TheNewsGuru

Tag: Fatalities

  • Fire engulfs Lagos Blue line rail track, no fatalities

    Fire engulfs Lagos Blue line rail track, no fatalities

    Lagos State Traffic Management Authority confirmed a fire incident that occurred along a section of the Lagos Blue Line Rail track opposite NEPA Station, close to Eko Bridge. Videos circulating online show flames engulfing parts of the rail track, raising concerns about safety and potential disruptions to train services. The incident has prompted immediate attention from emergency services, who are working to extinguish the fire and assess the damage.

    Rescue teams were promptly dispatched to the scene to contain the blaze. According to an official from the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), the fire originated from electrical cables powering the train system.

    Fortunately, no casualties have been reported. Gboyega Akosile, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Media and Publicity, confirmed that the fire had been completely extinguished by emergency personnel and urged residents to resume their normal activities.

    The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. While the authorities work to determine the root cause, it’s clear that this incident highlights the importance of robust safety measures in infrastructure projects.

  • #EndSARS Protests: Claims of killings at Lekki Toll Gate unverified – U.S. Government

    #EndSARS Protests: Claims of killings at Lekki Toll Gate unverified – U.S. Government

    The United States Government has said that information on the number of fatalities recorded during the #ENDSARS protests in Lekki Tollgate last year, is not available.

    According to the US Department of State’s 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, “Accurate information on fatalities resulting from the shooting was not available at year’s end”.

    It says: “On Oct. 20, members of the security forces enforced curfew by firing shots into the air to disperse protesters, who had gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos to protest abusive practices by the Nigerian Police Force’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    “Accurate information on fatalities resulting from the shooting was not available at year’s end.

    “Amnesty International reported 10 persons died during the event, but the government disputed Amnesty’s report, and no other organisation was able to verify the claim.

    “The government reported two deaths connected to the event. One body from the toll gate showed signs of blunt force trauma.

    “A second body from another location in Lagos State had bullet wounds. The government acknowledged that soldiers armed with live ammunition were present at the Lekki Toll Gate,” part of the report stated.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG notes that the report is contrary to claims by the CNN, which initially reported 38 protesters were killed during the incident, a claim the Federal Government vehemently rejected.

    TNG reports that year’s end, the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution continued to hear testimony and investigate the shooting at Lekki Toll Gate.