Crime

Four Burnt to Death, 10 Injured as Fire Guts Passenger Bus in Jigawap

Published

11 months ago

February 23, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Four Burnt to Death, 10 Injured as Fire Guts Passenger Bus in Jigawa

By: Zagazola Makama

Four people, including three children, were burnt beyond recognition, while 10 others sustained injuries after a commercial Hummer bus caught fire in Gwaram, Jigawa State.

Security and emergency sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred on February 22, 2025, at about 4:00 p.m., near the Government Girls Unity Secondary School, Gwaram.

The bus, a white Hummer with registration number ZAK 382 XA, was driven by Dalha Saleh, a 40-year-old resident of Galdimari Quarters, Saldigal Village, Zaki LGA, Bauchi State.

It was conveying 44 passengers—25 adults and 19 children from Zaki LGA in Bauchi State to Rabadi Village when the fire broke out from the vehicle’s exhaust system.

According to sources, the fire ignited after a mattress tied to the back of the vehicle caught fire from the exhaust sparks.

The four victims, all from Saldigal Village, Zaki LGA, Bauchi State, were identified as: Ziwaira Hassan, Fatima Hassan, Iyatale Hassan, Halima Muhammad (10 years, female)

Ten other passengers sustained varying degrees of burns and were rushed to Gwaram Cottage Hospital for treatment. The remaining passengers were rescued unhurt.

The sources said that the charred remains of the victims would be released to their families for burial after medical examination.

Zagazola reports that reckless overloading of commercial vehicles, particularly those transporting goods from Kano to Maiduguri, has become a serious safety and security concern.

Every day, buses and vans meant for passenger transport are stuffed with goods that should be carried by trailers, turning them into moving hazards on already dangerous highways.

Despite the presence of numerous security and road safety checkpoints, many of these vehicles pass through unchecked not because they meet safety standards, but because they pay their way through.

These drivers mostly traveled at night to evade strict checks from KAROTA in Kano- Jigawa and passed the night in Potiskum. Then proceeded with their journey in the early morning hours. And during that time, those responsible for enforcing compliance will all be out to collect bribes. No single vehicle will be stopped for any checks.

Various personnel at these checkpoints, instead of enforcing regulations, often turn a blind eye in exchange for bribes, allowing these overloaded vehicles to continue their journeys without scrutiny. Many of these vehicles exceed weight limits, causing faster deterioration of roads and bridges, which leads to costly repairs and more hazardous road conditions.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), police, and other security agencies have been largely ineffective in stopping this dangerous trend. While FRSC officers are stationed at multiple checkpoints, many prefer to look the other way rather than enforcement of the regulations.

Overload vehicles have poor stability which increased braking distance, and there are higher chances of tire blowouts, which can lead to deadly crashes. Incidents like the recent Jigawa fire disaster, where four passengers were burnt beyond recognition, are tragic recollections of this recklessness.

The Drivers always give the excuse that they opted to overload their vehicles to carry more goods in order to cover the cost that they spent giving the security agencies at various checkpoints.

This lack of oversight has further created loopholes that terrorists and criminal groups exploit. There have been several reports of terrorists smuggling weapons, fuel, and other logistics under the disguise of commercial transport. These activities are sometimes being intercepted by the Military Intelligence troops of the Nigerian Army.

There is therefore an urgent need for strict enforcement of weight limits, vehicle safety regulations, and thorough inspections at checkpoints. The government must: Empower road safety officers and security personnel to perform their duties without compromise. Impose severe penalties on both drivers and security personnel who violate or neglect their responsibilities.

Without immediate intervention, the unchecked overloading of vehicles will continue to claim lives and compromise national security, making it easier for criminal networks to operate freely across Nigeria’s highways.

Four Burnt to Death, 10 Injured as Fire Guts Passenger Bus in Jigawa

Crime

Troops neutralise eight terrorists in Kayamla, Sojiri villages in Borno

Published

4 hours ago

January 12, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Troops neutralise eight terrorists in Kayamla, Sojiri villages in Borno

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have neutralised eight terrorists during a clearance operation in Kayamla and Sojiri villages in Borno State, military sources have confirmed.

Zagazola report that the operation, codenamed Desert Sanity V, involved coordinated patrols and clearance missions targeting insurgents of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS/ISWAP) who were reportedly hibernating in the axis.

The troops, working closely with Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) personnel, engaged the terrorists in a well-coordinated gun battle, resulting in the neutralisation of eight insurgents. Others reportedly fled, leaving behind guns and personal weapons, including AK-47 rifles.

The sources confirmed that there were no casualties or injuries among the troops, and operational equipment was not damaged during the engagement.

The patrol team continues to conduct operations in surrounding enclaves to prevent insurgent regrouping.

Troops neutralise eight terrorists in Kayamla, Sojiri villages in Borno

Crime

Fulani youths shot by suspected Berom militia in Jos South in latest unprovoked attack in Pleateau

Published

5 days ago

January 7, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Fulani youths shot by suspected Berom militia in Jos South in latest unprovoked attack in Pleateau

By: Zagazola Makama

Two Fulani youths were ambushed late Tuesday while returning from Gero village in Jos South Local Government Area (LGA) in the latest unprovoked attack by suspected Berom militia in Plateau state.

Zagazola Makama gathered from sources that the victims, Zakariya Abdullahi and Jibrin Musa, were attacked by suspected Berom militia around 8:00 p.m. Abdullahi was killed on the spot, while Musa sustained gunshot injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention.

The latest ambush of Zakariya Abdullahi and Jibrin Musa fits this established pattern of escalating attacks, in which pastoral and farming communities are alternately targeted in a cycle of reprisals.

The recent spate of violence follows the deadly December 31, 2025, attack in Bum community, Chugwi area of Vwang District, Jos South LGA, where at least seven farmers were killed in their homes and farmlands. That attack occurred despite prior security alerts warning of potential threats to several rural communities.

Zagazola had link the Bum killings to an escalating cycle of reprisal attacks. On December 27, 2025, five Fulani youths were shot near Con Filling Station along Bukuru Express Road, sustaining critical injuries. Local sources allege that the gunmen, suspected Berom militia, targeted the youths without provocation as they returned from Bukuru Cattle Market.

The December violence traces further back to attacks on mining sites and pastoral assets. On December 16, 2025, gunmen attacked an illegal mining site at Tosho community, Barkin Ladi LGA, by Fulani Bandits, killing 12 miners and abducting three others. The assault reportedly followed cattle rustling in nearby communities, including the loss of 137 cattle in Nding community on December 12, and additional theft and poisoning of livestock across Jos East and Riyom LGAs.

The unrest has also seen civilian casualties, including the killing of four children in Dorong village, Foron District, Barkin Ladi LGA, in what residents describe as a Fulani reprisal attack. Other retaliatory attacks have reportedly targeted Gero village in Jos South LGA, resulting in the deaths and injury of both humans and livestock.

Despite multiple warnings and early alerts, affected communities have repeatedly decried slow response by the state government and selective enforcement that fails to dismantle armed militias on all sides.

The lack of decisive action against armed militias on both sides has fueled unending attacks, mistrust, making people in rural settlements increasingly vulnerable to attacks. Unresolved issues such as cattle rustling, livestock poisoning, and targeted killings act as triggers for revenge attacks, creating a self-perpetuating spiral of violence.

Fulani youths shot by suspected Berom militia in Jos South in latest unprovoked attack in Pleateau

Crime

Collapsed fence kills five in Maiduguri

Published

6 days ago

January 6, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Collapsed fence kills five in Maiduguri

By: Zagazola Makama

Five people were killed and one injured after a fence collapsed in Bintu Sugar, Jere Local Government Area of Borno State.

Zagazola report that the incident occurred on Jan. 4 at about 8:12 p.m., when six individuals were reportedly near the fence at the community.

According to the sources, the victims were immediately evacuated to the State Specialists Hospital, Maiduguri, for medical attention. However, Hadiza Mohamed, Adamu Umar, Abdul Malik Usman, Abdullahi Usman, and Salamatu Mohammed Dibal, all residents of Gomari, Bintu Sugar, were certified dead.

One survivor, Ya’u Labaran, 16, is responding to treatment at the hospital.

The Borno Police Command confirmed the incident noting that the corpses were photographed and released to relatives for burial according to Islamic rites. Investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fence collapse is ongoing.

Collapsed fence kills five in Maiduguri