Three persons killed in Kaduna petrol tanker fire

A petrol tanker exploded at an NNPC mega station in Unguwar Ma’azu a suburb of Kaduna city on Saturday killing three persons and injuring fifteen others.

The fire which broke out around 7pm also burnt seventeen vehicles which had been queuing for petrol at the station.

An eyewitness told The Nation that the incident was caused by leaking fuel from the petrol tanker which was discharging fuel at the time.

The eyewitness said that the spillage got to the area where vehicles had queued up for fuel.

“But, when it was noticed, people were cautioned not to switch on their vehicles until the fuel dried up but a man in a Golf 3 vehicle was said to have switched on his car and fire broke out.

“It was so pathetic as the driver of the Golf car who did not heed to the warning did not live to tell the story. He got burnt beyond recognition inside his car.”

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Chief of Air Staff's official vehicles being loaded for airlift at Bauchi airport (Photos)

Chief of Air Staff -Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar was in Bauchi recently to celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the Nigerian Air Force, NAF.

The event tagged “NAF Re-union 2016″ held from 12 – 15 April 2016.

Photos show Abubakar's official vehicles being loaded onto NAF's C-130 transport aircraft for airlift to Abuja.

Photos by WATSON

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DPR shuts down four fuel stations in Abuja

For engaging in sharp practices including under dispensing and hoarding of petrol, the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR has sealed off four filling stations in Abuja.

The Zonal Operations Controller of DPR for North Central, Alhaji Mohammed Usman said that the agency would continue to sanction those found to be indulging in sharp practices.

He lamented the persistence of long queues despite the fact that most fuel stations had petrol in stock.

Usman while conducting an inspection of fuel stations announced the cancelation of the practice of reserving petrol for special customers who are known to pay up front for the product.

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Photo news: Troops foil suicide attack (viewer discretion advised)

Vigilant troops of the 7 Division, Garrison Forward Operation Base (FOB), on Saturday morning averted yet another suicide bombing disaster on Ummarari community by a suspected Boko Haram terrorist.

The last suicide bombings in Ummarari village happened at a mosque and claimed ten lives.

Army spokesman, Col Sani Usman said that the suicide bomber was attempting to enter Ummarari village when he was spotted by a vigilant team of soldiers and Civilian JTF.

"The suicide bomber detonated the strapped Improvised Explosive Device (IED) vest on his body, thus killing himself instantly when he was forced to halt based on suspicion that he was carrying suicide bombing material.

"Thankfully, there was no other casualty other than the suspected suicide bomber.

"Troops along with the Civilian JTF at the village are now combing the surrounding area to forestall further attacks and clear the environment of likely remnants of Boko Haram terrorists hibernating," he said.

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Army parades fake Colonel in Abuja (Photo)

Prince Onyemauche was on Friday paraded before newsmen at the Army Headquarters, Abuja for impersonating an army colonel.

Army spokesman, Col Sani Usman disclosed that at the time of his arrest, Onyemauche had in his Toyota Tacoma truck, one Ak 47 Rifle, with registration number 3290 and four magazines, two of which were empty while the other two were loaded with 42 rounds of 7.62 ammunition.

“A luger pistol, 21 x 9mm Parabellium ammunition and the sum of one million, eleven thousand three hundred naira (N1, 011,300.00) was found” on him, Usman added.

He said that Onyemauche was arrested alongside one sergeant Jacob Phillip by troops of the 176 Special Forces Guards Battalion at about 12:30 in the early hours of 17th February 2016, along Wazobia Motor Park, Gwagwalada Abuja.

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Boko Haram now enticing youths with loans - Army

PRESS RELEASE

Boko Haram Now Gives Loans To Youth As Bait For Membership

It has come to the knowledge of the Defence Headquarters that Boko Haram terrorists have now devised another means of recruiting unsuspecting youths into their fold. In this clandestine dispensation, Boko Haram terrorists have resorted to providing loans to young entrepreneurs and artisans in the North East as a way of inducing them for recruitment.

The major targets of the unholy business engagement are youths in the North East, especially the butchers, traders, tailors, beauticians and other vocational entrepreneurs who could be easily enticed with such loan without paying attention to sundry inherent dangers associated with the acceptance of such goodies from this satanic group or unfamiliar source. After such loans, the beneficiaries are given the option of either joining the group or risk being killed if they fail to pay the loan as at when due, whereas the payment has been surreptitiously programmed to fail by the benefactor, the Boko Haram.

It is pertinent to state that having been effectively decimated and degraded, the remnant or surviving splinter groups of Boko Haram are desperate to recruit more people into their ranks and files as a result of sustained onslaught against them by the troops. The Defence Headquarters hereby advises the general public, especially those in the North East, to constantly be wary and conscious of various tactics of the desperate Boko Haram.

They should be guided to avoid loan or financial assistance from non-conventional source but from conventional financial institutions such as banks, organised trade unions or institutionalised savings and loans establishments. Acting otherwise may lead to painful and untimely death from the blood-thirsty Boko Haram terrorists.

Brig Gen RABE ABUBAKAR Acting Director Defence Information

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Soldiers intercept 92 armed Fulani herdsmen in Abuja (Photos)

Troops of the 117 Guards Battalion Keffi along the Abuja-Keffi road on Sunday, arrested 36 armed herdsmen at a checkpoint.

Army authorities said that another group of 56 herdsmen were arrested at the Dantata check point between Kuje and the Abuja airport.

Items recovered from the herdsmen include pump action guns, Dane guns, bullets, charms and hard drugs.

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