Quarry blast kills 13-year-old boy in Ogun

By: Zagazola Makama

A 13-year-old boy, Siraju Haruna, had been killed following a rock-blasting exercise at Hoy Quarry, Papa Oja, Odeda Local Government Area of the state.

Sources told Zagazola that the incident occurred on Friday morning. The quarry Manager, Adeola Temitope, 36, who also serves as a blast man at the site, reported the incident.

According to him, Temitope explained that despite precautionary measures, including notifying villagers the night before, sounding an alarm on the day of the blast, and ensuring that staff, customers, and truck drivers vacated the premises, the tragedy still occurred.

“After the blasting exercise, when people returned to the quarry premises, the lifeless body of one Siraju Haruna, aged 13, was found in a pool of blood with his skull crushed by a rock.

“His father, Mohammed Haruna, aged 36, from a nearby Fulani camp, identified the body.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased had earlier been warned by his elder sister to stay away but sneaked out to pick up his phone battery from the quarry house, where he met his untimely death,”said the sources.

The sources added that detectives led by the Divisional Crime Officer, SP Adejor Israel, visited the scene, documented evidence, and recovered a blood-stained rock believed to have caused the fatal injury.

The sources said the father of the deceased requested the release of the body for burial in accordance with Islamic rites, which was granted after due process.

Quarry blast kills 13-year-old boy in Ogun

By: Zagazola Makama

A 13-year-old boy, Siraju Haruna, had been killed following a rock-blasting exercise at Hoy Quarry, Papa Oja, Odeda Local Government Area of the state.

Sources told Zagazola that the incident occurred on Friday morning. The quarry Manager, Adeola Temitope, 36, who also serves as a blast man at the site, reported the incident.

According to him, Temitope explained that despite precautionary measures, including notifying villagers the night before, sounding an alarm on the day of the blast, and ensuring that staff, customers, and truck drivers vacated the premises, the tragedy still occurred.

“After the blasting exercise, when people returned to the quarry premises, the lifeless body of one Siraju Haruna, aged 13, was found in a pool of blood with his skull crushed by a rock.

“His father, Mohammed Haruna, aged 36, from a nearby Fulani camp, identified the body.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased had earlier been warned by his elder sister to stay away but sneaked out to pick up his phone battery from the quarry house, where he met his untimely death,”said the sources.

The sources added that detectives led by the Divisional Crime Officer, SP Adejor Israel, visited the scene, documented evidence, and recovered a blood-stained rock believed to have caused the fatal injury.

The sources said the father of the deceased requested the release of the body for burial in accordance with Islamic rites, which was granted after due process.

Quarry blast kills 13-year-old boy in Ogun

10 drown in canoe mishap in Sokoto

By: Zagazola Makama

Ten people, mostly children, have died in a canoe mishap in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, the Police Command has confirmed.

The incident occurred when a canoe conveying the victims from Zalla-Bango Village capsized.

Sources who confirmed the incident on Saturday, said all 10 passengers drowned.

The sources said the corpses were later recovered at about 11:30 a.m. on Thursday after an intensive search by villagers and fishermen.

10 drown in canoe mishap in Sokoto

Suspected herdsmen, bandits ambush police tactical teams in Benue, kill officers, vigilantes

By: Zagazola Makama

Armed bandits have ambushed a joint team of security operatives in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, leaving several casualties.

Zagazola Makama learnt that the incident occurred on Sept. 19 at Agu Centre, Katsina-Ala.

Sources said the tactical teams, comprising personnel of Operation Anyam Nyor, Operation Zenda, Special Intervention Squad (SIS) and civil protection guards, were on patrol when they ran into the ambush.

“The attackers, armed with rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and heavy weapons, engaged the operatives in a prolonged gun battle.

“The commander of the civil protection guard was shot in the hand, while one police officer and two local vigilantes were killed instantly.

“Later in the day, two more bodies of police officers attached to Operation Zenda and Anyam Nyor, as well as two local vigilantes, were recovered and deposited at NKST Zaki Biam Hospital morgue,”said sources.

According to the sources, five police personnel and an unconfirmed number of vigilantes remain unaccounted for as of the time of filing this report.

The sources said two police patrol vehicles, including a gun truck attached to Operation Zenda Joint Task Force, were set ablaze by the attackers, while an SIS Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was demobilised but later recovered with its crew safe.

The sources added that reinforcements of police tactical teams and troops of the Nigerian Army’s 401 Brigade had joined the operation and were still engaging the militants.

The sources said that unfavourable weather conditions prevented the deployment of Nigerian Air Force support.

Suspected herdsmen, bandits ambush police tactical teams in Benue, kill officers, vigilantes