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The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, narrowly escaped death on Saturday as the building of Reigners’ Bible Church Int’l Inc, along Uyo Village Road, Uyo, the state capital, collapsed during service.
The incident left about 200 worshippers dead. Sources said it took the efforts of the governor’s security officers to whisk him away to safety. He was said to have sustained a minor injury.
SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that the governor was in the church attending the ordination of the church’s Presiding Pastor, Bishop Elect Akan Weeks, when the building gave way few minutes before offering period.
One of the aides, who rescued the governor, was said to have died at a nearby hospital where he was rushed to.
A security officer, who did not want to be named, said many dignitaries who accompanied the governor to the church also died.
Our correspondent gathered that the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Etekamba Umoren, also shattered his head in the incident. He was said to have been taken to an undisclosed hospital in the state.
It was learnt that the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ekerette Udoh, also sustained serious injury.
It was gathered that construction works on a section where the ordination held were rushed because of Saturday’s event. The church has an estimated 10,000-seater capacity. Two cranes belonging to construction giant, Julius Berger, were used to clear the debris.
A clash was averted between the police and some residents as the latter tried to calm frayed nerves.
The state Commissioner for Works, Ephraim Inyang, refused to speak with journalists when he was approached. He ordered them to leave the place.
Mrs. Yenime Ekpo, who is a mother to one of the victims, Tony Brown, 46 with six children, said they were worshiping in the church when the building collapsed.
She stated that Brown was trapped in the rubble for many hours along with others before she was rescued.
Saying she was unsure of her son’s survival, Ekpo noted that they were not members of the church but only went to witness the ordination.
Also, a student of the University of Uyo, Department of Communication Arts, Uduak Effiong, said she lost three of her course mates to the incident.
She stated that when the building collapsed, a pillar fell upon a woman and tore her body.
She said, “I saw over 100 dead bodies. These were the ones close to me. From my estimation, more than 300 people might have died as people came from other churches in all parts of the state, including government-sponsored praised singers with uniforms to attend the programme. For some of us that escaped, we only did by the special grace of God.”
Another student of the University of Uyo, Jennifer Thomas, told our correspondent that one of her friends, Blessing Linus, was trapped in the debris.
It was learnt that the iron used in holding the roofing sheet was twice heavier than the block used for the building. Security operatives cordoned the area and denied journalists access.
Some members of the church seized the identity card of our correspondent and his computer tablet, saying he was a traitor as he tried to take pictures.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Murtala Mani, who said he could not ascertain the number of those dead or those trapped in the building, expressed sadness over the development.
He said, ‘‘I am sorry about the entire situation.’’
The Chief Medical Director of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Prof. Etete Peters, said of the 50 cases treated in the treatment, only one person died.
He said about 200 persons were brought to the hospital dead, adding that the hospital had never prepared for such an emergency.
He said, “We only lost one person in the hospital except those that were brought dead. In circumstances like this, we have been overwhelmed. We need help from government.
“Many victims are in private hospitals and mortuaries scattered all over Uyo metropolis; we can’t really tell how many people have died so far. We have over 200 persons in the mortuaries. We do not have space as people are still being brought in.’’
“We have done our best to revive some victims. Right now, we have over 50 cases we are attending to. This is the first time we are witnessing such an incident.’’
At St. Athanasius Hospital Limited, a nurse told our correspondent that one person was brought to the hospital dead but the relatives were asked to take the corpse away.
In its reaction, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria said it shared in the pain of the leadership and members of the church.
In a statement by its state Chairman, Dr. Sylvanus Ukafia, the association urged all Pentecostal churches in the state and in Nigeria to hold special prayers for the church on Sunday (today).
It added, “All churches should take special offerings for the medical assistance of all those injured and send same to the Reigners’ Bible Church. Church members who can are also urged to donate blood, where necessary, to those in the hospital and make other donations as may be required in the course of the treatment of those injured.’’
In its reaction, the state government said a panel of enquiry would be constituted to ascertain the immediate and remote factors leading to the collapse of the church building with a view to forestall a reoccurrence.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary also noted that persons found to have compromised professional standards in the construction of the building would be sanctioned.
It added, ‘‘His Excellency, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, was present at the church service during the incident and thereafter personally supervised rescue operations and evacuation of the injured to the hospital. The state government will undertake the medical treatment of the victims.’’
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday congratulated Emmanuel, and his family on their lucky escape from the collapse of the building of the Reigners Bible Church, Uyo.
The President through a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, also conveyed to the governor and the people of the state, the deep sorrow of his family, the government and the entire people of Nigeria over the many deaths and injury recorded following the incident.
Man jailed 25 years for killing medical student
A member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Ibadan, Akinwumi Adisa, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison with hard labour for the murder of a medical student of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Anwal Shannono, on Oyo Road, Ibadan.
Justice Munta Abimbola of the Oyo State High Court, who gave the sentence, said evidence showed that Adisa was guilty of the crime he was charged with.
He, however, discharged three other members of the union, Olumide Oladeji, Sadeeq Adejide and Tajudeen Arowotosuna, on the ground that there was no enough evidence linking them to the crime.
Court record said the medical student of ABU, Shannono, was shot dead and roasted on June 4, 2011, during a supremacy fight between factional groups of the union over the control of a motor park.
The deceased, who was said to be the President of the Medical Students Association of Nigeria, was in 500 level at the time of his death.
He was returning from a programme in Osogbo with some of his colleagues when he was killed.
Arowotosuna, who was discharged by the judge, brought his wife and a lawmaker as witnesses to prove that he was not at the scene of the crime when the medical student was killed.
He claimed that he was on his way to Abuja at the time to attend a burial.
Rivers rerun: Soldiers, policemen hijacked election materials – Wike
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has accused the Nigerian Army and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, of hijacking electoral materials and working to deliver a particular candidate in Rivers South-East Senatorial District.
The governor added that no matter the use of the Nigerian Army and SARS personnel by the APC Government, Rivers State would never be conquered.
He further alleged that there were mass shootings by the Nigerian Army and the Police in Khana, Gokana, Akuku-Toru and Etche Local Government Areas.
Governor Wike said that the security agencies were deployed to the State to manipulate the result of the polls.
The Governor, at a media briefing in Government House, Port Harcourt, alleged that at Khana Local Government Area , election materials were hijacked by the Nigerian Army and the SARS personnel.
He added that in Gokana Local Government Area soldiers hijacked election materials for Wards 2 and 3 in Bodo City, where he alleged that the military also killed two persons in the process of fleeing with the materials.
Governor Wike said that out of the 19 wards of Etche Local Government Area, soldiers and SARS personnel hijacked election materials for 4 wards.
The governor noted that the unfortunate onslaught by the military and the SARS personnel started in the night of Friday, when the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi backed by a battalion of soldiers and over 20 SARS personnel attempted to hijack materials from the Isiokpo INEC headquarters but was resisted by the youths.
He said: “I anticipated it. I tried to let the world to know that these are the plans of the security agencies.
“In all my political career, I have never experienced this kind of invasion by security agencies. What causes violence is when you give certain persons undue advantage.
“Be assured that we are resisting it, it may take our lives, but we will resist to the last. That is what is expected when you are fighting for freedom. You must make sacrifices.
“It is unfortunate that we are congratulating the opposition for winning in Ghana, but here the military are directly involved in rigging and hijacking materials.
“They say that they want to give Rivers State Governor problems, but you are not giving Rivers State Governor problems, you are giving Nigeria problems”.
52-year-old Kemi Olunloyo shows off 21-year-old fiancé
Popular US trained journalist, Kemi Olunloyo, has stirred up controversies on the social media after she posted a picture of a 21-year-old man she called her fiance.
The 52-year-old Snitch Lady, on her Facebook page on Friday, shared the photo of her lover, Hakeem, saying he is ‘the grey hair in her vagina.’
She wrote: “This is my FIANCE@hakeemceo.
“The defender of my trolls, the black seeds in my pawpaw, the grey hair in my pussy, the CNN in my DSTV, the engine oil in my car and he’s 30 years younger.
“I like it tender like dat. Follow his page. He’s not home a lot cos his full time job is TROLLING the internet and his sugarmom’s biggest attribute.
“If u harrass me online, Hakeem is coming for you. All I do is TAG him! I’m dead serious, you’ll end up crying.
“Hakeem takes instructions well. I’m getting elderly. He picks up my menopause and arthritis pills from the chemist, massages my knees, oils my wheelchair tires and soaks my teeth overnight.
“Most men can’t cook ordinary rice. For all you men after me, Hakeem has the G-Spot so y’all can run away with the rest 25 ALPHABETS! #Gbam
Love u honey.”
The incident left about 200 worshippers dead. Sources said it took the efforts of the governor’s security officers to whisk him away to safety. He was said to have sustained a minor injury.
SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that the governor was in the church attending the ordination of the church’s Presiding Pastor, Bishop Elect Akan Weeks, when the building gave way few minutes before offering period.
One of the aides, who rescued the governor, was said to have died at a nearby hospital where he was rushed to.
A security officer, who did not want to be named, said many dignitaries who accompanied the governor to the church also died.
Our correspondent gathered that the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Etekamba Umoren, also shattered his head in the incident. He was said to have been taken to an undisclosed hospital in the state.
It was learnt that the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ekerette Udoh, also sustained serious injury.
It was gathered that construction works on a section where the ordination held were rushed because of Saturday’s event. The church has an estimated 10,000-seater capacity. Two cranes belonging to construction giant, Julius Berger, were used to clear the debris.
A clash was averted between the police and some residents as the latter tried to calm frayed nerves.
The state Commissioner for Works, Ephraim Inyang, refused to speak with journalists when he was approached. He ordered them to leave the place.
Mrs. Yenime Ekpo, who is a mother to one of the victims, Tony Brown, 46 with six children, said they were worshiping in the church when the building collapsed.
She stated that Brown was trapped in the rubble for many hours along with others before she was rescued.
Saying she was unsure of her son’s survival, Ekpo noted that they were not members of the church but only went to witness the ordination.
Also, a student of the University of Uyo, Department of Communication Arts, Uduak Effiong, said she lost three of her course mates to the incident.
She stated that when the building collapsed, a pillar fell upon a woman and tore her body.
She said, “I saw over 100 dead bodies. These were the ones close to me. From my estimation, more than 300 people might have died as people came from other churches in all parts of the state, including government-sponsored praised singers with uniforms to attend the programme. For some of us that escaped, we only did by the special grace of God.”
Another student of the University of Uyo, Jennifer Thomas, told our correspondent that one of her friends, Blessing Linus, was trapped in the debris.
It was learnt that the iron used in holding the roofing sheet was twice heavier than the block used for the building. Security operatives cordoned the area and denied journalists access.
Some members of the church seized the identity card of our correspondent and his computer tablet, saying he was a traitor as he tried to take pictures.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Murtala Mani, who said he could not ascertain the number of those dead or those trapped in the building, expressed sadness over the development.
He said, ‘‘I am sorry about the entire situation.’’
The Chief Medical Director of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Prof. Etete Peters, said of the 50 cases treated in the treatment, only one person died.
He said about 200 persons were brought to the hospital dead, adding that the hospital had never prepared for such an emergency.
He said, “We only lost one person in the hospital except those that were brought dead. In circumstances like this, we have been overwhelmed. We need help from government.
“Many victims are in private hospitals and mortuaries scattered all over Uyo metropolis; we can’t really tell how many people have died so far. We have over 200 persons in the mortuaries. We do not have space as people are still being brought in.’’
“We have done our best to revive some victims. Right now, we have over 50 cases we are attending to. This is the first time we are witnessing such an incident.’’
At St. Athanasius Hospital Limited, a nurse told our correspondent that one person was brought to the hospital dead but the relatives were asked to take the corpse away.
In its reaction, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria said it shared in the pain of the leadership and members of the church.
In a statement by its state Chairman, Dr. Sylvanus Ukafia, the association urged all Pentecostal churches in the state and in Nigeria to hold special prayers for the church on Sunday (today).
It added, “All churches should take special offerings for the medical assistance of all those injured and send same to the Reigners’ Bible Church. Church members who can are also urged to donate blood, where necessary, to those in the hospital and make other donations as may be required in the course of the treatment of those injured.’’
In its reaction, the state government said a panel of enquiry would be constituted to ascertain the immediate and remote factors leading to the collapse of the church building with a view to forestall a reoccurrence.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary also noted that persons found to have compromised professional standards in the construction of the building would be sanctioned.
It added, ‘‘His Excellency, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, was present at the church service during the incident and thereafter personally supervised rescue operations and evacuation of the injured to the hospital. The state government will undertake the medical treatment of the victims.’’
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday congratulated Emmanuel, and his family on their lucky escape from the collapse of the building of the Reigners Bible Church, Uyo.
The President through a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, also conveyed to the governor and the people of the state, the deep sorrow of his family, the government and the entire people of Nigeria over the many deaths and injury recorded following the incident.
Man jailed 25 years for killing medical student
A member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Ibadan, Akinwumi Adisa, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison with hard labour for the murder of a medical student of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Anwal Shannono, on Oyo Road, Ibadan.
Justice Munta Abimbola of the Oyo State High Court, who gave the sentence, said evidence showed that Adisa was guilty of the crime he was charged with.
He, however, discharged three other members of the union, Olumide Oladeji, Sadeeq Adejide and Tajudeen Arowotosuna, on the ground that there was no enough evidence linking them to the crime.
Court record said the medical student of ABU, Shannono, was shot dead and roasted on June 4, 2011, during a supremacy fight between factional groups of the union over the control of a motor park.
The deceased, who was said to be the President of the Medical Students Association of Nigeria, was in 500 level at the time of his death.
He was returning from a programme in Osogbo with some of his colleagues when he was killed.
Arowotosuna, who was discharged by the judge, brought his wife and a lawmaker as witnesses to prove that he was not at the scene of the crime when the medical student was killed.
He claimed that he was on his way to Abuja at the time to attend a burial.
Rivers rerun: Soldiers, policemen hijacked election materials – Wike
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has accused the Nigerian Army and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, of hijacking electoral materials and working to deliver a particular candidate in Rivers South-East Senatorial District.
The governor added that no matter the use of the Nigerian Army and SARS personnel by the APC Government, Rivers State would never be conquered.
He further alleged that there were mass shootings by the Nigerian Army and the Police in Khana, Gokana, Akuku-Toru and Etche Local Government Areas.
Governor Wike said that the security agencies were deployed to the State to manipulate the result of the polls.
The Governor, at a media briefing in Government House, Port Harcourt, alleged that at Khana Local Government Area , election materials were hijacked by the Nigerian Army and the SARS personnel.
He added that in Gokana Local Government Area soldiers hijacked election materials for Wards 2 and 3 in Bodo City, where he alleged that the military also killed two persons in the process of fleeing with the materials.
Governor Wike said that out of the 19 wards of Etche Local Government Area, soldiers and SARS personnel hijacked election materials for 4 wards.
The governor noted that the unfortunate onslaught by the military and the SARS personnel started in the night of Friday, when the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi backed by a battalion of soldiers and over 20 SARS personnel attempted to hijack materials from the Isiokpo INEC headquarters but was resisted by the youths.
He said: “I anticipated it. I tried to let the world to know that these are the plans of the security agencies.
“In all my political career, I have never experienced this kind of invasion by security agencies. What causes violence is when you give certain persons undue advantage.
“Be assured that we are resisting it, it may take our lives, but we will resist to the last. That is what is expected when you are fighting for freedom. You must make sacrifices.
“It is unfortunate that we are congratulating the opposition for winning in Ghana, but here the military are directly involved in rigging and hijacking materials.
“They say that they want to give Rivers State Governor problems, but you are not giving Rivers State Governor problems, you are giving Nigeria problems”.
52-year-old Kemi Olunloyo shows off 21-year-old fiancé
Popular US trained journalist, Kemi Olunloyo, has stirred up controversies on the social media after she posted a picture of a 21-year-old man she called her fiance.
The 52-year-old Snitch Lady, on her Facebook page on Friday, shared the photo of her lover, Hakeem, saying he is ‘the grey hair in her vagina.’
She wrote: “This is my FIANCE@hakeemceo.
“The defender of my trolls, the black seeds in my pawpaw, the grey hair in my pussy, the CNN in my DSTV, the engine oil in my car and he’s 30 years younger.
“I like it tender like dat. Follow his page. He’s not home a lot cos his full time job is TROLLING the internet and his sugarmom’s biggest attribute.
“If u harrass me online, Hakeem is coming for you. All I do is TAG him! I’m dead serious, you’ll end up crying.
“Hakeem takes instructions well. I’m getting elderly. He picks up my menopause and arthritis pills from the chemist, massages my knees, oils my wheelchair tires and soaks my teeth overnight.
“Most men can’t cook ordinary rice. For all you men after me, Hakeem has the G-Spot so y’all can run away with the rest 25 ALPHABETS! #Gbam
Love u honey.”
Days of oil are numbered in Nigeria – Ekweremadu
Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has advised the nation to look beyond oil to secure economic prosperity for the country.
He insisted that the days of oil as super foreign exchange earner for the nation were numbered.
Senator Ekweremadu gave the advice at the one year anniversary celebration of the Brickhall School, Abuja, founded by former Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Senator Joy Emodi.
Ekweremadu regretted that while the fruits of massive investment in human capital development made by Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo through free education in the Old Western Region, Late Nnamdi Azikiwe and Late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sarduana of Sokoto in the Eastern Region and Northern were still being reaped by Nigeria, education had been subsequently neglected to the chagrin of the nation.
He underscored the fact that the way to go for sustainable growth of the country was education from birth to adulthood.
He said: “Our economy is in the throes of pain today because we thought the oil windfall would last forever. Even while it lasted, we dismantled all the necessary structures, such as fiscal federalism, that would have encouraged competitive development and massive investment in human capital to enable us maximize our vast potentials as a nation.
“Without prejudice to the place of petroleum resources in our national life, we must face the reality that the days of oil as super earner of foreign exchange are numbered, if not over. Those who still look up to petroleum resources for the revival of Nigeria’s weather-beaten economy live in the past and are only building castles in the air.
“Prosperous global economies are knowledge-driven and the future only belongs to those who equip their citizens with quality education right from birth. This is a major reason most African nations, including Nigeria, are abjectly poor despite their rich oil and mineral resources, whereas many of their contemporaries, such as South Korea, with very little or no mineral resources, are among the world’s leading economies.
“We must look beyond oil; and we must necessarily invest in education if we intend to make any headway. It is not a matter of choice, but an pressing imperative”.
While urging other privately-owned educational institutions to emulate the Brickhall School in providing high standard, but pocket-friendly education, Senator Ekweremadu tasked the government and public-spirited individuals and businesses to prioritise support to educational institutions, whether private or public, through the provision of adequate supervision, infrastructure, grants, donations, and tax rebates.
He added: “A situation where government is only interested in collecting exorbitant taxes from privately-owned educational institutions, while leaving them to fend for themselves in terms of access roads, security, water, power, and other social infrastructures is exploitative, and also unacceptable because it has virtually driven them beyond the reach of the poor.
“Governments should be able to provide subsidized lands and other support in exchange of specific percentage discount for the poor to access privately owned educational institutions”.
