Nine people, including a pregnant woman on Tuesday, suffered varying degrees of burn injuries, occasioned by a gas explosion in the Ajegunle-Apapa area of Lagos State.

The victims are currently receiving treatment at the Ajeromi General Hospital and Gbagada Burnt & Trauma Centre.

At least four commercial tricycles, six lock-up shops, and a section of a residential bungalow were affected.

It was gathered that the explosion caused by gas leakage ignited a high-tension cable, leading to a fire outbreak.

However, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, with support from the Federal Fire Service, was able to bring the fire under control, preventing further devastation.

Confirming the incident, the Director of the agency, Margaret Adeseye, said the incident occurred in an area known for its gas cylinder trading activities, amplifying the impact.

Adeseye said: “However, firefighters managed to salvage nearby structures, including a critical fuel service station, mitigating potential additional losses.

“Tragically, nine individuals, including a pregnant woman and several children and adults, suffered varying degrees of burn injuries. They received immediate medical attention from the Lagos State Ambulance Service and are currently undergoing further treatment at the Ajeromi General Hospital and Gbagada Burnt & Trauma Centre.

“The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service reaffirms its dedication to safeguarding lives and property through proactive emergency response, public education, and community engagement initiatives.”

Nigeria’s minister of solid minerals development, Dr. Oladele Alake on Monday disclosed that the country had a solid mineral wealth worth in excess of $750bn, according to a survey report by a German firm, GeoScan.

He, however, hinted that Nigeria was likely to have much more than the figure when the reports of other surveys from other reputable global firms are received.

The minister made this comment at a two-day Stakeholders’ Roundtable on Solid Minerals Development jointly organised by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) and Bruit Costaud in Abuja Monday Nigeria.

Alake said the mining sector had the potential to contribute a large chunk of the wealth necessary to turn Nigeria into a trillion-dollar economy which is a major goal of the Tinubu administration.

He stated that the availability of data is important to attract investors to Nigeria as it would help them make informed investment decisions, adding that bringing them to site their processing plants in Nigerian will have the multiplier effect of job and wealth creation for the citizens on the one hand and the growth of the country’s economy.

“We are working with the World Bank, Excalibur and GeoScan, a German company, to get the necessary data on the sector. That is why the federal government signed a memorandum of understanding with Geoscan and they did a preliminary survey of our minerals on the output and potential. They gave us a figure of $750 billion worth of minerals embedded under the ground of Nigeria.” 

“That is a conservative estimate, by the time we conduct a serious, accurate data exploration, we will discover that we have trillions of solid minerals embedded under. So, the president’s projection of a one-dollar economy is not a fluke. By the time we are done with all of these efforts, input and policies we are putting in place, trillions of naira will be a child’s play and we will be nudging trillions of dollars.” 

Alake further stated that the president has given the ministry the mandate to re-organise the sector from exploration to production and processing with the ultimate objective of making it a key contributor to the national economy.

“Nigeria is prime to become the new global mining destination and together we will make this vision a reality,” he said, adding that as the foremost government think-tank, the stakeholders’ roundtable will enrich NIPSS’ analysis of the sector and the recommendations from the summit will no doubt point to the steps to be taken to enable the sector deliver on its mandate.

He reiterated his resolute stance on local value addition in products mined in the country and highlighted that through his advocacy and leadership of African ministers of solid minerals, all the other African countries had adopted the same policy of value addition.

The minister added that part of his seven-point agenda of reform is the formation of a mining police, which has been launched and already arresting illegal operators across Nigeria, and the establishment of the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation.

“When I first said this, a lot of people were taken aback and sceptical because what rang in their mind was NNPC, that is, we are going to establish something similar like NNPC, which is a quasi-government venture. But no, the proposed corporation is vastly different in nomenclature, structure and operation,” he said, assuring that it will be private sector-led.

“We are proposing 50 per cent of the equity entirely to the private sector, 25 per cent to Nigerians in general and 25 per cent to the government,” he explained.

On his part, the governor of Nasarawa State, Abullali Sule, said that lithium is the new gold and that Nigeria has it in great abundance.

He further stated that his administration had set up the biggest lithium processing factory in Nigeria and that it will soon be processing 4,000 metric tonnes a day and transporting over a million tonnes of lithium a year.

NIPSS director-general of NIPSS, Ayo Omotaya, in his speech said the summit was organised to bring together the various stakeholders in order to propose solutions to challenges confronting the mining industry.

In an earlier interaction with journalists, he gave assurance that the two-day event will not be just another academic exercise but that decisions reached will be useful to the cause of turning the mining sector into Nigeria’s major earner in the near future.

In a shocking revelation, a woman in her 50s, identified only as Madam Alimot, has been apprehended for her involvement in a fraudulent scheme that staged fake miracles in a church located in one of the South-West states.

The Oluyole Security Surveillance Team took her into custody after reports emerged of her exploiting a teenage boy and threatening him when he threatened to expose their activities.

The operation, detailed by Madam Alimot, involved elaborate performances during church services where she and other participants pretended to suffer from various disabilities and spiritual afflictions.

These staged afflictions would miraculously ‘disappear’ after being prayed over by the pastor, involving rituals with water and anointing oil.

The performances were convincing enough to make the congregation believe in these purported miracles, prompting them to donate large sums of money in hopes of receiving similar blessings.

During the church services, which witnesses described as resembling movie scenes, participants would take on roles such as lunatics, imbeciles, or individuals afflicted by spiritual attacks.

After the ‘healing’ rituals, these participants would act out scenes of miraculous recovery, further convincing the congregation of the pastor’s divine powers.

The revelation came to light after Madam Alimot enlisted the help of the nephew of one of her tenants, a teenager, to participate in one such performance where he was made to pretend to be deaf and then miraculously regain his hearing.

After the service, while the pastor received substantial cash donations, the teenager was only given ₦500 and threatened by Alimot to keep quiet about the deceit.

The incident has sparked outrage among the community, particularly after the teenager disclosed the syndicate’s operations to others, leading to Alimot’s arrest.

The services conducted by the church have now been scrutinised, uncovering a series of deceitful practices aimed at exploiting the faith and finances of the congregation.

Madam Alimot reportedly organised these fraudulent trips from her residence in Iyana Agbala at the Alakia side of Ibadan, where the group would gather before heading to the church to perform their deceitful acts.

Nigerian Tribune, in an interview with Madam Alimot, an Ibadan indigene, said, “I live at Olomi Area of the city. I was a beer and wine seller before and well known in my area. However, I had an accident, and my business crashed. I had another accident at Olomi when a car hit me. So, I couldn’t continue with my business since two years ago.

“It was then that someone told me about a church’s style of gaining membership and raising much money through bringing in people who would pretend as needing healing from sicknesses and diseases.

“Sometimes, a member of the syndicate would act as an imbecile. Other times, I would act like someone who is a witch and had rendered her husband impotent. After my ‘confession,’ the pastor would use anointing oil and water to restore the manhood of the syndicate member who would pretend to be my husband.

“I could also act as if I spiritually attacked the child of my rival in my marriage. The person who introduced the business to me lived at OkeAdu. She was known as Iya Deola but died recently. I have worked with the syndicate about four times and I made up my mind not to go to the church for such deceit again. I kept off the business for almost two years before I ventured into it again. Lately, my mind just went to her, and I borrowed the phone of the boy, whose involvement exposed me, to call her.

“What I got to understand is that the pastor would call her whenever he needed people to come to church gathering and act as if a miracle was occurring. The worshippers were many.

“One of the acts I performed was that I pretended as if I afflicted my rival’s son with impotence because I didn’t give birth to a male child and was being oppressed by his mother. The pastor would anoint him with oil and sprinkle water on him. Immediately, he would hold his manhood and start rejoicing, telling the congregation that he felt life in it again.

“I used to be paid ₦7,000 each time I went to the town and return to Ibadan, and the payment would include transport fare. So, what I was usually left with was between ₦1,500 and ₦2,000. That was what I would use to eat.

“I have two children and one of them, a male, just got someone pregnant. He’s my second child. My daughter is married and blessed and blessed with two children but is currently sick.”

When asked why she was not afraid of offending the Divine Being, as a Muslim, she replied: “I had fear in me, but it was one Iya Samuel who used to call me for the ‘business.’ She didn’t go to the church but was the one to source for the people to be used in the church by the pastor. I didn’t know how much she was being paid.”

The teenager who exposed the woman narrated his experience thus, “My father is in Lagos while my mother is in Ibadan. They are divorced. I live with my uncle. I used to greet Madam Alimotu because she’s belongs to the family which owns my uncle’s rented house and is in charge of the house. She also lives there.

“What led to this occurrence was that she called me to lend her my phone so that she could make a call to somebody. She spoke with her contact for a long time that I had to have a discussion with her nephew, Abeeb, who asked me the kind of menial job I would like to do to have some money. I told him that I could work with bricklayers as a labourer.

“The following day, the woman Madam Alimotu called the day before gave me a call and I took the phone to her. I helped her to put the phone on speaker because she didn’t know how to operate it. I heard the woman asking Madam Alimotu if she had a male that would disguise as a madman. I pulled back when I heard that, thinking: ‘what does this woman mean?’

“As I pulled back, Madam Alimotu urged me not to do so, assuring me that she would never wish me evil. She told me to follow her out so that I would not be the only one at home. She told me to take extra clothes with me and also took three pieces for herself.

“When we got to Iwo Road, I asked her where we were going, but she just replied that I should follow her. We boarded another vehicle to Iyana Agbala. We entered a street and I felt like running because the place was deserted. I told her that I wanted to go back home but she shouted at me that she had just ₦1,000 with her and we had used it for transportation.

“She asked me to act as a madman, but I told her that I couldn’t do it. She then said that I should pretend to be a deaf and I had to agree because there was no money to transport myself back home. Eventually, she went with a woman to another place for the job, and I went with another man to the town where the pastor is.

“I met the man in the house at Iyana Agbala and noticed that he had been working with the syndicate before. She gave us N3,500 for transport fare, asking us to lap each other, and the man was the one who held the money. The woman at Iyana Agbala waited until she saw that the vehicle we boarded to the town we were going moved. The man I went with told me that I would be paid ₦7,000 for the job I was going to do.

“On getting to the town, we entered the church we were told to go to. We were made to go inside a room attached to the church and given directives on how we would play individual roles. The pastor walked past me but looked intently at me before moving forward. A woman whom I met in the church was asked to act as my mother and she sat beside me.

“At about 4pm, the church service started. The pastor and said there was a boy among the congregation who is deaf, asking him to come to the altar. My fake mother stood up and said that what the pastor said was true, as she brought her deaf child to the church. The pastor asked her to bring me forward and started praying. He poured oil on my head and immediately, I started acting as if I just woke up from a dream as I was taught to do. I asked: ‘Where am I?’

“That I could talk sent the congregation into frenzy. I was given microphone to talk. The pastor then said that those who believe that is nothing God cannot do should come forward to drop ₦10,000 each at the altar. People started rushing forward to drop cash of varied amount. Some others did money transfer from their bank’s app.

“When we got back to Ibadan the following day, we dropped at Iyana Agbala. Madam Alimotu was called and she asked me to go home. I was given ₦500 for transport fare. When I got to Iwo Road, I went to my biological mother and mocked her belief in a religion, telling her that she was always buying water that had been prayed into. She is a Muslim but used to go to churches for prayers and purchase of spiritual water.

“I left for my uncle’s house but he was angry I went somewhere without informing him. He told me to pack my things and leave his house. Then, I explained things to him. I also told him that I informed a co-tenant but didn’t know we would go that far. He said he suspected Madam Alimotu and had advised her to desist from it.

“Aside the transport fare we were given when going to the church, I was not given any money when we returned to Ibadan. I was on WhatsApp when I had an audio call from the syndicate leader, asking if I was given ₦3,000 by Madam Alimotu. I told her I was not given anything. The syndicate leader asked me to take my phone to her and I heard when she castigated her, saying that she was the one who called her for the job and was not doing the right thing. Madam Alimot snatched the phone from me, saying that I had exposed her secret.

“I went to my uncle and told him what just transpired. I said that I was afraid of being attacked because Madam Alimotu told the syndicate leader that I had exposed them. He asked me to go to my mother but I didn’t want to go.

“He went to Madam Alimotu. The syndicate leader sent me a WhatsApp message saying ‘well done’ to me. She said that Madam Alimot came to her and told her that I have exposed everything they were doing to our neighbours. I also heard her telling that neighbour who knew that she took me out that she would drag issues with me. I went to her the following morning and she said I took her footwear. I had to lodge a complaint with OSST when she continued to threaten me.”

The OSST Commandant, Olusegun Idowu, confirmed that the 17-year-old boy who is a JSS 3 student, reported the case of threat to life.

He said that during interrogation, it was discovered that those involved were not only within Oyo State but outside, adding that the complainant and the apprehended woman were transferred to Sanyo police station in the state police command for further investigation.

One of the two brothers, Henry Odep, believed to be part of cybercrime syndicates has disclosed that he made the sum of N460,000 from impersonating the FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu’s Facebook account.

The cyber thieves who were captured by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps made the confession when they were apprehended and paraded during a press conference held in Abuja on Tuesday.

In September 2023, the NSCDC FCT Command issued a public alert regarding a fake Facebook account impersonating the FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu.

Identified as Henry Odep and Emanuel Odep from Cross River State, they were apprehended with evidence linking them to cyber fraud activities.

Henry who spoke to journalists said he started a cybercrime business in 2016 through a friend who made huge money from it.

“I made N460,000 from the fake Facebook account of the commandant between September- December 2023,” he added.

Emanuel, upon apprehension, provided valuable information leading to the arrest of his elder brother, Henry, who was found in possession of the device used to operate the fake Facebook account.

Henry admitted to initiating his brother into cyber fraud, which involved duping numerous individuals through various online schemes, including impersonating the late Assistant Commandant General, NSCDC Helen Amakiri.

The NSCDC said investigation revealed their use of platforms such as Opay, Moniepoint, and Palmpay to receive illicit funds, as well as their association with individuals unknowingly involved in their criminal activities.

Those inadvertently implicated in the investigation, including Amadi Chisom and Okafor Evelyn, have been granted bail pending further legal proceedings, as they were found to know nothing about the fraudulent activities.

Items recovered from the suspects include various electronic devices and POS machines used in their illegal operations.

Odumosu, addressing journalists, stated that “after an extensive investigation and a seven-month pursuit, collaborative efforts between NSCDC intelligence units and their counterparts from Delta and Anambra State Commands led to the apprehension of the individuals responsible for the deceptive Facebook account.”

The FCT NSCDC Commandant also warned cybercriminals that they would be apprehended and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Odumosu noted that the arrest served as a clear message that crime does not pay, and collaboration with other security agencies will continue to ensure the safety and security of citizens against all forms of criminality.

“Investigation is still ongoing. When it is concluded, they will be prosecuted according to the extant laws, and we believe that appropriate sanctions will be meted out on them.

“We want to use this opportunity to warn all cybercriminals who specialise in defrauding people of their hard-earned money to find legitimate trade to do because, sooner or later, the long arm of the law would catch up with them.

“The NSCDC FCT Command, in collaboration with other security agencies, will continue to launch its dragnet into fighting any form of criminality that will contravene peace, security, and any other government’s interest for the people,” he said.

The House of Representatives on Tuesday directed the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to halt the rollout of the new electricity tariff.

The decision was reached after the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance, spearheaded by Nkemkanma Kama, a lawmaker from the Labour Party (LP) representing Ebonyi state.

Recall that on April 3, NERC approved an increase in electricity tariffs for customers belonging to Band A, which led to legislative action.

Customers in this category, who receive 20 hours of electricity per day, were supposed to start paying N225 per kilowatt (kW), a significant increase from the previous tariff of N66.

Meanwhile, yesterday, during a hearing at the Senate Committee on Power, Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, defended the tariff hike by stating that the Federal Government could no longer afford to provide subsidies on power.

He said for the sector to be revived, the government needs to spend about $10 billion annually in the next 10 years.

“This is because of the infrastructure requirement for the stability of the sector, but the government cannot afford that,” the minister had said.

Adelabu has stated that the electricity sector is attracting more investors due to the increase in electricity tariff for Band A customers.

Opay, a leading financial services provider in Nigeria, has reassured its customers regarding the security of their funds amidst the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) directive to suspend the creation of new accounts.

Recall Vanguard had earlier published an article on how Kuda Bank, Moniepoint, Palmpay, and Opay halted new account openings for customers in response to the aforementioned directive from CBN.

This suspension of new account openings for the mentioned fintechs follows closely on the heels of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) taking action against 1,146 bank accounts involved in unauthorized forex dealings.

In a statement on its X account on Tuesday, the bank said it’s committed to fighting illegal financial activities in the country.

It reads: “Opay remains committed to working closely with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other regulatory bodies to fight money laundering, fraud, terrorism financing, and other illegal financial activities.

“As a regulatory-compliant institution, OPay follows the rules set by the CBN and other regulators to ensure the financial system’s integrity. To achieve this, we have closed non-compliant accounts, implemented strict security measures, and educated customers to help combat fraud.

“To support government efforts to clean up the financial industry, Opay and other Fintechs companies have temporarily paused onboarding new customers and creating new wallets. This action reflects our commitment to a secure financial environment and fighting against illicit activities.

“Please note that existing accounts and wallets remain unaffected by the CBN’s directive. We want to assure our customers that their funds are secure, their data is protected and this is a temporary measure.

“Customer satisfaction is our top priority, and we are committed to promoting financial inclusion and economic growth as key players in Nigeria’s financial ecosystem.”

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) revealed yesterday that its Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Group (CEPTG) had scrutinized poorly executed projects totalling N219.844 billion across 176 federal government agencies.

Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, the commission’s chairman, made this disclosure during a press briefing in Lagos, emphasizing the importance of directing government funds towards impactful projects in critical sectors such as education, agriculture, healthcare, and infrastructure to benefit vulnerable Nigerians.

The tracking exercise, conducted as part of the 2024 phase six initiative from November 2023 to the first quarter of 2024, focused on key sectors in 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Dr. Adamu highlighted that 1,721 government-funded projects underwent scrutiny during this phase, with ongoing investigations into various infractions including underperformance, shoddy execution, abandonment, incompleteness, and project hoarding.

Regarding plea bargaining, Dr. Adamu noted its efficiency in saving time and money while aiding the government in recovering stolen funds.

Popular Clergyman Apostle Johnson Suleman shares a thought-provoking message with his congregation at Omega Fire Ministries International.

During his sermon, Apostle Suleman urged men to come together and support one another in a way that surpasses their support for women.

Apostle Suleman also directed his criticism towards men who prioritize aiding women over their own gender. He challenged the actions of those who neglect their fellow men in need in favor of helping women.

He highlighted the importance of forming strong teams and bonds through assisting men, while cautioning against potential controversies that may arise from helping women.

Apostle Suleman stressed that the gratitude shown by women when they receive help is often limited and minimal. He emphasized the idea that only a small number of females genuinely appreciate the assistance they receive.

A man has been arrested for abducting and hiding a 10-year-old girl in a refrigerator in Kaduna State.

The suspect was apprehended by the police in the north east State on Tuesday.

According to the police, the incident happened in Unguwar Gara Village of Kauru Local Government Area of the state.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the arrest of the suspect to newsmen on Tuesday in Kaduna.

Hassan disclosed that Uwaila Idris, the mother of the abducted girl, reported the disappearance of her daughter, Hanifa Garba, on Saturday afternoon.

“She came to the police station and reported that on April 26, at about 1300hrs one Aminu Garba of the same address allegedly abducted her 10-year-old daughter named Hanifa Garba in his shop,” he said.

Hassan said when the suspect was asked about Hanifa’s whereabouts, he denied any knowledge of where she was.

He added, ” The suspect denied seeing her and went back to his shop, covered the girl’s mouth with a Hijab (veil) and forced her into a refrigerator, and padlocked her inside.

”The youths in the area insisted on searching the shop, after which Hanifa was found locked inside the refrigerator.

“The suspect was immediately arrested, while investigation is ongoing to establish the real motive behind the suspect’s action.”

He stated that the suspect would be charged in court on completion of the ongoing discreet investigations.

Davido’s Logistics Manager, Israel Afeare, popularly known as Israel DMW, has wadded into the beef between his boss and Wizkid.

DAILY POST reports that Wizkid and Davido were engaged in a fierce social media war on X on Monday.

Reacting via his Instagram story, Israel DMW stated that he was disappointed with Wizkid’s behaviour, stressing that Davido had done nothing to deserve it. 

He urged Wizkid to retire from the music industry “honourably” if he is fed up.

He also berated him for shading ace music executive, Don Jazzy.

Israel DMW wrote: “I use to like everything about you, thinking you’re a human being. I never knew you’re a fully daft headed human being. Why dis continous jealousy and hatred? Did oga [Davido] stops you from releasing ur own back to back sweet hits?

“He has never in anytime said anything bad of you at all. You you just keep hating him for nothing sake. Retire from music if you’re fed up. Resign honourably. Who the hell are you? You’re just a small dwarf. You will be taught a lesson, if you’re not careful.

“You’re an idiot. A whole Don Baba? Na ur mate? Ugbeowagbon, Usaloa.”