NEWS
Panic as Fire Razes 12 Shops in Kwara Shopping Complex
Panic broke out in the Mandate Market area of Ilorin, Kwara State, after a fire engulfed parts of a shopping complex in the early hours of Saturday.
No fewer than 12 shops were affected in the inferno, which occurred opposite Alkad Filling Station at about 1:14am.
The shopping complex, which contains about 40 shops, was already engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at the scene.
SEE MORE: Firefighters Avert Disaster as Fire Guts Laundry Shop in Kwara
The spokesperson for the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.
Adekunle said the fire service immediately deployed two fire appliances after receiving the distress call, while personnel of the Federal Fire Service later joined the operation.
According to him, the combined effort of the firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to other shops and nearby properties.
“Despite the prompt intervention of the firefighters, 12 shops were affected, largely due to the late notification of the incident,” Adekunle stated.
He said preliminary findings suggested that a power surge might have triggered the fire.
Adekunle explained that some people sleeping near the shopping complex reportedly heard a loud combustion sound shortly after electricity was restored.
“The exact cause of the incident remains subject to further investigation,” he added.
The Chief Fire Officer, Alabi Muhammed, commended the firefighters and the Federal Fire Service for their response and collaboration.
Muhammed urged business owners to ensure that electrical installations were carried out by qualified professionals and that electrical appliances and power sources were properly monitored.
He also stressed the need for residents and business owners to report fire outbreaks promptly.
“Early notification gives firefighters a better opportunity to contain incidents before they escalate and cause extensive damage,” Muhammed said.
The incident occurred just two days after another fire outbreak affected a residential building behind the Industrial Training Fund in the Asa-Dam area of Ilorin.
The Thursday fire affected three bedrooms in a building comprising three-bedroom flats and a room-and-parlour self-contained apartment.
The Fire Service said the blaze had spread significantly before firefighters arrived but was eventually contained, preventing it from reaching an adjoining block of apartments.
A power surge was also suspected in that incident, although the exact cause had not been conclusively established.
The Kwara State Fire Service consequently urged residents and business owners to regularly inspect and maintain their electrical installations and immediately alert emergency responders whenever a fire outbreak occurs.
NEWS
Showunmi Urges South-East to Judge Tinubu by Projects, Not Propaganda
Otunba Segun Showunmi, a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) for 2027, has urged the South-East to assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration based on verifiable projects and measurable results rather than political propaganda.
Showunmi made the call in a statement posted on X on Saturday, urging Nigerians to evaluate the government’s performance based on infrastructure delivery, funds committed to projects and their impact on communities.
He said federal infrastructure initiatives targeting the South-East under Tinubu’s administration deserved serious scrutiny and factual assessment, adding that unfulfilled promises should continue to be pursued until the expected results were delivered.
SEE ALSO: 2027 Election: ‘Look Beyond the Noise’ – Showunmi Urges Nigerians to Give Tinubu More Time
“Our message is clear: We will not trade facts for propaganda, nor accountability for political loyalty!” he said.
The political figure challenged critics of the administration to provide evidence to support their claims, while urging those defending the government to present the projects and demonstrate their impact.
He also called on government officials to publish relevant figures, disclose project timelines and provide measurable results, insisting that no public official should be exempt from scrutiny.
According to Showunmi, the South-East deserves infrastructure that supports economic growth, including roads that connect markets, investments that create jobs and policies that expand economic opportunities.
He maintained that political representation must translate into tangible benefits for citizens, stressing that public office should deliver value to the people.
As part of his call to action, Showunmi urged Nigerians to scrutinise government records, challenge misinformation with evidence and demand the completion of outstanding projects.
He further called for public commitments to be matched by measurable delivery, arguing that leadership should be assessed by facts and results rather than political rhetoric.
Ending his statement with the slogan, “Asiwaju is a goal,” Showunmi called for accountability and greater inclusion of the South-East in Nigeria’s development.
Showunmi is associated with The Alternative and is a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 elections.
NEWS
Lagos: LASTMA Announces Traffic Restrictions Along Route to Toll Gate
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Saturday announced a temporary road closure near Apostolic Church, inward Toll Gate, to allow engineers to install a beam on a height-restriction structure.
The agency said the installation was aimed at preventing high-rise trailers from accessing the newly constructed pedestrian bridge.
ALSO READ: LASTMA Alerts Motorists to Traffic Delays on Ogunnusi Road
“Currently, one lane has been occupied to facilitate the ongoing construction work, while the remaining two lanes are available to motorists,” LASTMA stated.
The agency advised road users to approach the affected corridor with caution and follow the directions of its personnel deployed to the area.
“Road users are advised to approach the affected corridor with caution and follow the directions of our personnel who are on ground to ensure the smooth flow of vehicular movement,” the statement added.
LASTMA also urged motorists to remain patient while the installation work continued.
“Motorists are encouraged to exercise patience while the installation work is in progress,” the agency stated.
NEWS
‘Oseni Rufai Helped Me, Not NiDCOM’ — Ekene Chukwuma on Return to Nigeria
Nigerian national Ekene Chukwuma has said he returned to Nigeria with assistance linked to Oseni Rufai rather than the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), while renewing allegations against the commission’s chairperson, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, over his travel documents.
Chukwuma made the remarks in an interview in which he explained how he returned to Nigeria after spending months at a deportation camp in India.
RELATED NEWS: Rufai Oseni Row: NiDCOM Breaks Silence on Nigerians Detained in India, Addresses Ekene’s Case
“My name is Kenneth Chukwu, from Enugu State,” he said, introducing himself before explaining how he returned to the country.
“I came back here with the assist of Osini Roufai, a good friend of him,” he said.
Chukwuma denied that NiDCOM facilitated his return, alleging that the commission had published false information about his case.
“NiDCOM made a lots of false, uh, news acquisition against me, which is still in Abike Dabiri handle in Twitter,” he said.
He also accused Dabiri-Erewa of sharing his expired international passport and a travel certificate he claimed was issued six months after he entered the detention camp.
“He also, she also posted my international passport that expired. He also, she also posted my TC that issued after 6 months,” he said.
His comments renew questions surrounding the handling of his case and the circumstances under which he obtained the documents needed to return to Nigeria.
Chukwuma’s detention in India previously sparked a public disagreement between ARISE News presenter Oseni Rufai and Dabiri-Erewa over NiDCOM’s response to reports of his situation.
Oseni raised concerns about Chukwuma’s detention and the commission’s handling of the case, while Dabiri-Erewa defended NiDCOM’s position and explained the process for submitting information to the commission.
NiDCOM subsequently issued its account of Chukwuma’s detention, stating that he had been arrested in India over a visa overstay and addressing the circumstances surrounding his travel documents.
The differing accounts prompted public debate about the commission’s response to Nigerians facing immigration difficulties abroad.





