Explosion at Abuja plaza

The explosion occurred at about 4pm.——————————–An explosion has occurred at a major shopping mall, Emab Plaza, in Wuse 2, Abuja.A witness said the explosion occurred at about 4p.m.Emab Plaza is a busy shopping mall in the highbrow area of Nigeria’s capital city, on Aminu Kano Crescent.The explosion apparently occurred at the gate of the busy plaza.This is the third deadly explosion in the Nigerian capital in two months. The extremist Boko Haram sect claimed responsibility for the two explosions in April and May in Nyanya, a suburb of the capital.

At the scene of the blast in Wuse 2, more senior police officials arrive. Frank Mba, Nigeria Police spokesperson, arrives scene, promises to brief journalists in next few minutes. Asks journalists to leave cordon area.17.07At the Maitama General Hospital, officials have confirmed at least 30 bodies with three completely dismembered. The hospital is full, our reporter said. Some victims are receiving treatment outside. Our reporter counted seven victims receiving treatments outside the hospital premises.17.03Our reporter counted 11 cars completely burnt in the explosion while some others suffered various damages. Emergency officials say more ambulances are needed at Maitama District hospital "to transfer victims to other hospitals."16.54Emergency workers are still evacuating the injured and bodies to Maitama District Hospital and other hospitals.A police officer laments that the plaza made no security provisions."Nothing, they don't search cars, booths, anybody can just drive in," he said.16.50The fire service officials put out the fire at about 4:40 pm. They arrived about 23 minutes before then. Fire service and emergency officials are still searching shops to see if anyone is trapped within. Injured are still being evacuated.16.47National Emergency Management Agency say they are unable to confirm the casualty rate just yet. Sani Batti, the agency's information officer said emergency workers are still conducting search and rescue.16.44The fire has been put out. Rescue workers are now searching the shops. Witnesses say some traders are trapped in their shops.16.4016.38Soldiers block off the area. More fire service officials arrive. More ambulances too. Traders say the explosion was a car bomb at the gate of the plaza. Bodies of injured are being taken to hospitals.16.34Emergency officials are evacuating victims to the nearby Maitama District Hospital.Our reporter at the Maitama general hospital said at least six victims have been confirmed dead and taken to the morgue. She has also counted about 17 injured victims that have so far been brought in, including a white man with a broken leg.16.30Emergency officials arrived without adequate material. "Tell Joseph to come with enough dead body bags," an emergency official tells colleagues. Soldiers arrived in large numbers. Clearing the place. Traders in tears.16.25Fire Service have arrived the scene of the blast. There are frantic attempts to extinguish the burning cars. Traders in the plaza said the blast apparently went off in a car that was driving into the mall.16.23Details later

four-seater plane flying from Nigeria to Gabon via Cameroon has disappeared- NAN says

  A four-seater plane flying from Nigeria to Gabon via Cameroon has disappeared, according to Cameroon aviation sources on Tuesday.The plane, owned by the U.S. company Global Aviation, took off from Kano in northern Nigeria at 1800 hours on Monday en route Libreville in Gabon, where it was scheduled to arrive at 2300 hours, after a stopover in Douala, Cameroon.However, the station said that the plane, with only the American pilot on board, did not make it to Douala.It said the last contact the plane had with the control tower took place in Mongo, which is two hours flight from the Cameroonian economic capital.Report says that search and rescue operations led by Cameroon’s civil aviation authorities have not yielded any positive results. More details later

Montgomery West Africa sets for the second edition of Nigeria’s leading entrepreneurial event 'Women of West Africa Entrepreneurship Conference / WOWe 2014

The second edition of Nigeria’s leading entrepreneurial event 'Women of West Africa Entrepreneurship Conference / WOWe 2014' will take place on 26 - 27 June 2014 at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos, Nigeria – organized by Montgomery West Africa.

Tori Abiola, Managing Director of Montgomery disclosed this adding that,“As women continue to play the most significant role in economic development, they need their own economic independence and the skills to grow their businesses to be sustainable and result in growth opportunities. The success of 2013 has been positive, fulfilling and encouraging, and the reach of the conference has made it clear that women entrepreneurs are still facing challenges that need to be addressed with the right information, proactive development and through networks of determined business leaders and mentors.



She said, ‘Chapel Hill Denham, through its Women’s Investment Fund, is proud to be a sponsor of and participant in the Women of West Africa Entrepreneurship Conference (WOWe). We believe WoWe is a great platform for young women entrepreneurs to meet and share experiences while receiving first-hand knowledge from Nigeria’s most successful female entrepreneurs’, says Mrs. Ononuju Irukwu, Director Investment Management Group. Other major sponsor are Nestlé and First Bank.


Speaking at a press briefing held at german Chamber of Commerce, Lagos, Managing Director, Management Transformation Ltd Wuraola Abiola, also opines that
WOWe 2014 Conference is basically focusing on women and it will provides high level networking platform that connects the most influential women entrepreneurs to exchange ideas and dialogue on issues related to entrepreneurship and leadership.

"Pominent personalities in their fields like Ms Genevieve Nnaji (actress, model, singer, designer), Mrs Onari Duke (Country Director EMPRETEC Nigeria Foundation), Mrs Folake Akindele (Managing Director, Tiffany Amber) and Mrs Bukky George (CEO HealthPlus Pharmacy), to mention a few will be speakers at the conference," she says.

She gave an insight to what the participants will benefit for participating:
· Insight from our high level speakers on their entrepreneurial journey of success

· Create powerful networks to drive results

· Position your business as a competitive powerhouse

· Access new tends accelerating women across industries

· Exchange critical solutions raising capital - debt vs capital

· Gain insights on capacity building initiatives, skills development and mentorship

· Receive first hand training from our highly interactive Master-classes and workshops

WOWe was created as a platform for women entrepreneurs in West Africa to be able to tap into a wealth of resources, contacts, knowledge and opportunities irrespective of their background, connections and vision.

However, not just the business owners will be participating at the forthcoming conference alone, the investment and security tribunal established to act as a watchdog over investors and their clients in the capital market will also be participating.

Speaking at the briefing, Mr. Wale Ojo, Head, Lagos Zonal office, Investment and Securities Tribunal said the tribunal was established in 2002 to handle cases involving investment and security cases, it also deals with pension cases.
According to him, the Headquarter of the tribunal is in Abuja, with its zonal offices across the states in the country. He also disclosed that the tribunal has so far handled 40 investment cases in Lagos and across board has handled N351.9bn worth of investment.

The tribunal was established as part of transformation process to boost the economy. He further advised that investors that have been having issues monetarily in their business should bring their cases to the tribunal for judgment to be carried out on such issue.
Mr. Wale claimed that the tribunal has never in any form compromise any investmenmt case due to short of funds.

His words,"We live up to expectation, besides those involved are well to do so we have never fo once compromise any case. Also section 245 of the tribunal constitution gives us opportubnity to also deal with pension cases."

SAHCOL Sets For Ethiopian And Azman Air Ground Handling Services

The skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited, SAHCOL has achieved yet another success, as it set for full handling contracts with Ethiopian Airlines and AZMAN Air, to offer them ground handling services.
General Manager, Corporate Communications for the company, BASIL AGBOARUMI, disclosed this in a statement adding that its company will perform full handling services (Ramp, Passenger and Cargo/Warehousing) to Ethiopian Airlines' four(4) times a week passenger flights, and three (3) times weekly cargo flights, to/from the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano.

He explained that the company will also handle all AZMAN Air passenger, baggage and ramp handling services.
“SAHCOL, an ISAGO certified Ground Handling Company, and a 100% subsidiary of the Sifax Group continues to expand and gain credibility of airlines operating within/into Nigeria since the company became privatized in December, 2009.
“The new face of SAHCOL is witnessing massive deployment of modern State-of-the-art Ground Support Equipment (GSE), Training/Retraining of all categories of staff, Infrastructural development, Management repositioning, re-fleeting of vehicles, boosting of clients' confidence/ patronage, and massive Infrastructural Development, which includes an almost completed First-of-its-kind (West African Sub Region) Custom Bonded Cargo Warehouse, among others, all geared towards its goal of exceeding customers expectations.
“SAHCOL, an Aviation Ground Handling Provider, offers services in Cargo Handling/Warehousing, Passenger Handling, Ramp Handling, Aviation Security, Baggage Reconciliation, Executive Lounge Services, and other related Ground Handling Services; while ensuring that Ground Handling assignment is carried out in an efficient, speedy and safe manner, by deploying the right tools.
“Owing to the current boost in confidence, SAHCOL list of growing clientele includes the world best airlines, amongst which are Arik Air, The United Airlines, Air France, Egypt Air, Middle East Airlines (MEA), Allied Air, Aero Contractors Airline, Dana Air, Sudan Air, African Open Sky Airlines, Med-view Airlines, Camair-Co, South African Airways, Etihad Airways, Atlas Jet Airlines, Max Air, Kabo Air, African Word Airways (AWA), Gambia Bird Airlines, and other ad-hoc operators,” he maintained.

Ukraine: 30 killed in airport clashes

Punch Newspaper published earlier today that at least 30 pro-Russia separatists have been killed so far in fighting at the airport in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk, insurgents say.

Armed separatists tried to take over the airport on Monday.

Kiev responded with air attacks and a stand-off developed.

Ukraine’s new President Petro Poroshenko on Monday vowed to continue “anti-terrorist operations” in the east, saying the situation should “last hours not months”.

A representative of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic told the BBC that reports of at least 30 dead in Monday’s fighting were accurate.

One insurgent told Associated Press the bodies had been brought to a hospital in the city.

Monday’s clashes started after separatist militants stormed the Sergei Prokofiev Donetsk airport in the early hours of the morning.

The Ukrainian military responded quickly with air strikes and an assault by heavily armed troops.

It is not clear who is in control of the airport. It was closed early on Monday.

Reporters said there was heavy gunfire throughout the day and night, with black smoke rising into the air.

The attempt to seize the airport may have been intended to prevent Mr Poroshenko from travelling there after he said his first trip in office would be to visit the restive east.

However, Mr Poroshenko has also said he wants to talk to Russia to end the crisis.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was “open to dialogue” with Poroshenko but insisted that military action against separatists must end.

Ukraine’s military is engaged in an offensive in the east to tackle armed separatists who declared independence in the provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk.

The insurgency developed after pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych fled Kiev amid bloody street protests and calls for closer ties with the EU.

Union suspends warning strike over merger of aviation agencies

Members of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria ATSSSAN have shelved its planned two days warning strike to protest the proposed merger of aviation parastatals.

In a communique jointly signed by Comrade Benjamin Okewu and Captain Tarnongu, the national president and deputy general Secretary of the union respectively, the members explained that they have decided to suspend the strike due to a positive signal that the Federal government is likely to stop the proposed merging of the aviation parastatals.

The union said its only awaiting the final pronouncement of Jonathan's discontinuation in merging the agencies before it will know the next line of action to take. "But presently we have suspended the strike," the union said in the release. Affected agencies includes; NAMA, NIMET and NCAA.

It would be recalled that major aviation players and the union had earlier faulted FG merger of aviation agencies.

The unions had earlier this month in Lagos said they would be going on a two-day national warning strike over the recent merger plan by the Federal Government of some agencies in the industry.

The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE).
ATSSSAN has concluded plans to get the endorsement of the strike from all its organs as its National Administrative Council Meeting and the National Executive Council meeting are scheduled for May before this development.
The union also use the communiqué as a medium to pass warnings to some management of the aviation industry that have been trampling on the rights of workers to join and belong to a union and, for collective bargaining.
They said sister unions particularly in the aviation, transport and oil and gas sectors were ready to partner ATSSSAN to picket anti- labour dispositions of management and put pressure on their clients.
ATSSSAN called on the ministry of labour and productivity, ministry of aviation, stakeholders in the industry and well meaning Nigerians to call hardened hearts of management that were hostile to labour rights before they will be forced to deploy tools of engagement of their last resorts that may disrupt production process.

BREAKING: Presidency convoy ‘shoots at’ protesting OAU students-premiumtimesng reported noe

“The security details shot at us. We have held them hostage. We will not let him go.”Hundreds of protesting students of the Obafemi Awolowo University have held a presidential convoy hostage in Ile-Ife, Osun State.The convoy led by a Toyota bullet proof SUV with ‘Presidency’ inscription and registration number, FG902-B02, tried to drive through the students who were protesting an increase in fees by the university management.Security details attached to the convoy then shot, perhaps to scare the protesters, with two of the students reportedly sustaining injuries.“The security details shot at us. We have held them hostage. We will not let him go.” one of the leaders of the protest told PREMIUM TIMES on phone.The students were protesting, on the Ife Expressroad, the increase in their school fees by the university management when the 6-vehicle convoy arrived.The university management increased the fees from about N17,000 to over N100,000.“We demand a total reversal to statusquo,” the student leader said.It is not yet clear who the occupants of the presidential convoy are as some students said the main occupant is a relative to President Goodluck Jonathan.Details later...