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Stampede: Okija rice victims buried amidst tears in Anambra
The victims that died in a stampede that occured during a Christmas rice distribution in Okija, Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra, have on Friday, been buried.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Police Command in Anambra had confirmed 22 people dead in the stampede that happened on Dec. 21, 2024 during the palliatives organised by a philanthropist in the area.
NAN reports that the inter-denominational burial service organised for the victims, held at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church Field, Okija, had families of the victims, community members and other notable personalities of the community.
During the service, the Rev. Donald Chukwudolue, who anchored the service, prayed the Almighty God to console everybody that lost their loved ones and wished that such would not occur again in the community.
Chukwudolue, who cited the book of Revelation 21:1-8 during his ministration, asked God to wipe away every tears and console the families of the deceased.
He said, “We ask God to wipe away every tears and console the families of the deceased. We pray such accident will not occur in Okija again.
“Okija mourns, Anambra mourns and Nigeria mourns. Nobody would hear such tragic news and not feel sober.
“Only the Lord can console those who lost their loved ones and we pray the Lord will continue to comfort the families of the victims,” he said.
While mourning the victims, the Founder of the Obijackson Foundation, Chief Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi, thanked the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Emeka Okezie, and other members of the community for their support and show of love.
“Today, we gather here with heavy hearts to honour the memory of those we lost in the tragedy that happened on Dec. 21 in the community.
“I, as the founder of the Obijackson Foundation, sincerely expressed my deepest condolences to the families of the victims and the entire Okija community for the incident.
“The foundation remains steadfast in its resolve to human development; this incident has strengthened our resolve to ensure that such tragedy will not occur again.
“Let this tragedy bring us closer and make us stronger as a community and have a resolve to forge ahead.
“This kind of tragedy can deter you from engaging in humanitarian service.
“We, as a foundation, we are going to continue to ensure that we do everything that God has empowered us to do to ensure that Okija never suffers this kind of calamity again,” Azudialu-Obiejesi said.
In his speech, the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Okezie, urged the foundation to continue in its philanthropic gestures as these have impacted positively on the community and the lives of the people.
Some of the victims, who spoke at the event, expressed sadness over what happened, while calling on the Almighty God to grant the souls of the deceased eternal rest. (NAN)
The Supreme Court has overturned the Court of Appeal’s decision that recognised Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP). In a decisive ruling, a five-member panel declared that the Court of Appeal lacked the legal authority to determine the party’s leadership matters.
In a unanimous verdict, the highest court in the land stated that the Court of Appeal had no jurisdiction over the matter. The panel observed that since the case revolved around the internal leadership structure of the Labour Party, it fell outside the jurisdiction of the courts.
The ruling reinforced the long-standing principle that leadership disputes within political parties should be resolved internally, rather than through judicial intervention.
The Supreme Court stressed that leadership struggles within political parties are purely internal matters. According to legal principles, courts should not interfere in such issues, as they fall under the party’s constitution and governance framework. By upholding this legal doctrine, the apex court reaffirmed that political parties must settle their leadership crises independently.
The Supreme Court upheld the appeal lodged by Senator Nenadi Usman and a fellow appellant, ruling that their claims were valid. Their appeal challenged the earlier judgment, arguing that it was flawed due to jurisdictional overreach. After thorough legal scrutiny, the Supreme Court found merit in their argument and ruled in their favour.
The legal battle also involved a cross-appeal filed by supporters of Julius Abure, who sought to challenge the decision against their leader. However, the Supreme Court dismissed this cross-appeal, declaring it unsubstantiated and lacking merit. The ruling effectively ended the legal contest over the Labour Party’s chairmanship, cementing the judiciary’s stance on non-interference in party leadership disputes.
Bitcoin experienced sharp fluctuations following President Donald Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement, initially surging to $88,000 before dropping to $82,000.
By April 3, it stabilized around $83,000, with the broader crypto market down over 4%. Major altcoins like Ethereum and Solana also declined over 6%, hitting multi-month lows.
Analysts see the tariff news as reducing market uncertainty, potentially attracting institutional investors.
Despite higher-than-expected rates, experts believe the clarity could help Bitcoin regain momentum toward $90,000. Bitcoin ETFs, led by BlackRock, recorded $218 million in inflows on April 2, reversing prior outflows.
Kraken’s Thomas Perfumo challenged the idea that institutional interest stabilizes crypto, emphasizing that volatility signals demand for a scarce asset.
Some analysts viewed the sell-off as an overreaction to trade policy concerns, highlighting Bitcoin’s resilience as a store of value.
With ETFs showing strong demand, Bitcoin’s price may stabilize and rise, though market participants remain cautious, monitoring trade policies and economic conditions.
Violent clashes between pastoralist groups and settled farming communities have long been a challenge in South Sudan.
However, the recent outbreak of violence in the northern Ruweng Administrative Area has further heightened concerns over the nation’s fragile peace. At least 30 people lost their lives after an armed youth group launched a brutal attack on a northern South Sudanese town, according to local officials.
The incident, linked to an escalating cattle raid, saw the town briefly fall under the control of the attackers before security forces regained control.
The violence began when a group of armed youth stole lambs earlier in the week. Security forces quickly intervened, forcing the raiders to retreat. However, instead of dispersing, the group reorganised and launched a more aggressive attack on Abiemnom the following day.
Local Minister of Information, Simon Chol Mialith, confirmed that despite resistance from local youth and security personnel, the town was overrun by the Mayom armed youth. The attack led to significant casualties and destruction before security forces were able to reclaim the town.
On Wednesday, the South Sudan People’s Defence Force (SSPDF) successfully pushed the attackers out, restoring a semblance of calm. However, the scale of the destruction was already severe, with over 40 individuals injured in addition to the fatalities.
Although reports suggest that some of the deceased were members of the armed groups, official confirmation remains pending.
The attack comes at a time of growing instability in South Sudan, with tensions between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and First Vice President Riek Machar intensifying. This political rivalry threatens to unravel the delicate 2018 peace agreement that ended the nation’s five-year civil war.
Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has struggled with continuous unrest. Despite its vast oil resources, the country remains impoverished, with conflicts like these exacerbating economic and social difficulties.