A fire that broke out at Alagbede Tipper Garage in Ilorin South Local Government Area of Kwara State in the early hours of Tuesday, has destroyed three trucks out of the 42 parked in the garage.

According to reports, the fire started around 1:45 a.m. from a waste collection truck parked with refuse inside.

The flames quickly spread to two other trucks before firefighters contained the situation.

The Principal Fire Officer and spokesperson for the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday.

“On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, at 01:35 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service received a distress call reporting a fire outbreak at Alagbede Tipper Garage, Ilorin.

“Responding swiftly, the fire crew arrived at the scene to find a fleet of trucks, some of which were already engulfed in flames. Through the efforts of the firefighters, the fire was contained, limiting damage to only three out of the 42 trucks in the garage.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire originated from a waste collection truck that had been parked with refuse still inside. The refuse contained lit charcoal, which smouldered and eventually ignited, spreading to two other trucks before being extinguished,” Adekunle said.

The Director of the Kwara State Fire Service, Falade John, advised residents to stay vigilant and follow fire safety measures to prevent such incidents.

In a separate fire outbreak on Monday, a shop was destroyed at No. 1 Awolowo Road, Tanke, Ilorin.

Adekunle, in another statement, said, “On March 17, 2025, at 16:15 hours, the Kwara State Fire Service swiftly responded to a distress call reporting a fire outbreak at No. 1 Awolowo Road, Tanke, Ilorin.

“Upon arrival, the firefighters immediately sprang into action to contain the blaze. The fire involved two shops, but through their swift intervention, the firemen successfully prevented it from spreading to the second shop.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire originated from a solar battery in one of the shops.”

The fire service director urged the public to follow strict safety measures and ensure solar power systems are installed in well-ventilated areas to prevent fire hazards.

The service reassured residents of its commitment to protecting lives and property through proactive fire prevention and emergency response.

Convicted billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, has told the Lagos State High Court, sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square, that he is now a teacher at the correctional centre in Kirikiri after obtaining a teaching diploma in economics from the Yewa College of Education, and is no longer a criminal.

Evans said he was prepared to surrender all his property, as part of a plea bargain agreement, should the court consider his application on compassionate grounds.

This was contained in his application for a plea bargain.

He pledged to forfeit his 14 brand new trucks to the Lagos State Government for sale, with the proceeds to be transferred to the victims of his criminal activities, as part of the proposed plea bargain arrangement.

This is the second time Evans has approached a court seeking a plea bargain for his involvement in the kidnapping.

On January 30, 2025, Evans approached Justice Adenike Coker of the Ikeja High Court to ask for a plea bargain.

Evans had five criminal cases across various high courts in Lagos State. Two of these have already resulted in convictions, one of which carries a life sentence, while the other has a 14-year prison term.

Represented by his lawyer, Mr Etudo Emefo, Evans, in his application before Justice Sherifat Sonaike, expressed remorse for his actions, stating that he had undergone a transformation during his time in Kirikiri Maximum Prison.

He claimed that the Federal Government of Nigeria gave him a scholarship while in prison.

He pleaded with the Lagos State Government for mercy, explaining that without their forgiveness, the Federal Government’s scholarship would be rendered useless.

Furthermore, he argued that he would be unable to practise the new skills he acquired while incarcerated, which would amount to a waste of government resources.

According to the process filed before the court, during his time in prison, the Federal Government offered Evans and other inmates the opportunity to further their education.

Evans took up this offer and was granted a scholarship. As a result, he earned a National Certificate in Education in Economics and is now a teacher, no longer identifying as a criminal. Copies of his NCE certificate and project work were submitted as appendices.

Additionally, Evans was offered admission to the National Open University of Nigeria under the Federal Government’s scholarship scheme.

He is currently in his second year, studying Political Science. His admission letter and student ID card were presented to the court as part of the application.

Evans said he also underwent training in welding and metal fabrication through the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, successfully passing all relevant tests. A copy of the test results was included as an appendix.

When the case which was fixed for trial, came up on Thursday, the prosecuting counsel, Alaba Kuku, told Justice Sherifat Sonaike that the defendants had expressed interest in pursuing plea bargain agreements with the state government.

He confirmed that Evans’ counsel, Etudo, had given him an advance copy of the application which is currently before the state government for consideration.

Evans and his co-defendants, Joseph Emeka, Victor Aduba and Linus Opara, are seeking plea bargain agreements with the Lagos State Government.

The four men are standing trial on five counts bordering on conspiracy, kidnapping and attempted murder before Justice Sonaike who began the case afresh in January 2023, following the retirement of Justice Adedayo Akintoye.

Other counsel – Emeka Azubuike representing the second defendant, Chinyere Udeh, representing the third defendant, and Emmanuel Ochai, who appeared for the fourth defendant, confirmed the development to the court.

But the third defendant’s counsel said he had yet to submit his application for a plea bargain to the state government, through the office of the Attorney General of the state.

Consequently, Justice Sonaike adjourned the case till April 17, 2025, for a report on the applications for plea bargains.

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested four suspects in connection with the theft of four trucks belonging to the state fire service.

The state Commissioner of Police, Baba Muhammed Azare, disclosed this in his maiden briefing held at the command’s headquarters, Ikot Akpan-Abia, Uyo, the state capital on Monday.

Azare said the suspects were arrested following credible information by a Good Samaritan that the trucks were stolen and taken to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, adding that the operatives swung into action and further investigation revealed that the trucks were leased out to some multinational companies at the rate of N140,000 each per day for an initial period of three years.

Azare said “Based on credible information from a Good Samaritan that four of the state fire service trucks were stolen and taken to Port Harcourt, River State by some officials of the service, the command moved to recover the said  trucks and further investigation revealed that the fire trucks were leased out to some multinational companies at the rate of N140,000 per truck per day for an initial period of three years.

“The link company’s share was N80,000 while the fire service officials share stood at N60, 000 per truck per day. The deal was done in 2021 and was expected to terminate by 2024.

“However, about two months to the expiration of the deal, the command acted and recovered the vehicles. The four suspects arrested in the case will be charge to court soon while the trucks will be release to the government to continue to serve the good people of the state while we continue to look for others at large.”

The CP, who highlighted other breakthroughs recorded by the command within the period under review, said the command arrested two in connection with the vandalisation of transformers, six suspects arrested in connection with the raping of a 13- year’s old girl for three years, while a director in the Ministry of Justice who was kidnapped was also rescued among others.

Azare said operatives had arrested two suspects in connection with the vandalisation of a transformer belonging to the Sure Foundation Polytechnic situated at Ikot Atai, Ukanafun Local Government.

He revealed that the transformer oil valued at about N800,000.00 was drained, while armoured cables valued at about N3.5m were stolen.

He said, “You may recall that during my first official visit to the Governor of the state, he decried the rising cases of vandalism of public transformers and infrastructural facilities across the state.

“We have therefore stepped up our efforts to nip the crime and arrest the perpetrators of this act. To this note, we have arrested one Prosper Brownson Jim and one Uduak Sunday Benson for vandalisation of a transformer belonging to the Sure Foundation Polytechnic situated at Ikot Atai, Ukanafun Local Government Area.

“Transformer oil valued at about N800,000.00 was drained, and armoured cables valued at about N3.5m were stolen.

He listed items recovered from the suspects to include transformer,, Armored cable and items suspected to be Juju

Speaking on the rescue of the director in the state Ministry of Justice, Azare said, “On December 2024, a distress call was received that a director with the Ministry of Justice, Akwa Ibom State, and his niece (name withheld) were kidnapped by five armed men.

“Our operatives in the command immediately swung into action and busted the kidnappers’ den in a thick forest located within Ikot Ukpong Village, Abak Local Government.

“A thorough search was conducted within the forest, and the victims were rescued unharmed from an abandoned soak-away .The victim’s car was also recovered by the police along Etinan Road where it had been abandoned.

“Also, the Toyota Sienna vehicle used to kidnap the victims was also recovered while two of the suspects were neutralised. Further Investigation led to the arrest of one Ability Etim Samuel (aged 45 years) and one David Vincent Samuel (aged 36 years).