NEWS
Panic As Rainstorm Demolishes 105 Buildings In Ekiti
Over 105 buildings in Oke-Ako, Ikole local Government Area of Ekiti State were destroyed and several people rendered homeless by a two-hour torrential downpour on Friday evening.
The community was filled with woes, gnashing of teeth, and wailing as a result of the destruction. Also, the downpour destroyed some electricity facilities in the town, leaving the residents in total blackout.
While on a visit to the affected area on Saturday, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, condoled with the residents and assured them of government support to the affected victims.
Speaking during on- the -spot assessment of the level of havoc wreaked on the town, Oyebanji, represented by his Deputy, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, described the occurrence as highly devastating.
The Deputy Governor was conducted round the affected areas by the Regent of the town, Her Royal Highness Ogunbiyi Tinuade Adebayo, the lawmaker representing Ikole Constituency 2, Hon Adeoye Aribasoye and the Chairman, Ajoni Local Council Development Area, Hon Michael Ogungbemi.
A statement by the Special Assistant Media to the Deputy Governor, Victor Ogunje, on Saturday, quoted the Governor as expressing delight that no life was lost during the stormy rainfall.
“On behalf of his Excellency, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, I sympathise with you on the destruction caused by rainstorm to many residential buildings and electricity poles in this town , which we believe must have affected the wellbeing of the victims.
“Information at our disposal and on- the- spot assessment revealed that roofs of scores of residential buildings and electricity facilities were destroyed during the stormy rainfall, thereby rendering many homeless and helpless.
“We sympathise with the victims at this trying times and plead for calmness, in the sense that natural disaster of this nature is one occurrence that is difficult to control. But with personal precautions and right efforts, its effects can be minimised.
“That was why the Governor Oyebanji’s administration is ready to support interested individuals to go into tree planting and the programmes will soon be rolled out to safeguard our environment and minimise havocs being wreaked on our buildings by rainstorm.
“Tree planting is very essential. I observed that landlords here are not planting trees, I am not seeing them standing beside our houses. Let us inculcate the habit of tree planting to serve as wind breakers against storm.
“Let me also assure you that the state government won’t abandon you and allow you to regret in this current devastating conditions. We shall give all the necessary support to mitigate whatever effect this situation must have caused to your lives”.
The governor, who enlivened the spirits of the affected landlords, said the State government in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA), recently gave palliatives to scores of flood victims to put a soothing balm on their pains.
The governor added; ” I believe that such laudable gestures shall be extended to you in due course. The fact that we are here shows that we care about you. If we don’t like you, we won’t have come. We care about you, we love and we will continue to support you.
“Very soon, the government will despatch the palliatives to the victims. Be peaceful and take steps to install a substantive monarch to fully take charge for this town to witness radical development. You can’t be without an Oba. That is the best way for you to ensure steady development”.
Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, the representative of the constituency in the House of Assembly, gave assurances that relief would be provided to the victims. He praised the current government as compassionate and focused on the welfare of the masses.
Aribasoye urged the victims to remain calm and trust in the present administration, assuring them that assistance would be given to help them recover their losses.
According to Mr. Jide Borode, the General Manager of the Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency, the impact of the rainstorm could have been reduced if landlords had participated in the state government’s tree-planting initiative.
Oil marketers have warned that Nigerians may soon pay as much as ₦1,500 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as global oil prices surge following the escalating conflict involving Iran in the Middle East.
The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, issued the warning on Tuesday while speaking on a television programme on the impact of the global crisis on fuel prices.
According to him, the current volatility in the international oil market has already pushed petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre at the depot level, with the ex-depot price from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now standing at about ₦1,175 per litre.
He explained that once logistics, transportation, and other operational costs are added, the final pump price could rise significantly, possibly reaching ₦1,500 per litre in the near future.
Despite concerns about the rising cost of fuel, Gillis-Harry noted that steady availability of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery remains a major relief for Nigeria, stressing that consistent supply is better than a nationwide fuel scarcity.
He added that the refinery’s production capacity is helping to stabilize supply across the country at a time when global markets remain highly unstable.
The latest price adjustment by the Dangote Refinery marks the fourth review within two weeks. Petrol prices increased from ₦995 per litre to ₦1,175 per litre, while diesel rose from ₦1,430 to about ₦1,620 per litre.
The development comes amid a sharp spike in international crude oil prices triggered by fears of supply disruptions due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Brent crude recently climbed above $102 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to around $101 per barrel.
Industry analysts say the rising oil prices are already having a ripple effect on Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, forcing depot operators and fuel marketers to adjust their prices in response to the global market trend.
Meanwhile, the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that although Nigeria introduced a crude-for-naira arrangement to support local refineries, the facility still purchases crude oil at international market prices, leaving it exposed to global price fluctuations.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
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