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Three Children of Same Parents, Others Feared Dead as Boat Burnt in Rivers Jetty Fire

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Three children of the same parents and two others were feared dead when a wildfire destroyed an eight-passenger boat at the Bonny/Nembe/Bille Jetty in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Monday.

The fire came about 24 hours after an explosion rocked a large compound allegedly used for illegal oil bunkering, consuming several goods and property.

Also on Saturday, a fire ignited by inflammable substances believed to be adulterated diesel destroyed heavy duty equipment such as generators, chillers and trucks at a private property on Isiokpo Street, in the D/line axis of Port Harcourt.

In the Monday incident, goods and property worth billions of naira were reportedly lost to the inferno.

Eyewitnesses said loading and offloading of goods were ongoing as some of the boats arrived from Nembe in Bayelsa State and Bille in Rivers State, when the fire erupted around 10am.

An unidentified woman, who had alighted from one of the boats while backing a child, was said to have rushed to a nearby market to pick some items.

She reportedly left three of her children in the boat, which later caught fire.

An eyewitness, who did not identify himself, said, “One woman left her three children inside the boat to buy something at the market. She carried a little child on her back.

“Before we knew it, we saw fire on the jetty. After some time, the fire got to the boats that were close by; the children and some people were in a boat when the fire started. I really felt for the woman. She was seen crying and rolling on the ground; people held her.”

It was learnt that the fire caused a commotion in the area, as traders and residents trooped out, while youths in the area resorted to self-help, mixing sand, water and detergent to put out the fire.

As observed till the afternoon, thick black smoke was still billowing into the sky, as the remains of the boats were in flames.

Another eyewitness at the jetty said a man suspected to be a loader (menial worker) in one of the boats was spotted smoking a cigarette, which ignited the fire.

The man, who did not identify himself, said the affected boats were laden with inflammable substances, including diesel, which aided the spread of the fire from the water to the jetty.

“One woman watched helplessly as her four children were trapped in one of the boats. Then another woman and her three children were burnt. One young man was rushed to the hospital,” he added.

The Chairman of the Flying Boat Unit, Nembe Waterfront, Mr David Teke, said boat workers in his unit had been warned against smoking or drinking at the jetty.

He said, “My unit is different from where the fire occurred this morning. I have warned those working under me not to smoke or drink when on duty. That is the law here. As a safety precaution, we have enough fire extinguishers and buckets of sand to forestall this sort of occurrence.”

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has threatened to confiscate any property used for illegal bunkering in the state, as well as prosecute the owner.

The state Commissioner for Special Duties, Emeke Onowu, handed down the threat while speaking to journalists after an on-the-spot assessment of the damage done by the Saturday night fire on Isiokpo Street in D-Line and the Sunday morning fire at Rumuokoro in the Obio/Akpor LGA of the state.

Onowu said preliminary investigation revealed that secret petroleum tanks seen in both areas suggested illegal bunkering operations.

He accused community leaders and security agencies of sabotage due to their failure to report the illegal activities.

 

 

 

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Nigerian officials probe plan to marry off scores of female orphans

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May 15, 2024

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ABUJA, NIGERIA — Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Women Affairs says it is investigating a plan by a lawmaker in central Niger state to marry off some 100 female orphans of unknown ages later this month.

Speaker of the Niger State Assembly Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji announced the mass wedding last week but called off the ceremony following widespread outrage.

Minister of Women Affairs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, speaking to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, condemned the plans.

Kennedy-Ohanenye said she had petitioned the police and filed a lawsuit to stop the marriages pending an investigation to ascertain the age of the orphans and whether they consented to the marriages.

“This is totally unacceptable by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and by the government” of Nigeria, she said.

Last week, Sarkin-Daji announced his support for the mass wedding of the orphans, whose relatives were killed during attacks by armed bandits. He said it was part of his support to his constituents following an appeal for wedding funding by local traditional and religious leaders.

The mass wedding had been scheduled for May 24.

“That support I intend to give for the marriage of those orphans, I’m withdrawing it,” he said. “The parents can have the support [money], if they wish, let them go ahead and marry them off. As it is right now, I’m not threatened by the action of the minister.”

Despite national laws prohibiting it, forced or arranged marriage is a common phenomenon in Nigeria, especially among rural communities in the predominantly Muslim north, where religious and cultural norms such as polygamy favor the practice.

Poor families often use forced marriage to ease financial pressure, and the European Union Agency for Asylum says girls who refuse could face repercussions such as neglect, ostracism, physical assault and rape.

Raquel Kasham Daniel escaped being married off as a teenager when her father died and now runs a nonprofit helping children, especially less-privileged girls, get a formal education for free.

She said the ability of women to avoid forced marriage in Nigeria depends on their income and education.

“I was 16 when I lost my dad and I was almost married off, but then I ran away from home. And that gave me the opportunity to complete my education, and now I have a better life,” Daniel said.

“So, the reason why I prioritize education is to make sure that other girls have access to quality schooling so that it will help them make informed decisions about their lives. Education not only increases our awareness as girls about our rights but also enhances our prospects for higher income earning,” she said.

Thirty percent of girls in Nigeria are married before they turn 18, according to Girls Not Brides, a global network of more than 1,400 civil society groups working to end child marriage.

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Shell investigates smoke near Gbaran oil facility in Nigeria

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24 hours ago

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May 15, 2024

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YENAGOA, Nigeria, May 14 (Reuters) – Oil major Shell is investigating reports of smoke early Tuesday near its Gbaran Ubie oil and gas facility in Nigeria’s coastal Bayelsa state, a spokesperson said after residents reported hearing explosions and seeing smoke near the area.
The incident would not immediately lead to an operational shut-in, the Shell spokesperson said.
A fire was reported around 0600 GMT by residents in the nearby community, who said blasts were heard where pipeline repair works had been ongoing.
The Gbaran facility, which began operations in 2010, is by far the most important Nigeria LNG gas feedstock project, processing almost 2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day.
“We are actively monitoring reports of smoke detected near our Gbaran Central Processing Facility in Bayelsa State. While the source appears to be external to our facility, we are in close communication with regulatory authorities to look into the incident and ensure the safety of the surrounding communities,” a Shell spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
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Shell did not immediately respond to the accounts of residents in the area.
Resident Ovie Ogbuku told Reuters: “At about 7 a.m. I heard the sound so deafeningly and it shook the foundation of the earth and we ran for our dear lives. The result is the thick smoke you are seeing now.”
Another resident Uche Ede said; “We have no idea of the cause of the explosion but we are grateful no life was lost because it was far away from homes.”
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Land operations in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta are prone to sabotage, theft, and pipeline vandalism, forcing oil majors to exit such fields to focus on deepwater drilling.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Nigeria tour: A Round Up

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May 15, 2024

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Meghan and Harry spent three days in the African country, Nigeria in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent time in Nigeria as part of a three-day tour, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of The Invictus Games.

The couple were personally invited on the trip by Nigeria’s chief of defence staff, General Christopher Musa; they are not there in any official capacity on behalf of the royal family or the UK. The tour schedule, which started in the bustling capital of Abuja, has been jam-packed, including a visit to primary and secondary school Lightway Academy, where they met with students, and experiencing the work of Nigeria Unconquered, a charitable foundation dedicated to aiding wounded, injured, or sick servicemembers.

Naturally, the trip also provided the opportunity for Meghan to showcase a multi-day “tourdrobe”, the likes of which we haven’t seen since the couple stepped down as senior working royals in early 2020 – and she hasn’t disappointed, in a series of summery maxi dresses, elegant tailoring and striking separates.

See highlights from their trip so far, below.

On day three, the couple arrived at Lagos airport, where they were given an official state welcome.

The couple posed for a photo with children and Nigerian dignitaries.

 

The couple were greeted by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

 

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They then attended a basketball exhibition training match at Ilupeju Grammar School in Lagos. After the match, they posed for a photo with the Toronto Raptors basketball team president, Masai Ujiri, and the principal of Ilupeju Grammar School, Josephine Egunyomi.

 

The couple attended a reception hosted by the charity organisation Nigeria Unconquered, held at the Officers’ Mess in Abuja.

 

A visit to the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.

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