Timeloaded

EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / Members of the Libyan security forces carry the bodies of babies as migrants who survived the sinking of an inflatable dinghy boat off of the coast of Libya are brought ashore in al-Hmidiya, east of the capital Tripoli on June 29, 2018. The bodies of three babies were recovered and around 100 people were missing after a migrant boat sank off the coast of Libya, survivors and the coastguard said. / AFP PHOTO / Mahmud TURKIA Three babies died off the coast of Libya on Friday while 100 people remained missing in the latest Mediterranean migrant shipwreck as European leaders reached a hard-fought deal to tackle the issue. Around 120 migrants were aboard the inflatable craft when it ran into trouble, according to survivors taken to Al-Hmidiya, east of the capital Tripoli. Just 16 were rescued, while the missing included two babies and three children under the age of 12. Survivors who made it back to Libyan soil recounted their ordeal following their pre-...

PHOTO: Ayodele Adeniran It was saddening to know a few days ago that the nation recorded another fatal casualty when three persons; a commercial bus driver, his conductor and a passenger, died when a truck loaded with plywood was involved in an accident on the Ojuelegba Bridge, Surulere, Lagos State. Similar accidents had severally claimed lives in the past including the one that occurred sometime in September 2015, whereby three members of the same family died in which their relations are still pursuing a huge compensation suit in court over the unfortunate case. It is a known fact that trucks on Nigerian roads habitually indulge in over-loading, over-speeding, carrying of unsecured containers, lane indiscipline, using rickety vehicles, driving with worn-out tyres and lacking safety equipment, among other traffic offences. These acts of lawlessness do not end there. The drivers’ penchant for violating traffic rules and regulations is alarming. Their attitude to vehicle mainten...

A day after over 20 persons and 54 vehicles were burnt on the Otedola Bridge, in the Berger axis of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, another accident has occurred on the axis. According to information provided by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), a unit of the Lagos Police Command, a commercial bus popularly called  danfo   ran into a white Hiace bus. Photos of the incident posted on the squad’s Twitter page showed that both vehicles suffered varying degrees of damage. However, no life was reported lost in the incident. Added to the photos was the statement: “ Otedola Bridge Fire: Reckless Danfo driver speeding on 1 had an head -on collision with Toyota Hiace bus entering Lagos opposite s of yesterday’s tanker fire. The buses been moved from obstruction while wounded passengers hospitalised.” See photos:

Russia's last World Cup game against Uruguay brought the overachievers down to earth with a thud. Their next one against Spain might just send them over the moon. The hosts play their most important match in three decades when they face the 2010 champions in Moscow on Sunday in the last 16. They are making their first appearance in the World Cup knockout stages in the post-Soviet era as the ultimate underdogs – Spain have not lost a match in two years while Russia entered the tournament without winning a game in eight months. The last competitive match between them saw the Spaniards prevail 3-0 in the semifinals of Euro 2008. "We want to perform a minor miracle," said Russia forward Artem Dzyuba. "We want to give our supporters an even bigger present." FICKLE FANS The month-long extravaganza has always been about much more than football to Russian President Vladimir Putin. The hosts are spending a record $13 billion to put on a show that proje...

Scene of the explosion. PHOTO credit/Rapid Response Squad Lagos A conservative 100 persons and equivalent number of vehicles have been consumed in an inferno in Lagos. An eye witness account has it that the fire incident occurred at about 5 O'clock this evening when a tanker conveying petrol lost balance and fell on the Lagos/Ibadan express way, near Otedola Estate, about one kilometer to Berger bus stop, thereby causing explosion and subsequent inferno. As at the time of filing this report, the entire expressway was condoned off thereby causing heavy vehicular traffic towards the Lagos end of the old toll gate, while movement of vehicles going towards Mowe/Ibafo (Ogun State) was completely grounded. Officials of a combined team of the Lagos emergency management agency, Federal Road Safety Corps, Lagos State Fire Service, Lagos State Traffic Management Agency and the Police were busy on a rescue mission and were not ready to make any comments. But speaking exclusively to...

Breaking And Very Sad !!! 3 killed as container falls off Ojuelegba Bridge, crashing onto 4 vehicles...more pictures Tragedy befell Lagos last night as a container laden with plywood unlatched from the truck conveying it, fell off the Ojuelegba flyover bridge and crashed onto three commercial buses as well as a car, killing three persons on the spot. Many others were injured. Daily Sun gathered that the truck, which was heading towards the Maryland end of the bridge lost control, fell off and landed on the vehicles below. It was gathered that passengers in the commercial buses were trapped, while passers-by, first, made spirited efforts to rescue them, before officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigerian Red Cross and the Nigeria Police arrived. The occupant of the car, who did not give his name, said he was lucky to have escaped alive. According to him, he saw the container hanging on the bridge, but ...

Another tanker explosion happened along Suleja road in Niger state this morning. This accident occurred barely 24 hours after the petrol tanker explosion on Otedola bridge in Lagos that claimed the lives of 9 persons including a minor. The fire accident occurred at Mallam Karo, along Minna-Suleja Road involving a collision between a truck and a fuel tanker. The spokesperson of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Bisi Kazeem, said the crash happened in the morning. He added that men of fire service and officials of the FRSC were on the ground to put off the fire as the vehicles are burning. Five persons have been confirmed injured in the early morning head-on collision between the fuel tanker and the trailer and the victims have been taken to the hospital. “No life was lost,” Kazeem said. The tanker had no visible number plate and was laden with Kerosene, a highly flammable hydrocarbon liquid. It is also noted that the fuel tanker belongs to Conoil. “The cause...

The Oyo State Government has shut down Bodija market for security reasons. This is an aftermath of the sporadic shooting which occurred earlier on Thursday in the market and its environs. The Aare Laatosa Loca Council Development Area (LCDA) Chairman, Mr. Adekunle Oladeji, said the closure is to prevent the loss of lives and property of the citizenry, stressing that It is also to guard against the escalation of the violence in the market to other parts of the state. Oladeji said that security agencies have been intimated about the situation in the market to maintain law and order. He urged the people to be law abiding, warning that anyone found wanting will be made to face the full wrath of the law.

Nigeria's forward Odion Jude Ighalo (L) fights for the ball with Croatia's defender Ivan Strinic during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group D football match between Croatia and Nigeria at the Kaliningrad Stadium in Kaliningrad on June 16, 2018. Super Eagles striker, Odion Ighalo, has reacted to the alleged death threat issued to his family in Lagos on social media due to his failure to score goals from clear-cut opportunities against Argentina, saying it was not deliberate. The  News Agency of Nigeria r eports that Ighalo, who replaced Kelechi Ihanacho in the second half of the match between Nigeria and Argentina in the ongoing World Cup in Russia, failed to convert a pass from Ahmed Musa had incurred the anger of fans. NAN reports that most Nigerian fans strongly believed that if Ighalo had scored the goal, it would have seen the Super Eagles through to the Round of 16 of the World Cup. Speaking through his Social Media timeline, Ighalo, who was involved in Nigeria’s qualif...

Senegal coach Aliou Cisse Senegal coach Aliou Cisse said he “accepted the rules of the game” as the West Africans were eliminated from the World Cup due to a worse disciplinary record than their direct rivals for a place in the last 16. The Teranga Lions required only a draw with Colombia in their final Group F game in Samara, but could also have squeezed through to the last 16 in the event of defeat depending on the result of the other group game between Japan and Poland. When already-eliminated Poland stunned Japan 1-0 in Volgogrard and Senegal suffered a 1-0 defeat, it left Japan and Senegal with the same points and the same goals difference. The third criteria used to separate teams in this instance is their disciplinary record. With six yellow cards in three group games, Senegal were eliminated because Japan had only been issued four, leaving Africa without a representative in the last 16. “It’s the law of football,” said Cisse. “We didn...

. There was more drama in the World Cup on Tuesday in Group D. Croatia had already qualified going into the final game of the group, but who joined them in the last-16 was unclear. Nigeria were in pole position to progress, while Iceland and Argentina both needed victories to keep their hopes alive. The Super Eagles, however, needed to see off Lionel Messi and Argentina to progress. The African outfit put in a spirited performance and, with Iceland losing, looked as if they would secure their spot in the knockout rounds. But barely four minutes from time, Marcos Rojo struck home a brilliant volley with his weak foot to make it 2-1 and break Nigerian hearts. It was a fantastic performance from Nigeria, and they may have reason to feel hard done by. The ball appeared to strike Marcos Rojo in the box in the second half with the score level at 1-1. After consultation with VAR, the referee, Cuneyt Cakir, waved away Nigeria's appeals. It was then Rojo who broke their hearts as...

Toni Kroos rescued Germany's World Cup hopes in dramatic fashion on Saturday, curling in a stunning free-kick deep into injury time to seal a 2-1 win against Sweden. Germany's late, late show keeps Joachim Loew's on course to be the first team to retain the title in 56 years but their fate is still not entirely in their own hands. The defending champions were in desperate trouble when Ola Toivonen lifted the ball over Manuel Neuer to put the Swedes ahead in the first half in Sochi after Kroos gave the ball away. Germany, looking far sharper than they did in their opening defeat against Mexico, piled forward and eventually earned their reward when Marco Reus reacted quickly to turn the ball in shortly after the interval. Despite incessant pressure, Loew's men could not find the goal they craved as time ticked away and Germany's task was made more difficult when key defender Jerome Boateng was sent off in the 82nd minute for a second yellow card. Fans ...

Mexico built on the momentum from their stunning victory over world champions Germany by overpowering South Korea 2-1 on Saturday to take a giant step towards the last 16 of the World Cup. Carlos Vela put them ahead from the penalty spot in the 26th minute at Rostov Arena, which had been taken over by Mexico's sea of fanatical supporters. All-time top scorer Javier Hernandez sealed victory in the second half, finishing off an unstoppable move from breakout player Hirving Lozano. It was Hernandez's 50th goal for his country and his fourth strike at a World Cup, taking him level with Luis Hernandez as Mexico's leading scorer in soccer's global showpiece tournament. Korea's talismanic forward Son Heung-min struck a scorching consolation goal in stoppage time from outside the area. Germany's later 2-1 win over Sweden means Mexico will have to wait until their final Group F game against the Swedes on Wednesday to clinch their place in the last 16, with a...

Two goals each for Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard and one for Michy Batshuayi swept Belgium to a 5-2 victory over Tunisia on Saturday that put them in command of World Cup Group G and underlined their status as one of the tournament favourites. After racking up two wins and a goal difference of plus-six Belgium are virtually assured of advancing but it is not yet guaranteed - and they will be aware that they will need to tighten up at the back to handle the threat of the big guns deeper into the tournament. Should Belgium lose their final game against England, currently on three, and if pointless Panama somehow beat England and Tunisia, all three would have six points and the top two would be decided on goal difference, though it would need a footballing freak show to stop Roberto Martinez's side. Tunisia, also without a point after two matches having extended their 40-year World Cup winless run to 13 games, are also still in with a theoretical chance of making it on throu...

NLC, MAN, IYC, Southeast senators angry There was uproar yesterday over the National Assembly’s massive alteration of the budget. A non-governmental organisation described the action as “criminal”. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) were also outraged. The lawmakers cut 4,700 projects amounting to N347billion from what President Muhammadu Buhari presented and introduced 6,403 projects of their own amounting to N578billion. The President, who reluctantly signed the Bill, plans to send a supplementary budget to the lawmakers. According to him, many of the projects unilaterally removed are critical to infrastructure development and economic recovery. These include the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, the East-West Road, The Enugu Airport, the Itakpe-Ajaokuta road, the mass transit and major arterial road in the FCT and the take-off grant for the Maritime University. The lawmake...

Senator Shehu Sani A senator representing  Kaduna  Central at the National Assembly, Shehu Sani, has lamented the inability of leaders of the All Progressive Congress to address the internal crisis rocking the  party  in the past three years and has threatened to leave. Many states under the control of the ruling party are embroiled in battles of supremacy amongst its many factions even as the  APC  prepares for its national convention to elect national leaders. The senator, who has consistently criticised the policies of his own party said the party has been in prolonged crisis since 2015 and listed states like Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Kogi, Rivers and many others affected. President Muhammadu Buhari recently appointed a national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, to head the reconciliation committee that will resolve the internal crises within the party. Months later, nothing much has been heard from the committee. Mr Sani was speaking with journali...

A man who was caught nailing another man’s wife had two nails driven into his head allegedly by his lover’s husband. According to reports, the man was allegedly attacked in Meru town in Kenya after the woman’s husband he was sleeping with caught them and reacted immediately by using nails on the man’s head. The injured man who is said to be married was rushed to Maua Mission Hospital before being transferred to Nairobi. Unconfirmed reports say the man might have died due to injuries sustained in the head after spending some days at the hospital. Pictures of the man with the nail in his head – have gone viral online after it was shared some days ago in order to warn men from sleeping with other people’s wives.

A last-minute Xherdan Shaqiri breakaway goal handed Switzerland victory on Friday as they came from behind to defeat Serbia 2-1 in Kaliningrad. The win puts Switzerland in pole position to make it out of a tough Group E that contains five-times winners Brazil but they were pushed all the way by the Serbs. It was a sweet victory for Shaqiri and fellow Swiss goalscorer Granit Xhaka, who along with teammate Valon Belrami were booed relentlessly by Serbia's fans throughout. Shaqiri, Xhaka and Belrami trace their roots to Kosovo, a former province of Serbia, a fact which had stoked tensions before the match. Both Shaqiri and Xhaka pointedly celebrated their goals by making an eagle gesture with their hands, viewed as a symbol of defiance. Serbia raced out of the blocks, funnelling possession to Southampton winger Dusan Tadic on the right flank, who troubled Switzerland with his crossing all match. An Aleksandar Mitrovic header forced a smart save from Swiss keeper Yann So...