Ogun tanker explosion: How 2 died, 13 vehicles burnt

*7 Killed, others injured in Ekiti auto crash

*Fire outbreak averted as excavator crushes gas pipeline in Lagos

AN early morning tanker explosion, yesterday, claimed the lives of two persons, while 13 vehicles were burnt at Ogere - Remo axis of Lagos -Ibadan expressway.

The fire outbreak, which occurred at the proposed new Kara market in Ogere Remo, Ogun State corridor of the expressway, resulted in traffic gridlock in the area, thereby, compelling traffic management authorities to divert vehicular movements in and outbound Lagos.

It was gathered that a fully loaded 40-foot truck, which content could not be ascertained, had earlier around 4 a.m, fallen along the expressway, causing gridlock,  as it narrowed the road.

Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the state Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, TRACE, Babatunde Akinbiyi, who spoke with journalists in Abeokuta, said a tanker, conveying 33,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also held up in the traffic, however, suddenly burst into flames that later consumed 12 other vehicles, including two cars .The state Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, later visited the scene of the accident.

While extending the state government’s condolences to families of those who lost their lives in the incident, Salako-Oyedele thanked the officials of relevant agencies, including the FRSC, Police, Fire Service and TRACE, who responded promptly to the emergency, thereby, helping to limit the tragic loss of lives.

7 Killed, others injured In Ekiti auto crash 

Also, yesterday, an accident involving two buses along Aisegba-Ilumoba Ekiti, in Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State claimed seven lives while others sustained injuries.

The accident, according to eyewitnesses, involved a luxury bus with number plate, BDG-47-WT, heading to Lagos from Kano and a bus with number plate ABC-82-XH heading to Abuja from Lagos.

The injured were reportedly rushed to the Ekiti University Teaching Hospital in Ado-Ekiti and the remains of the deceased deposited in the hospital’s morgue.

Confirming the accident, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Abutu, said the Commissioner of Police, Tunde Mobayo, and the state Deputy Governor, Bisi Egbeyemi, visited the scene of the accident as well as the injured in the hospital.

Fire outbreak averted as excavator crushes gas pipeline in Lagos

Meanwhile, emergency responders, yesterday, prevented a fire outbreak in Mile 2 axis of Lagos following gas pipeline leakage, which occurred during road construction in the area.

It was gathered that the gas leakage occurred when an excavator belonging to a road construction company accidentally crushed a gas pipeline

Road users scampered for safety as the content travelled rapidly into the neighbourhood.

Eye witnesses revealed that the prompt arrival of emergency responders saved the day as the entire area was cordoned off immediately.

Confirming the incident,Director-General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, said the agency had instructed residents to refrain from igniting any form of flame or fire until it is safe to do so.

According to him, “Upon arrival at the scene of the incident, the agency response team encountered a gas pipeline leakage.

“Further Investigation conducted revealed that an excavator belonging to road construction company while working on the road accidentally crushed the gas pipeline.”

NDLEA nabs  medical doctor, ex-soldier over drugged cookies, skunk, cocaine

A medical doctor, Jane Chioma Ofoma, has been arrested in Auchi, Edo State, by operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, for operating an online catering service, Omachi’s Kitchen, through which she sells drugged cookies and biscuits.

Following intelligence and surveillance, narcotic officers of the Edo State Command of the agency on June 19, 2021, stormed her operational base at 1, Winners Way, Auchi, where she was arrested and at least 94 pieces of cookies produced with cannabis Sativa were recovered.

Chioma, 26, who is a graduate of medicine from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, recently completed her housemanship at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

She has confessed to baking the cookies with skunk in her statement under interrogation.

In the same vein, a 30-year-old Emmanuel Ehiramhen, of 10, Egan Street, Ekpoma, was arrested by officers of the Edo command of the agency for dealing in crack cocaine.

Meanwhile, NDLEA operatives in Kwara State have arrested a 52-year-old ex-soldier, Ibrahim Musa, with 12.167 kilograms of Arizona (cannabis sativa), four grams of cocaine and 25 grams of flunitrazepam.