening.

According to the statement, “It is hereby notified that on Saturday, July 13, 2024 morning, a fire incident occurred at the outer court of His Highness’s Palace, Kofar Kudu.

“Fortunately, there were no casualties, and the damage was minimal. The palace is taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of the palace and its occupants. We are also investigating the cause of the fire and taking steps to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.”

However, the Kano State Fire Service claimed they were not informed about the incident, as they didn’t receive any calls at their centres.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery is set to import a cargo of Brazilian crude, Bloomberg reported on Friday.

It said this would add to the large number of overseas barrels of crude feedstock that the Nigerian firm was importing.

Indigenous crude oil refiners, including Dangote refinery and modular refineries, as well as local crude producers have repeatedly raised concerns about the low crude oil output from Nigeria.

Although the government, through the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, has been making efforts to tackle this, oil production from Nigeria has remained low.

This has made it tough for local refiners to get crude, as bulk of the oil produced in-country are exported due to earlier arranged contracts with International Oil Companies operating in Nigeria and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

Bloomberg reported on Friday that traders with knowledge of the matter stated that Dangote refinery, which is still ramping up to full capacity, would receive a shipment of one million barrels of Tupi crude from Brazil for delivery in the second half of next month.

“The refinery, billed as pivotal in ending Nigeria’s dependence on foreign fuel, has already snapped up millions of barrels of American crude,” the report by the media organisation stated.

It stated that the purchases of non-Nigerian barrels likely reflect the most competitively priced, suitable cargoes.

The traders said the cargo was sold by Petrobras, a state-owned Brazilian multinational corporation.

Bloomberg said officials at the company, and one at Dangote, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Quoting data from the Latin American country’s commerce ministry, the publication said it was the first time that Brazil had exported oil to Nigeria.

Dangote refinery recently purchased five million barrels of US crude scheduled for delivery next month and in September.

It was reported in May this year that the refinery planned a purchase of 24 million barrels of crude from the US for over a year.

Modular refiners had also stated that crude importation would linger until Nigeria produces enough barrels to meet both domestic demand and exports.

Former United States President, Donald Trump, was rushed off stage during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday, following alleged gunshots from unknown sources.

The incident, which occurred just minutes into Trump’s speech, may have left the former president injured.

Videos in circulation on social media show what seemed to be blood on Trump’s face, with his ear bleeding as he was being moved away by Secret Service agents.

 

 

 

 

Bullet pierced upper part of my right ear – Trump

 

 

Former President Donald Trump has released a statement following the shooting incident at his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which left one person dead and another seriously injured.

Trump himself sustained a minor injury during the attack.

“I want to thank The United States Secret Service, and all of Law Enforcement, for their rapid response on the shooting that just took place in Butler, Pennsylvania,” Trump said in his statement sighted by PUNCH Online on Sunday.

He went on to express his condolences to the families of the victims stating, “Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the Rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured.”

 

The incident occurred as Trump began his final rally before the Republican Party convention. Witnesses reported hearing a series of loud bangs that sounded like gunshots, causing chaos at the event.

John Yeykal, an attendee from Franklin, Pennsylvania, described the scene saying, “We saw a lot of people go down, looking confused. I heard the shots, it sounded like between firecrackers and a small caliber handgun.”

Meanwhile, Trump provided details about his injury, stating, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin. Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening.”

 

The Secret Service quickly rushed Trump off the stage and into an SUV. They later confirmed that the “former President is safe” and declared the area an active crime scene.

Trump’s statement revealed that the shooter is now dead, though he added, “Nothing is known at this time about the shooter.”

Both President Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama have issued statements condemning the violence and wishing Trump a speedy recovery.

Biden said, “There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it.”

Meanwhile, Obama echoed this sentiment, stating, “There is absolutely no place for political violence in our democracy.”

Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang visited the collapsed structure at Saint Academy in Busa Buji, Jos North local government area for an on-the-spot assessment and ordered the immediate closure of the school.

The school had 284 secondary students and 145 primary pupils. The structure collapsed on Friday morning, resulting in the deaths of 22 people and injuring 154 others.

By Friday evening, statistics showed that 154 people had been rescued from the debris, with 22 confirmed dead and 132 hospitalized. Injured students and staff are receiving medical treatment at various hospitals in Jos, the state capital.

Specifically, 39 of the injured are at Plateau State Specialist Hospital, 32 at Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) Hospital, 55 at Bingham University Teaching Hospital, and six at Jos University Teaching Hospital.

During his visit to the site on Saturday morning, Mutfwang also expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased children and promised that the state government would cover the medical costs for the injured students.

He said, “… Whoever built this school, did not do well. I am not a technical person but all I can see on this debris is sand. It is a two-storey building as a layman, I know there has to be a proper mixture of sand and cement but what I can see here is pure sand.

“You have endangered the lives of innocent children for no reason. We can’t continue like this, it is no longer time to spend time praying against demons and Satan, this is human negligence.

“We cannot allow this school to function for the parents, it is unfortunate what has happened but what it means is that this school is closed down immediately.

“We can’t take any further chances and we need to send this message particularly the owners of private schools the drive for profit must not overshadow the safety of lives so we taking steps immediately to do a technical audit of all the schools. We will test their structural integrity to ensure human beings can habit such buildings.”

He added, “Some buildings were not built in the right places, some built without approvals, without the right materials so we will correct these things. I won’t just blame the school but also our public officials who were supposed to supervise but didn’t do their jobs.

“We are setting up a committee to investigate this incident and bring in building professionals to investigate this and anyone found culpable will face the wrath of the law. This is why we signed Executive Order 003 to bring sanity into the environment.

“When we insist that some building be demolished, we are not wicked, we are concerned about the safety of lives. When we see buildings on waterways, in marshy places, we will bring them down. We can’t afford to have this kind of mishap again. May God grant the parents of the deceased the fortitude to bear the loss and grant the injured a quick recovery.”

He commended the efforts of all stakeholders in the rescue mission and asked that citizens do the right things and obey rules and regulations put in place to save lives.

A victim of the collapsed two-storey building in the Kubwa area of Abuja has shared his harrowing experience. The building at Plot C31, Sultan Dasuki Road collapsed on Saturday morning.

The last victim rescued, a corps member, was found unconscious under the rubble by officials from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), FCT Emergency Management Department (FEM), FCT Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Nigeria Police Force. The corps member was promptly transported to the Kubwa General Hospital. 

Two other victims, Abdullahi Masud and his female guest, had managed to escape before the collapse and were also taken to the hospital. Masud recounted his ordeal, stating that a neighbour had previously pointed out a cracked wall near the staircase.

“I later noticed an unfamiliar sound from several parts of the building while I was bathing in the morning. I managed to run out naked. I learned that other people could escape, too, leaving only one lady stranded at the time. While in the hospital, my girlfriend was brought too,” Masud said.

Another resident, who remained anonymous, said, “I heard a rumbling sound around 7 am. I thought it was from my next compound, only for me to rush here, and I hear the commotion. So I went to the front and saw that the building had collapsed. They have been trying to rescue people. FEMA is around. Fire service is also around. They have rescued some people. They are still trying to rescue more people. There are people still trapped inside.”

Mrs. Florence Dawon Wenegieme, the Acting Director General of FEMD, was at the scene and confirmed that the search and rescue efforts would continue until they reached ground zero.

This incident follows a recent school collapse in Jos, Plateau state, which killed at least 22 people and injured over 100.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will have to spend way beyond their means to maintain French tactician, Herve Renard as Super Eagles coach.

Herve Renard made a name for himself in the coaching world when he led two different African countries, Zambia and Ivory Coast to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2012 and 2015 respectively.

The 54-year-old France tactician is currently the head coach of France Women’s national team. He has announced that he would step down from the role after the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Hence, a series of national teams are lining up for his signature including the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Egypt and the United States of America.

A source from the NFF confirmed according to the Vanguard that the football federation has contacted Herve Renard. The source revealed that the Frenchman is demanding $180,000 which is equivalent to 253 million naira. He also demanded other unnamed conditions which were not revealed.

The source was quoted as saying: “Yes, the NFF has made contact with Renard for the Super Eagles job, but the biggest stumbling block is that he is demanding a salary of $180,000 (a month), which in Naira is almost close to 300 Million.

“This will be the highest ever paid to a coach and the NFF just cannot afford this.

“This may well be a wild goose chase.”

Note that the former Super Eagles of Nigeria head coach, Jose Peseiro was initially paid $80,000 per month on the job. This salary was later slashed to $50,000 per month and months of debt at a point.

Reports claimed that Finidi George who resigned from the job in June, barely two months after his appointment, earns just 5 million naira as the coach of the Super Eagles.

Recent reports claimed that the NFF has recommended Herve Renard and two other coaches to be considered for appointment. It is now left to be seen who the federation will settle for.

The Super Eagles’ head coach is expected to be named before August as the national team will begin their 2025 AFCON qualification campaign in September.

President Bola Tinubu has sympathised with the victims of the Plateau building collapse over the incident he labelled as a “huge loss to the nation”. 

About 132 persons were injured and 22 others were confirmed dead following Friday’s tragic collapse of the two-storey structure in a school in the Busa Buji, Jos North Local Government Area of the state.

While consoling the victims and the people of Plateau State over the incident, Tinubu’s spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said his principal received the news of the tragedy “with profound grief”.

“President Tinubu describes the unfortunate incident as a huge loss to the nation, as well as a devastating development – too excruciating to imagine,” Ajuri said in a late Friday statement.

“The President condoles with the bereaved families, families of all the victims, and the people and Government of Plateau State.”

Tinubu lauded emergency responders like the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), security agencies, and everyone involved in the search, rescue, and resuscitation efforts.

He is assuring the people of Plateau State of his fervent support at this difficult time.

The Plateau government says 22 people died and 132 were injured in the collapsed building of Saints Academy in Jos, the state capital.

On Friday, the two-storey school building, which is located in the Busa Buji community of Jos north LGA, collapsed while students and teachers were in classes for the third term examination.

Speaking at the scene of the incident, Musa Ashoms, Plateau commissioner for information and communication, said the school had a population of about 400, adding that the section that collapsed was accommodating 200 students.

The commissioner said the collapsed school building was built on a waterlogged area, which did not meet construction standards.

Providing an update on the incident, Ashoms, in a statement, said the incident recorded 154 casualties, out of which 22 have lost their lives.

The Plateau commissioner said 132 victims are currently receiving medical treatment at various hospitals in the state.

“The collapse resulted in 154 fatalities and injuries. Emergency responders are currently at the scene conducting search and rescue operations,” the commissioner said.

“As of 6:00 pm, 154 people have been rescued from the debris. Sadly, 22 individuals have been confirmed deceased. Injured students and staff are receiving medical treatment at various hospitals across Jos.

“The Plateau state government activated emergency response protocols immediately upon notification of the incident.”

Resurgence of suicide attacks political — Middle Belt Forum

Until last Saturday, the country had forgotten that suicide bombers once held the northern part of the country hostage. For some years, suicide bombing was almost a daily occurrence as terrorists carried out suicide attacks using women and children even as the military continued to engage them until the last administration of President Muhammadu Buhari declared that it had technically degraded the terrorists’ capabilities. Suicide bombing then ceased.

However, last Saturday, multiple suicide attacks were carried out in Gwoza community, Borno state leaving more than 30 persons dead and 100 others injured. Concerned northern elders and other stakeholders in the region have expressed

Resurgence of suicide bombing has brought fear, confusion —Rev Hayab

According to Rev John Joseph Hayab, the immediate past chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Country Director of the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria (GPFN), “the resurgence of suicide bombing at the time of serious pains and hunger in the country has sent fear and confusion in many quarters in our region. The death toll of that incident itself shows that the perpetrators took time to plan before executing their evil agenda. We are back to the era of our worst nightmare. How will our people cope with poor leadership, hunger in every home and every city with the fear of suicide bombers also.

The Federal Government and our security agencies must triple their effort before citizens are pushed to the wall.

A hungry man is known to be an angry man but what will happen if his anger and hunger are further threatened by serious security threats? Northern Elders and religious leaders must also come out to mobilize the people to support government and security agencies to fight evil in the region. We should not only be specialists in mobilizing our people to vote for the candidates of our choice during elections and not mobilizing them to double their efforts to make our region safe and peaceful.

Northern Youths should not only form associations to attack political opponents of their favorite candidates, they should be seen and heard to be exposing evil elements amongst them and helping government and security agencies to track down sponsors and promoters of the evil that is ravaging our region.”

Gwoza incidents shattered our hope —Shettima

Similarly, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, the President General of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum ( AYFC), said “suicide bombing has been a devastating and horrifying tactic used by extremist groups for many years, causing tremendous loss of life and spreading fear and uncertainty in communities around the world.

In recent years, many believed that suicide bombing was becoming less prevalent, as security measures and counter-terrorism efforts seemed to be making progress in preventing such attacks. However, the last incident in Gwosa, Bornu state, shattered hope when multiple suicide attacks occurred, leaving more than 30 people dead and many others injured. Suicide attacks not only disrupt the daily lives of residents but also hampers economic growth and development in the affected areas.

Businesses may be reluctant to invest in regions prone to suicide bombings, leading to unemployment and poverty among the population. In the long term, this can contribute to social unrest and instability, creating a vicious cycle that perpetuates the conditions conducive to terrorism. In addition to addressing the immediate security concerns, Northern leaders and elders must also focus on long-term solutions to permanently discourage suicide bombing.

Building resilience within communities and promoting social cohesion are key factors in preventing individuals from being radicalized and recruited by extremist groups.

This can be achieved through grassroots initiatives that empower local leaders, religious figures, and community organizations to promote tolerance, inclusivity, and peaceful coexistence. By fostering a sense of belonging and identity, communities can become more resistant to the influence of extremist ideologies.”

Resurgence of suicide bombings in Gwoza political —MBF

On its part, the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, has alleged that the recent Gwoza suicide bombings in Borno State could have political undertone. The National President of MBF, Dr. Bitrus Pogu noted that the fact the incident came when efforts were in top gear by the Federal Government to return the over 120,000 Gwoza indigenes taking refuge in neighbouring Cameroon created much room for suspicion.

His words: “On the Gwosa suicide bombings I can tell you that up till now there are a lot of the insurgents on top of the Gwoza hills who have not been flushed out. The fight against insurgency is being stalled by political interests who put pressure on military commanders not to do anything. And these boys are from one particular tribe mainly, they are called Duwhade and the majority of them are butchers. It is the people from this tribe that are mainly insurgents on top of the Mandara mountains which is an extension of the Gwoza hills. Because of insurgency, as we are talking, about 120,000 people from Gwoza Local Government, mainly behind the hills have found refuge in Cameroon as refugees.

There are serious efforts, especially when this government came on board, to bring these people back to their ancestral land as promised by the President. But some political interests, who believe that the people will not vote for them because they are predominantly Christians, do not want them to return home. And I believe they are creating this unnecessary insecurity through attacks and suicide bombings so that these people will not be brought back to Nigeria to their ancestral land.

“So the political leaders particularly the Governor and the Senator from Southern Borno should explain why these things are happening at a time when there is objection to the coming back of the people for political reason. Efforts to bring back IDPs and refugees to their ancestral homes by the Federal Government are being undermined and I believe that what has happened in Gwoza was purely political.

“On the issue of suicide bombings, I don’t believe somebody would blow himself up because of religion, no. I believe the criminals would tie explosives on the people and tell them you either do what we have directed you to do or we deal with you and the victims would go in fear and somebody somewhere may be the one detonating the bombs. So, it may not be that the bomb carrier wanted to commit suicide and blow others up”.

The terrorists merely went underground to regroup — Anthony Sani

Former Secretary General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Mr Anthony NZ Sani, said “the resurgence of suicide bombing in Borno state underscores the fact that the immediate past administration merely tamed the terrorists but did not exterminate them permanently. As a result, they merely went underground to regroup.

This resurgence also vindicates the view that military might alone cannot exterminate terrorism permanently. Only by addressing the underlying causes can we permanently put them to rest.

The causes are poverty which comes with ignorance and unemployment. So, to defeat terrorism permanently, the government should apply both punitive and preventive measures. The punitive measure is the provision of enough and properly equipped security personnel who are well motivated to secure the nation while the preventive measure is the prioritization of education and health of the people.

This is because the current out-of-school children, if left unchecked would become terrorists of tomorrow. This requires a long-term commitment from all stakeholders, including governments, civil society, and the private sector, to address the root causes of terrorism and extremism and build a more peaceful and prosperous future for all.”

Economic opportunities provide viable alternatives to joining extremist groups —Northern Elders Forum

Also, Mallam Suleiman Abdul-Azeez of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), said, “This alarming trend has reignited concerns among Northern leaders and elders, who recognize the urgent need to address the root causes of suicide bombing and the general and pervasive insecurity to prevent future attacks.

The attacks in Gwosa have highlighted the need for improved coordination among law enforcement agencies, intelligence services, and military forces in detecting and preventing such attacks.

I believe one of the key factors driving suicide bombings in the region is the lack of economic opportunities and widespread poverty.

Many of the individuals recruited by terrorist groups are motivated by financial incentives or promises of a better life. To combat this, it is essential to create sustainable economic development opportunities that provide viable alternatives to joining extremist groups.

Improving security and intelligence capabilities is another crucial aspect of addressing the threat of suicide bombing. Furthermore, it is important to strengthen border security to prevent the infiltration of terrorist groups and the smuggling of weapons and explosives. Fostering community resilience is also essential in preventing future attacks.

This involves building trust between communities and security forces, as well as empowering local leaders and organizations to play a proactive role in countering extremism.

By promoting dialogue and cooperation among different ethnic and religious groups, communities can become more resilient to the divisive tactics of terrorist groups. Engaging with religious leaders and institutions can be a powerful tool in combating the misuse of religion for extremist purposes.

Interfaith dialogue and collaboration among different religious communities can also foster mutual understanding and respect, strengthening social harmony and countering divisive ideologies. 

Promoting social cohesion is another important strategy in preventing the spread of extremism. By addressing underlying grievances and promoting inclusivity and tolerance, it is possible to reduce the appeal of extremist ideologies.

By working together to address the complex and interconnected challenges posed by suicide bombing, Northern leaders and elders can help create a safer, more secure, and more prosperous future for their communities.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome said the Federation Account Allocation Committee will not send money to Caretaker Committee Chairmen of local government areas by the virtue of the Supreme Court judgment on Local Government Council Autonomy on Thursday.

Ozekhome stated this in an interview with Channels Television on Friday.

He said, “The judgement of the government is clear. If you want to receive funds from the federation account, then conduct an election.”

Speaking on the next steps for local government areas with caretaker committees, Ozekhome said, “If what you have in place is a caretaker committee as local government chairman, be sure that it will not have money from the federation account.”

Ozekhome also stated that with Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling, local council development areas (LCDAs) created by Lagos and some other states are not qualified to receive funds from FAAC.

“What this law is saying is that if you are not a democratically elected local government council, you cannot have this money under section 162 subsection 5 and 6 of the 199 Constitution.

“So, what it means is that money should now be ploughed to those local governments that are in existence democratically.”

After the funds are paid to the recognised LGAs, Ozekhome believes the funds can be shared with the local council development areas.

“That is their internal business, nobody can control that one. But, for now, the money can only go to those local government areas named in the constitution. Don’t forget they are even named in the constitution, 774 local governments.

“If you want money from the federation account, such councils must be democratically elected,” he said.

Recall that the Supreme Court in a judgement on Thursday, ruled that the federal government should henceforth pay allocations directly to local government councils from the federation account.

The seven-member panel of justices declared that it is unconstitutional for state governors to hold onto funds meant for Local Government (LG) administrations.

The Supreme Court also barred governors from dissolving democratically elected Local Government councils in the country.

It ordered that the Federal Government should withhold allocations of LGAs governed by unelected officials appointed by the governor.