₦airaland Forum

A pilot vehicle in the convoy of Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, was reportedly involved in a fatal accident, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to another.

The incident occurred on Sunday at Ihugh, a community in Vandeikya Local Government Area, where Governor Alia was visiting his country home for the Christmas celebration.


It was gathered that the crash happened along a dusty road in the area.

However, the driver of the pilot vehicle reportedly lost visibility due to thick dust, causing the vehicle to veer off course and hit the victims.

Meanwhile, the identities of the victims have not yet been disclosed.


Tribune reports that a source said “The governor was heading to church when one of the vehicles in his convoy veered off the untarred road due to poor visibility caused by dust."

The vehicle reportedly collided with a motorcycle, resulting in one fatality and leaving others injured.

Solomon Iorpev, the Technical Adviser to the Governor on Media, Publicity, and Strategic Communication, confirmed the incident but clarified that it occurred several minutes after the governor had arrived at the church.

Iorpev explained that the vehicle involved, though part of the governor's convoy, was not in the convoy at the time of the accident.

"The vehicle was on a separate mission when it got involved in the accident. Dust from the untarred road and an oncoming vehicle contributed to the crash, leading to the collision with the motorcycle," he said.

However, Iorpev did not comment on the casualty figure, even as he expressed regret over the incident.

A Nigerian medical doctor identified as Tony, has allegedly died after he took a drink allegedly laced with poison by his kinsman.

The incident happened in his village, Nenu Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State on Boxing Day.

One of the deceased's friends, Prince Agbara, who disclosed this in a Facebook post, said the alleged culprit fled the village with his family after the doctor died.

“This is disheartening. Somebody that was alive and healthy on the 25th, poisoned on the 26th through drink and he vomited and that was it, by his kinsman. On noticing that my friend had died he ran away with his family,” he wrote.

At least 71 people were killed after a truck full of passengers plunged into a river in southern Ethiopia over the weekend.

The truck fell into a river on Sunday evening in the Bona district of Sidama state, around 300km south of the capital Addis Ababa, the regional communication bureau said.


Five passengers were admitted to hospital in a critical state and were under treatment, according to Wosenyeleh Simion, spokesperson for the Sidama regional government.

At least three women were among those killed in the accident, he told Reuters.

Some of the passengers were returning from a wedding ceremony, Mr Simion said, adding that traffic police in the area had reported the truck was overloaded, which likely caused the accident


Police said the truck missed a bridge on a road with many bends and fell into the river.



Authorities did not reveal how many people were on the truck or provide details about the victims. But it was reported that multiple members of some families were killed.

Pictures shared by the Sidama Regional Health Bureau on Facebook showed a crowd of people trying to pull out the vehicle with the help of ropes. One picture showed the dead bodies lying on the ground covered in blue tarpaulin.

Deadly traffic accidents are common in Ethiopia, where driving standards are poor and many vehicles badly maintained.

President Bola Tinubu has extended his condolences to the government and people of the United States of America over the death of former President Jimmy Carter at the age of 100.

“President Carter, the 39th President of the United States, was a beacon of service to humanity, demonstrating to leaders worldwide the profound impact of dedication beyond the highest office.

“As a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and global statesman, President Carter devoted his post-presidential life to the causes of peace, democracy, and the eradication of tropical diseases.

“His unwavering commitment to these noble pursuits has left an indelible mark on the world,” President Tinubu said in a statement by Mr Bayo Onanuga, his spokesman.

He said Carter showed other leaders how to remain relevant and impactful after leaving the esteemed position of President of the United States.

“He tackled the challenges the developing world faced, from combating diseases to mediating conflicts and promoting democratic values.

“He exemplified grace, dignity, and a profound respect for humanity,” continued Tinubu.
He recalled Carter as a trustworthy and compassionate friend to Nigeria.

Tinubu lauded his contributions through The Carter Center, particularly his efforts in eradicating Guinea worm disease and river blindness in Nigeria, which have significantly improved the lives of many Nigerians.

Reflecting on Nigeria-U.S. relations, Tinubu remembered Carter’s historic visit to Nigeria in March 1978 and his three-day stay at the State House in Marina, Lagos State.

“Under Carter’s leadership, this visit marked a pivotal moment in U.S. foreign policy.

“It laid the groundwork for a pragmatic relationship between the United States and Africa, with Nigeria at its heart,” said Tinubu.

The president expressed hope that Carter’s legacy of decency, character, and humanity, both in and out of office, would continue to inspire Americans and leaders worldwide to embrace the true essence of leadership.

(NAN)

oyeb15:
His endorsement of Kamala Harris is terrible. His son made a huge mistake thinking dat way for his aged dad.

Pope Francis expressed his condolences on Sunday to those who lost loved ones in the crash of a Boeing 737-800 plane during landing at the international airport of the city of Muan, in South Korea.

On Sunday noon, after praying the Angelus from the window of his study, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, before more than 30,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Francis said that “my thoughts are directed to the numerous families of South Korea who are today in mourning after the dramatic plane crash.”

“I join in the prayer for the survivors and the dead,” added the supreme pontiff, according to a statement from the Holy See’s press office.

A report on the Bishop of Rome’s statements about the tragedy, which occurred a few hours ago, was published on the digital site of the Vatican New and says that the Pope was dismayed by the deaths of at least 177 people after the fire of the aircraft, which belonged to Jeju Airlines.

On the flight, from Bangkok, Thailand, 181 people were traveling, including 175 passengers and six crew members, and only two of them have been rescued alive so far, according to a report from the South Korean news agency Yonhap.

Newly released bodycam footage appears to show New York corrections officers fatally beating a handcuffed inmate who died the following morning.

The inmate, 43-year-old Robert Brooks, was pronounced dead on 10 December, the day after the incident took place at the Marcy Correctional Facility in upstate New York.

Following an internal review, New York Governor Kathy Hochul ordered the firing of the 13 officers and a prison nurse who were involved in the assault.

The office of New York Attorney General Letitia James has opened an investigation into Brooks' death, and the union that represents state prison workers called the video "incomprehensible".

The footage - which was released by James on Friday - shows officers repeatedly striking Brooks in the face and groin while he sits handcuffed on an examination table.

The videos also appear to show a prison officer placing something in Brooks' mouth before striking him, as well as a separate officer hitting him in the stomach with a shoe.

At one point, an officer lifts him by the neck before forcefully putting him on the examination table.

Brooks died the day after the assault. Preliminary examinations determined the cause of death was "asphyxia due to compression of the neck."

It is unclear what initially prompted staff to take him to the prison's medical facility in the first place. The videos do not include audio.

In a filmed statement, James said that she does not "take lightly the release of this video, especially in the middle of the holiday season".

"I release the videos because I have a responsibility and duty to provide the Brooks family, their loved ones, and all New Yorkers with transparency and accountability," she said.

Brooks was serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault, according to the Associated Press. He had been transferred to Marcy from the nearby Mohawk Correctional Facility on the same day as the incident.

Elizabeth Mazur, a lawyer representing the Brooks family, said in a statement that the videos show "the horrific and extreme nature of the deadly attack".

"He deserved to live, and everyone else living in Marcy Correctional Facility deserves to know they do not have to live in fear of violence at the hands of prison staff," Ms Mazur said of Brooks.

After the video's release, Hochul - New York's governor - said that she was "outraged and horrified" by the incident and felt compelled to hold those involved responsible.

"The state of New York has zero tolerance for individuals who break the law, and I am committed to holding everyone involved fully accountable," she added.

The New York union that represents prison workers said in a statement to local media outlets that what "we witnessed is incomprehensible to say the least and is certainly not reflective of the great work that the vast majority of our membership conducts every day".

The New York chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, alleged that the beating is "not an isolated incident", however.

"Rather, it highlights a culture of violence and a lack of accountability for wrongdoing by corrections officers that puts the lives of incarcerated New Yorkers at risk," executive director Donna Lieberman said in a statement.

In a report issued last year, the Correctional Association of New York - an independent watchdog - found "pervasive allegations of racial discrimination" and "mistreatment by staff", including black inmates being turned away from mess halls for having their hair in cornrows or braids.

Nigerian singer Portable has thrown down the gauntlet to activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), challenging him to a wrestling match over the alleged mismanagement of NGO funds.

This dramatic development follows VDM’s claim that hackers stole ₦180 million from his NGO’s website, leaving just ₦20 million intact. Portable, known for his fiery demeanor, took to X (formerly Twitter) to vent his frustration, brandishing a wrestling belt and labeling VDM a “thief.

In the video, Portable called for a public fight, declaring:

“If you don’t return the stolen NGO money, don’t step foot in Lagos or Abuja. We’ll fight you. A thief is a thief, and a friend of a thief is also a thief. Rich men contributed about ₦180 million for orphans, and you spent it!”

He also accused VDM of misusing the funds, claiming:

“You say you’re fighting for Nigerians, but it’s for your personal gain. I’ve never received ₦100 million, yet I still distribute rice, noodles, and fix roads and streetlights in my area. But you spent the NGO money in clubs. Bad person!”

Portable’s remarks have ignited a flurry of reactions online, with users flooding the comment section to share their opinions on the escalating controversy.

The heated confrontation follows VDM’s initial disclosure of the alleged hack, with Portable’s allegations adding more tension to the already contentious situation.

Elusive001:
So rigging elections is bad? Is subverting the will of the masses bad?

The death toll inflicted by Mozambique’s post-election unrest has climbed to 261, with most fatalities due to police gunfire. While the situation on Friday had calmed in the capital, Maputo, violence continues in Nacala, the northern port city.

Mozambique has been rocked by waves of demonstrations since electoral authorities declared that the party that has been in power since 1975 had won by a landslide, an outcome the opposition rejected as fraudulent.