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Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu(first right) decorating Dr. Hycinth Azuka Edozie with his new rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police. Mr. Chidi Dozie is helping the IGP in the task.

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Early morning fire has engulfed a part of the Justrite Superstore in the Akowonjo area of Lagos State.

The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, however, said the incident, which happened at a store around Jimoh Bus Stop, Egbeda-Akowonjo, Lagos, was extinguished by firefighters.

“The incident involves the second floor of the commercial building, housing the electronics section of the store,” the Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, said in a statement on Thursday.

“Upon arrival, firefighters swiftly deployed firefighting equipment and commenced coordinated operations to contain the fire, prevent its spread to adjoining sections of the building, and safeguard lives, property and the environment.

“The Fire has been put out, and recovery of the remains is ongoing to bring the mop-up exercise to a wrap. The cause of the fire is suggestive of an alternative power source solar inverter system, while no casualty has been recorded.”

Footage of the inferno, shared on social media and by the agency, showed smoke billowing from the rooftop.
See more photos from the fire outbreak below:

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The Federal High Court, Abuja, has sentenced three suspects in the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to life imprisonment.

According to the court, the sentencing of Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, alias Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, alias Abu Itisar, will start from the date of their arrest.

Before the verdict by Justice Salim Ibrahim, counsel for the defendants pleaded with the court to sentence them on liberal terms. He added that they were first-time offenders and had pleaded guilty.

Ibrahim pointed out that this showed that they were remorseful of their actions, and all the counts they were charged with are not related to the kidnapping.

He added that the convicts were married men who have children and have aged parents who are dependent on them. He pleaded with the court to give them a second chance at life and sentence them on liberal terms.

Counsel for the prosecution, however, pointed out that the convicts were aware of the people on the battlefield, and as true Nigerians, they should have reported it to the authorities.

After the charges were read to them, they pleaded guilty to membership of a proscribed terrorist group.

At their arraignment on alleged terrorism at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the three defendants also pleaded guilty to concealing information on the planning and execution of the abduction.

However, only the first accused person, Abdulrazak Umar, alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid, pleaded guilty to counts 7, 8, 9 and 10, which bordered on training and passing instructions and inciting terror group members on a particular religious ideology.

The three accused persons were on trial by DSS on a 10-count charge bordering on kidnapping, concealment of information, and terrorism-related offences.

According to the charges, the defendants, all from Niger State, are accused of knowingly withholding information about individuals linked to terrorist activities, participating in kidnapping, and using a messaging platform to facilitate terrorist training.