Innocent Ojefia Blog

Two policemen were stabbed yesterday in Alakija area of Lagos metropolis as they tried to drive an insane woman away from the premises of a popular Pentecostal church. According to an eyewitness, who did not want to be named, “trouble started when the woman was standing in front of the church and policemen deployed to the area attempted to evict her. “Suddenly, a madman, who was watching what was going on, went to meet the policemen ostensibly to stop them. “The policemen left the woman and confronted the insane man. They started beating him with their ba­tons. The madman, who was with a stick started flogging the policemen. “Suddenly, the madman brought out a broken bottle from his bag and stabbed the two policemen, who were later rushed to Navy Town Hospital by church mem­bers and onlookers. “News got to other police­men attached to the church that their colleagues had been stabbed by the mad­man and they reinforced and began to look for the mad­man, whom they found a...

  It can now be confirmed that a lone suicide bomber on Tuesday blew up himself and 11 others as well as injuring 37 people at a Shi’ate Muslim Mosque, otherwise known as Alkali Kalli Mosques near the palace of the Emir of Fika in Potiskum, Yobe State in the troubled northeast, Nigeria. A medical doctor at the General Hospital, Potiskum, warned against having his name in print told DailyPost that, they have received eleven corpses and thirty-seven wounded from Tuesday night Mosque attack. According to residents who also spoke to DailyPost, there was another suicide attack at a Majalisa, where Shi’ate Muslims were resting at one of the primary schools in Potiskum. Sani Alkali Potiskum, a resident who spoke to DailyPost on phone on Wednesday morning told our reporter that the mosque was completely destroyed. He said,  many  who were confirmed dead as well as the injured have been taken to the hospital. Sani put the total figure fro...

Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare sensationally became the Commonwealth champion last night when she ran 10.85 seconds to beat the pack that included Jamaican duo of Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart who took the silver and bronze in 11.03 and 11.07 respectively. On the stands cheering was Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State who has been the pillar of many Nigerian athletes including Okagbare. He was emotional about the victory, jumping and sending high fives to Nigerians around him. Dr. Uduaghan, whose administration discovered and nurtured Okagbare to stardom, added: "Please let us celebrate her and Delta State and thereby encourage her to do more for Nigeria." Okagbare, who has continued to receive support and encourage from the Governor Uduaghan administration, won the gold medal in the female 100m race, finishing at 10.85 sec, to set a new Commonwealth record. Governor Uduaghan who wished Okagbare success in the 200m and long jump events, urged youths in Delta S...

Nigeria and Delta State born Sprinter Blessing Okagbare has won the 100meters Gold in the ongoing Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth games. Blessing Okagbare became the commonwealth games women 100 meters champion with a new game record of 10.85 secs with Jamaica's Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart taking silver and bronze respectively, while England's Asha Phillip was fourth in a new personal best time of 11.18. Okagbare went on a lap of honour after the race with Nigeria's flag amid cheers from the enthusiastic crowd. An elated Okagbare, after her heroics told BBC Sport: "I am so excited right now! A new season's best and win. I'm happy I was able to put on a show. I executed it and stayed patient like my coach said I should and after 70 metres it just felt easy! I still have the 200m and the long jump and I'm looking forward to both of those events now". “It feels great to get this far and win. I’m grateful to God. I thank all those behind this succ...

The chairman of Police Services Commission (PSC) Mr. Mike Okiro is currently engaged in a marathon meeting with some other security chiefs in bid to find a replacement for the out-going Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar IGP Abubakar is due for retirement in few days time.

It was drizzling when my flight landed in Warri on Monday, July 21 and I went straight to the governor’s house to report myself but the real job was the following day. The governor welcomed me to his home, introduced me to his media team and told me his ‘public’ starts at 8.00am every day. Though Delta State has a fully functional Government House in Warri, complete with a governors lodge but Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan prefers his own home. ‘No place like your own house even if it’s a hut.’ Yes, your Excellency, I nodded in my head, just that this Ogunu road house ain’t no hut. A palace it is. ‘I’ve been in the Government House Warri twice in seven years. I prefer it here. ‘ The weekly Executive Council meeting would be holding in another couple of hours and his commissioners were already in town. I left the governor to his meeting promising to be back in the morning by 7.30. It’s 7.40am and I’m 10 minutes late. I overslept. By the time I hopped out of bed, I had only 30 m...

•President condemns women bombers, attacks  President Goodluck Jonathan last night condemned the renewed Boko Haram attacks in Kano, Kaduna and Adamawa states, describing the use of woman suicide bombers as representing “a low in the inhuman campaign by the terrorists”. The President’s message was contained in a statement by presidential spokesman Reuben Abati. Bu the terrorists were unrelenting in their violence campaign as it emerged yesterday that four soldiers were killed along 40 civilians in the attacks on Garkida, Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State. The gunmen, it was gathered, attacked a military base at Garkikda, when the killings took place. Adamawa State Acting Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri commiserated with the Lamido Adamawa, Alhaji Barkindo Aliyu Mustapha, over the incident yesterday during a  Sallah  visit. The acting governor said: “As a government, we really feel bad for the unfortunate incident which took place in your territor...

At least, five persons have been arrested in connection with various bomb attacks in the city of Kano yesterday. A statement by the force PPRO, Frank Mba says two of the suspects were arrested in connection with the foiled bomb attack at Isyaku Rabiu Mosque. According to the statement, “As part of ongoing investigations into the various terror-related incidents that occurred in Kano, Police operatives have arrested five male suspects for their complicity in the attacks. “Two were arrested in connection with the foiled attack on Isyaku Rabiu Mosque while three were arrested in connection with the attack on St. Charles Church. “All the suspects are currently undergoing interrogation at different police facilities.” The police spokesman noted that the attack on the church came at the end of sunday mass, when the suspects were believed to have thrown Improvised Explosive Devices at the church located in Sabongari area of the state.

Another suicide bomb has gone off at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Mega Filling Station at Hotoro area along Maiduguri Road, Kano. The bomb went off about 10AM on Monday July 28. A suicide bomber, suspected to be a female , had slipped into the crowd of citizens buying kerosene at the Station before detonating the explosives. The suicide bomber and three others have been confirmed dead; eight persons are injured and rushed to the hospital. According to a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba; “It is instructive to note that the Mega Station did not go ablaze due to the security barricade put in place by the Policemen on duty at the station. Such a situation would have clearly complicated the Emergency response. “Security Forces have cordoned off the scene, and Police Bomb Disposal Experts are ‘sweeping’ the area.” Citizens have been advised to stay off the scene, be vigilant and report any suspicious person(s) or activities to security ...

A SPOKESPERSON for the Vatican has officially announced today that the second coming of Jesus, the only son of the God, may not happen now after all, but urged followers to still continue with their faith, regardless of the news. Cardinal Giorgio Salvadore told WWN that this years 1,981st anniversary is to be the Vatican’s last in regards to waiting for the Lord to return to Earth. “We just feel Jesus is not coming back by the looks of it.” he said. “It’s been ages like. He’s probably flat out doing other really good things for people somewhere else.” Nearly two thousand years ago, Jesus promised his disciples that he would come again in chapter John 14:1-3 of the bible: “There are many homes up where my Father lives, and I am going to prepare them for your coming. When everything is ready, then I will come and get you, so that you can always be with Me where I am. If this weren’t so, I would tell you plainly” The Vatican defended Jesus’ broken promise, claiming “he...

The Governor of Delta State, Dr.  Emmanuel Uduaghan  has said that Nigerians must collectively denounce terrorism and terrorists as it was antithetical to the people’s way of life or any known religion. Dr. Uduaghan, who stated this yesterday in a goodwill message to Muslims in commemoration of this year’s Eid El Fitri celebrations, urged that terrorism and terrorists must be combated by all in the interest of peace and unity of the country. He said that it was essential that Nigerians must rally round President Goodluck Jonathan to check Nigerians that were betraying their nation and adopting terrorism as their ideology.  “We must all denounce terrorism and continue to pray for the federal government to successfully combat terror and terrorists who betray their nation and forget their humanity while adopting terrorism as ideology and course,” he stated. “We should all use this occasion to pray to God that those deviant minds should change their ways before...

Garkida, a community in Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State is currently under attack by the Boko Haram sect. Sources say scores have been killed in the attack which started at about 5pm Nigerian time. Many residents have gone into hiding, while whereabouts of hundreds of others is yet to be ascertained. Soldiers deployed around the area were said to have fled as a result of the heavy artillery at the disposal of the terrorists. Details later…

The launching was earlier billed for Monday. ——————–  Domicent Etsese, Director, AK-AY Elektric Contracting Firm, which is handling the Asaba power sub-station project, said on Sunday that the project would now be inaugurated on Aug 28.  Mr. Etsese, who made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Asaba, said the 330/132/33KV sub-station was earlier scheduled to be inaugurated on Monday.  He told NAN that the one-month extension of the inauguration date was to enable the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to complete work on the high tension lines from Benin to Onitsha.  He explained that the high tension would feed the sub-station which would guarantee uninterrupted power supply to Asaba, Ibusa, Ogwashi, Agbor, Okpanam and other communities in Delta.  The area is currently supplied power from one feeder in Obosi sub-station in neighbouring Anambra State.  Mr. Etsese said the new sub-station in Asaba which ha...

Good statesmanship was yesterday exhibited by  Obarisi (Barr.)  Ovie Omo-Agege and Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, both  exchanged warm pleasantries at the burial ceremony of the late mother of the monarch of Umiawha Abraka kingdom. This is the time to move  Urhobo  forward in one voice. It would be a  mistake  If we keep looking at things that divide  us. Such thinking should remain in the past. All hands should be on deck to place Urhobo at where it rightly belongs. This brotherly embrace is a step in the right direction.

Five suspects have been arrested in the connection to Sunday’s bomb attacks in Kano State.  Confirming the development, the Nigeria Police Force said via it official twitter account, 5 MALE SUSPECTS ARRESTED in #Kano bomb attacks. (2 connected to foiled attack on Mosque & 3 in St Charles Church attack).

A female suicide bomber was blown up on Sunday morning in Kano. The explosives strapped on her went off while attempting to attack some mobile policemen on guard at North West University, Kano.  They were reportedly approached by the bomber who tried to lure them for Eid-el-Fitri Sallah celebration.  Suspecting the motive of the bomber, the policemen were said to have taken to their heels, according to reports from Nation.  The bomber however pursued them but was blown up and died. Details later.

Many were feared dead during a bomb explosion after a Sunday mass service at St Charles Catholic Church, No Man’s Land in Kano.  The police also confirming the report said five people were killed while eight others were injured in the blast. Police spokesman Frank Mba said that the bomb was “probably an IED (improvised explosive device) thrown from across the street” at the Saint Charles Catholic Church in Kano’s Sabon Gari district, which has suffered previous attacks by the Islamist group Boko Haram.  More details soon

Arguably, Nigeria has never had it so bad. About 9 months to a presidential election, the aspirants are not known. The political atmosphere is not charged or astir. Consultations, if any, are done in low and hushed tones. The electorates do not know what to expect from those who will want to govern them because nothing has been said or promised. There is no flurry of activities in the political parties especially the opposition parties that should keep the ruling party on its toes. Does it mean the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and President Goodluck Jonathan are doing well? If not, who is going to stop them? What will the person or party do differently for Nigeria and Nigerians? 7 months to election, who and where are the presidential aspirants? There is loud silence in the polity less than three months to the beginning of presidential primaries. Does it mean that the political class and would-be candidates are taking the electorates for granted? It has not al...