How Kuje Bomb Blast Happened - Eyewitnesses

More details have been revealed by eyewitnesses on what really happened late last night, October 2, in Kuje at the site of the bomb blast.
Our correspondents who were at the scene of the blast in Kuje spoke with some residents of the area who gave different narratives of how the blast happened.

“ The blast happened as if there was an earthquake ,” Mr. Samuel Adewole said.

An eye witness who asked to be anonymous said that

the bomb blast happened twice with one suicide
explosion at the police station and another explosion at the popular Kuje market which is a stone throw from the police station.

“ The blast occurred twice. The was one at the gate of the police station with only suicide bomber the casualty recorded. The suicide bomber couldn’t make it into the police station before the bomb exploded ,” the anonymous eyewitness said.

   However, there are speculations as to the identity of the suicide bomber who according to residents of the area was a woman who wore a hijab.

A source who is also a police officer however, denied that the explosion happened twice. He also declined to give the numbers of people who died or got injured.

Mr Andrew, a resident of Kuje disclosed that close to (40) persons were injured and more than 18 died from the blast. Andrew blamed the blast on the porous security in the area.

“ The security is poor here and the army barracks that could have helped in providing security has been moved to Gwagwalada, leaving us with just a naval base in Pegi,” Andrew said.

Check out images below...

Timi Dakolo Sends Loving Birthday Message To His "Iyawo Mi"

Yesterday , Saturday October 3, was the birthday of Busola Dakolo, the beautiful wife of Nigerian singer Timi Dakolo.

The excited father of three wrote down a touching message to the women of his life through his Instagram page.

“Happy birthday to my lover..prayer warrior. ….bringer of favour…manipulator extraordinary.
Wife forever..Aproko colleague. ..Mama alexander,hallel and zoe..Joy giver..my personal drama queen …financial manager and money spender. Hormones relaxer…god bless you..god keep you. let’s do forever ..i heart you,’

he captioned a lovely photo of his ‘Iyawo’.

Recently, Timi Dakolo revealed how he makes his money in the Nigerian music industry as well as his love for cars.

Nigerian Army bans ex-boys of Military schools from use of uniforms (KAAKI)

Ex-Students of Nigerian Military School, Zaria have been banned from the use of the Nigerian Army Army uniforms, accoutrement and kits without authorisation.

According to a report by Leadership Newspaper, the ex- students have been banned from unauthorised use of the uniforms in civil institutions.
   In a statement signed by the Director of Nigerian Army Public Relations, Col Sani Kukasheka Usman the use of the military uniform by ex-students of the military institution is not only unlawful but worrisome.

“ It is pertinent to reiterate that wearing of military uniforms or kits on campus by anyone is absolutely unlawful.” 'More worrisome, is the fact that most of the offenders are Ex-students who have deserted the Army, and are not legally entitled to have military uniforms or items within their possessions.

'The Ex-Boys who left Nigerian Military School from 2012 when the school ceased to be a military institution, are expected to surrender their military uniforms and kits after graduation.

'The illegal possession of military accoutrement is punishable under sections 109,110 and 251 of Nigerian Criminal Code

'The security departments of civil institutions and the general public are also requested to report suspected impostors to nearest Nigerian Army formations or Security Agencies ,'

the statement read.

U.S. counter-terrorism squad train 200 Nigerian Police, others

The U.S. Government’s Anti-terrorism Assistance
Programme (ATA) has conducted a mass casualty exercise to culminate a yearlong training programme with 200 Nigerian Police and other emergency management professionals.

This is contained in a statement by the Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy on Saturday in Abuja. It said that the exercise, conducted in Abuja on Saturday, was ATA’s largest in Nigeria, included participants from Nigerian Red Cross, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and medical personnel.

The statement said that the exercise enhanced everyone’s ability to plan effectively for and manage a mass casualty critical incident. It explained that the U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, Mrs Maria Brewer, at the event said that the exercise was to achieve new innovation among the participants.

“ By bringing together all of your various agencies, with outside experts in the field, we can achieve new innovations, greater cooperation, and build upon many of the skills you already possess, ” she said. Brewer, in the statement, expressed the U.S. Government’s condolences for Oct. 2 twin bomb blasts in Abuja which further emphasised the significance of the training and emergency preparedness.

The statement also quoted the NEMA Director General, Alhaji Sani Sidi , as commending the U.S. for organising the programme for the emergency professionals and security agents.

“ The capacity building programme provided by the Anti- terrorism Assistance Programme of the United States is coming at a very good time when all hands must be on deck to defeat terrorism.

“There is a need for the security agencies and the Nigerian actors to step up their game in order to counter these threats, ” he said.
According to the statement, in its 1.5 million dollars programme worldwide, ATA has trained NEMA in critical incident management courses and enhanced Nigeria’s explosive ordnance disposal capabilities through courses, seminars, and equipment grants. It said ATA had trained senior hospital personnel and emergency response personnel including police, fire fighters, emergency management technicians, and specialised law enforcement units on management of mass casualty incidents.

Nigerians Won't Participate In Devil Stoning - Sanusi

The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, said Nigerians would not participate in the devil stoning ritual, unless provided accommodation
close to Jamrat.

According to Vanguard, this followed the recent deadly Hajj stampede in Saudi Arabia that claimed scores ofblives of Nigerians.

Sanusi was quoted as saying:
“During the era of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), he
permitted pilgrims who came on camels to stay in Makkah after Arafat, instead of staying in Mina and sleeping at Muzdalifa.
“So, if the Prophet can give such grace to some people, just to protect their animals, why didn’t our scholars educate our people properly to avoid this untoward hardship and death?
“Therefore, it will be part of my recommendation to the federal government that, if we cannot get
accommodation close to Jamrat where the Arabs reside in Mina, then this year may be the last time we will sleep in Mina and Muzdalifa because we want to stone the devil.
“If one deliberately refuses to perform the stoning of the devil ritual, all he needs to do is just to slaughter a ram.
So, if this is the situation, why do we go and suffer and die instead of sacrificing a ram.”

The Emir yesterday also met with the authorities of Saudi Arabia urging them to thoroughly investigate the Hajj tragedy that resulted in so many deaths of Muslim faithfuls.

Listen to your guardian angel's advice - he is God’s messenger, Pope Francis says

Each of us has a Guardian Angel who, acting on behalf of God, advises us and protects us from evil, if we only listen to him, Pope Francis said during his homily at Mass on Friday.

“May we ask the Lord for the grace of this meekness, to listen to the voice of this companion, to this ambassador from God who accompanies us in His name and may we be supported by his help,”

the Pope said Oct. 2 during his celebration of Mass for the feast of the Guardian Angels, Vatican Radio reported.

He explained that when Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden, God could have left them to fend for themselves. But instead, as an act of love and mercy, the Lord sent with them an angel to guide and protect them.

The same is true for us today, Pope Francis said. Even when we feel alone or think that we can “hide so many things from God,” our Guardian Angels are by our sides, guiding us and trying to
show us the right path. “It’s like having God’s ambassador with us. And the Lord advises us: ‘Respect his presence!’ And when we, for example, commit a sin and believe that we’re on our own: No, (the Guardian Angel) is there,” he said.

   Although we cannot see our angels, we can listen to them and heed their advice, the Pope continued. “Show respect for (the angel’s) presence. Listen to his voice because he gives us advice. When we hear that inspiration: ‘But do
this … this is better … we should not do that.’
Listen! Do not go against him.”

In Mt. 18:1-5, 10, Jesus tells his disciples they must become like little children in order to enter heaven. In the same way, we must be childlike in our humility and meekness before our Guardian Angels, Pope Francis said.

“The Christian must be meek when it comes to the Holy Spirit. Meekness towards the Holy Spirit begins with this yielding to the advice given by this companion on our journey.”

He closed by saying that we must “ask the Lord for the grace of this meekness, to listen to the voice of this companion” who is a sign of God’s love for us.

“(I)n this Mass where we praise the Lord, let us remember how good our Lord is, who straight after we lost His friendship, did not leave us alone, did not abandon us.”

19 killed after airstrike hits hospital in battle against terrorists

   An airstrike hit a hospital run by Medecins Sans Frontieres in the Afghan city of Kunduz on Saturday, killing several people in what the U.S. military called possible "collateral damage" in the battle to oust Taliban insurgents.

  At least 19 people died in the strike, according to Medecins Sans Frontieres, including 12 staff, four adult patients, and three children.

Frantic MSF staff phoned military officials at NATO in Kabul and Washington after the attack, and bombs continued to rain down near the medical facility for nearly an hour, one official from the aid group said.

At least 37 people were wounded and many patients and staff still missing, it added.
The U.S. military promised to investigate the incident, which could renew concerns over the use of its air power in the conflict.

Afghan government forces backed by U.S. air power have fought to drive the Taliban out of the northern provincial capital since the militants seized it six days ago, in the biggest victory of their near 14-year insurgency.

One resident, Khodaidad, told Reuters the Taliban had been using the hospital buildings for cover during the fighting on Friday.
"I could hear sounds of heavy gunfire, explosions and airplanes throughout the night," he added. "There were several huge explosions and it sounded like the roof was falling on me," he added.

U.S. forces launched an air strike at 2.15 a.m. (2145 GMT), spokesman, Col. Brian Tribus , said in a statement.
"The strike may have resulted in collateral damage to a nearby medical facility ... This incident is under investigation," he added.

At the aid group's bombed-out hospital, one wall of a building had collapsed, scattering fragments of glass and wooden door frames, and three rooms were ablaze, said Saad Mukhtar, director of public health in Kunduz. "Thick black smoke could be seen rising from some of the rooms ... The fighting is still going on, so we had to
leave."

"DEEPLY SHOCKED"
Almost 200 patients and employees were in the hospital, the only one in the region that can deal with major injuries, said Medecins Sans Frontieres, which raised the death toll to at least 16 by late on Saturday.

"We are deeply shocked by the attack, the killing of our staff and patients and the heavy toll it has inflicted on healthcare in Kunduz," operations director Bart Janssens said in a statement.
MSF said it gave the location of the hospital to both Afghan and U.S. forces several times in the past few months, most recently this week, to avoid being caught in crossfire.

MSF said it had treated almost 400 patients in the 150- bed hospital since fighting broke out, most for gunshot wounds. So many patients have flooded in that the hospital had to put them in offices and on mattresses on the floor.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani 's spokesman said last week there would be no airstrikes inside the city because of the risk of mass civilian casualties. Ghani's predecessor, former President Hamid Karzai, fell out with his backers in Washington in part over the number of civilians killed by bombs earlier in the nearly 14-year-old war, America's longest military conflict. The U.S. embassy in Kabul said in a statement it "mourns
for the individuals and families affected by the tragic incident."

The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was "deeply shocked" by the incident.
"This is an appalling tragedy," said Jean-Nicolas Marti , head of the ICRC in Afghanistan. "Such attacks undermine the capacity of humanitarian organizations to assist the Afghan people at a time when they most urgently need it."

Pope Francis visits with gay friend and partner at the Vatican

Yayo Grassi, an openly gay man, brought his partner, Iwan Bagus, as well several other friends to the Vatican Embassy on September 23 for a brief visit with the Pope.

The day before Pope Francis met anti-gay county clerk, Kim Davis in Washington last week, he held a private meeting with a longtime friend from Argentina who has been in a same-sex relationship for 19 years.

Yayo Grassi , an openly gay man, brought his partner, Iwan Bagus , as well several other friends to the Vatican Embassy on September 23 for a brief visit with the Pope. In an exclusive interview with CNN, Grassi declined to disclose details about the short visit, but said it was arranged personally with the Pope via email in the weeks ahead of Francis' highly anticipated visit to the United States.

"Three weeks before the trip, he called me on the phone and said he would love to give me a hug," Grassi said. The meeting between the Pope and gay couple adds another intriguing twist to the strange aftermath of Francis' first-ever trip to the United States.

Since news broke on Tuesday of Francis' meeting with Davis, conservatives have cheered the seemingly implicit endorsement, while liberals have questioned how much the Pope knew about her case. The two encounters, one with a gay couple and one with a government official who ardently opposes homosexuality, have left the Vatican scrambling to issue short explanatory statements that seek to de-politicize the Pope's meetings and agenda. On Friday afternoon, Vatican spokesman the Reverend Federico Lombardi said that Grassi had asked to present his mother and several friends to Francis in Washington.

"As noted in the past, the Pope, as pastor, has maintained many personal relationships with people in a spirit of kindness, welcome and dialogue," Lombardi said. Earlier on Friday, the Vatican said that the meeting with Davis was not intended as a show of support for her cause and "the only real audience granted by the Pope at the nunciature (embassy) was with one of his former students and his family."

"That was me," Grassi said. Grassi, who is 67, added that he is willing to talk about his private moment with the pontiff because he was upset about media coverage of the Pope's meeting with Davis.

"I want to show the truth of who Pope Francis is," he said.

Pope Francis taught Grassi in literature and psychology classes at Inmaculada Concepcion, a Catholic high school in Sante Fe, Argentina, from 1964-1965. Grassi said that he is now an atheist but the Pope has long known that he is gay, but has never condemned his sexuality or his same-sex relationship. "He has never been judgmental," Grassi said. "He has never said anything negative."

Greeting Bagus with a handshake last Wednesday, Francis says that he recalls meeting him in Rome, where they met in 2014, according to Grassi. Grassi said that he asked for the meeting in Washington because the friends he brought along have been through difficult times and wanted to receive of a blessing from the pontiff.

At the end the meeting, the Pope hugs both Grassi and Bagus and kisses them on the cheek. "Obviously he is the pastor of the church and he has to follow the church's teachings," Grassi added. "But as a human being he understands all kinds of situations, and he is open to all kinds of people, including those with different sexual characteristics."

While not changing church teaching, which considers same-sex relationships sinful, Pope Francis has often emphasized mercy over judgment. In 2013, for example, he famously said, "Who am I to judge" gay priests who seek to do God's will. He also reportedly met with a transgender man from Spain in January of this year.

Benue lawmakers give Dangote Cement 2 months to regularise its safety standards

The management of Dangote Cement has been given two months to regularise their safety rules or face trouble.

Members of the Benue State House of Assembly are not happy with the Dangote Cement Plc operating in the Gboko area of the state for allegedly flouting safety rules .

The lawmakers expressed their displeasure in the company's lack ‘an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report,' a prerequisite for the establishment of a company of such magnitude.

The House members also frowned at the Environmental Audit Report commissioned by the company without the involvement of National Environmental Standards Enforcement Agency (NESREA).

A report of an ad-hoc committee on the poor condition of federal roads in the state and other related matters submitted to the House by the Chairman of the Committee, Mrs. Nguan Addingi, and read on the floor of the House, it was established that despite the fact that Benue Cement Company (BCC), which was bought over by Dangote Cement, was established before the enactment of the EIA Decree No. 86 of 1992 Laws of Nigeria, the company had the mandate to obtain an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), from the federal Ministry of Environment.

The report added that the poor handling of the company’s environmental and safety measures led to several injuries and deaths of many staff whose welfare were not handled satisfactorily. Addingi said that Dangote Cement has abandoned the BCC Football Club, staff school and hospitals which were operational before the takeover. Addingi noted that her committee discovered that out of a total of 1,710 kilometers of federal roads in the state, 80 per cent of them were constructed in 1983, with a carrying capacity of a maximum of 30 tonnes per vehicle. "But currently, loads weighing between 90 and 120 tonnes are being conveyed on the roads," Addingi noted.

The Speaker of the House, Hon. Terkimbi Ikyange , directed Dangote Cement to urgently liaise with NESREA and the Federal Ministry of Environment to carry out all processes leading to obtaining an Environmental Impact Statement within two months.

Nigeria's death toll rises to 75

The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has given the latest death figure of Nigerians in last week's Hajj stampede as 75.

The chairman of the commission, Abdullahi Mohammed , disclosed this in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Friday, October 2. He said 54 out of 75 pilgrims who died in the stampede were from states’ delegation, while 20 were international pilgrims who used private tour operators.

“We can confirm that 75 persons is the latest figure, while 243 pilgrims are [still] missing,” he said. Mohammed said Sokoto State had the highest number of casualties.

The NAHCON chairman also noted that those missing could not be declared dead or injured yet, until confirmation comes from the committee set up to determine the status of all victims of the stampede. The commission said the dead pilgrims were from Bauchi , Borno , Cross Rivers , Jigawa , Kano , Katsina , Kebbi, and Nasarawa states, while others are from Niger , Ogun , Ondo, Sokoto , Taraba , Yobe and Zamfara states.

Former Minister of Petroleum Resources arrested

She was arrested for corruption related offences, and is currently being investigated by the UK National crime Agency.

Diezani Alison-Madueke , Minister of Petroleum Resources during the President Goodluck Jonathan's administration has been arrested in London on Friday, October 2, 2015.

According to Premium Times , She was arrested for corruption related offences, and is currently being investigated by the UK National crime Agency. However, The British High Commission have confirmed that some arrests have been made on basis of corruption, but are yet to reveal the identity of those involved. Joseph Abuku, Press and Public Affairs Officer of the The National Crime Agency said that 5 people between the ages of 21 and 60 have been arrested on suspicion of bribery and corruption offences but did not identity of those involved.

“ This morning, five people between the ages of 21 and 60 were arrested on suspicion of bribery and corruption offences. The crimes are being investigated by the National Crime Agency." Joseph said.

“The National Crime Agency does not confirm identity at arrest nor provide information that could be used to corroborate the identity of an arrested individual. ” he added.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Alison-Madueke has been out of the country since Buhari has been sworn in as president.

Bokoharam in Action as Multiple bomb blasts rock FCT

A twin bomb has exploded in the Kuje Prison area, a busy commercial centre in Abuja. Terror group, Boko Haram is believed to have carried out the attack. As at press time, there is little information as to the details of the blast, but it was gathered that the bombs went off around 10pm today, October 2.

It was gathered that the suspected terrorists also blew up a police station in Kuje. The first occurred in front of the police station, while the second went off at the Kuje main market - the explosions happened 15 minutes apart. The third blast was said to have occurred in Nyanya Bus Station, where two bombings in 2014 killed dozens of people.

The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory, Wilson Inalegu , has confirmed the blasts but could not ascertain the number of casualities. Reports say many died in the attack and many more injured.

“I am already at the scene of the bomb blast but cannot tell you anything now,”

Inalegu who was at the scene of the blasts told Premium Times on the telephone.