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Three people suspected to have been attempting to detonate an explosive at a church in Jos North council of Plateau State were on Sunday killed.Lucky escape, priest of the ECWA church. Photo

Eye witnesses say two men riding on a motor cycle were killed when the explosive they were carrying detonated.

The third person was riding alone and turned to escape from the scene of the explosion when a crowd of residents caught and killed him before setting his body ablaze.

The incident which occurred at about 9:45am took place around the premises of ECWA church, Nassarawa Gwong, some 300 meters from Angwa Rukuba junction scene of the multiple explosions of December 24, last year.

The Pastor in charge of the ECWA parish, Satti Adamu said he was in the church when he heard the sound the explosion. He said "when I came out, I was told that some Hausa boys wanted to throw a bomb and it exploded and killed them".

By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano

Local prostitutes are fleeing Kano, North-West Nigeria, in their numbers following a recent clampdown on their activities within the ancient city by operatives of the Hisbah Command, a Sharia’ah enforcement agency.

No fewer than 1,362 women of easy virtues were apprehended by the Sharia’ah enforcement agency in recent times in line with the state government’s policy to keep faith with the Islamic injunction.

Most of these females were arrested at different times in different locations within and outside Kano metropolis, in most cases, with their patrons.

Records from the Sahrada headquarters of Hisbah indicate that about 152 males were arrested by the agency in the last quarter, bringing the total number to 1,514. “These suspects, mostly youths were apprehended while engaging in social vices, including prostitution and drug abuse,” Alhaji Saidu Dukawa, Director-General of Hisbah Board told P.M.NEWS this morning.

According to him, out of the number of suspects arrested, 33 were handed over to National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other related matters, NAPTIP, while 27 of them identified as drug addicts and peddlers were transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

He revealed further that the agency charged about 364 of the suspects to Shari’ah Court, “360 were repatriated, including those taken to Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, because we identified them as Christians and we believe the best to do is to hand them over to CAN.

“Moreso, about 750 youths were warned and released unconditionally, after undergoing intensive counseling. We are also working with the state Directorate of Societal Re-Orientation to rehabilitate some of the youths who turned a new leaf as a result of counseling,” Dukawa added.

InvestigationS by by P.M.News, however, indicate that some of these local prostitutes who came from Borno, Adamawa, Plateau and Kaduna states have started fleeing Kano for the fear of the Hisbah.

This development has also given rise to unprecedented influx of Hausa prostitutes into Sabon Gari, an enclave in the ancient city predominantly inhabited by non-Muslims.

Some community leaders and sellers of alcoholic drinks and spirits had engaged Hisbah in a running battle over its operation within Sabon Gari, known as a “free zone.” The remnants of these local prostitutes who could not leave the state have taken refuge in the Sabon Gari axis where they believe the Hisbah sledge hammer will not reach them. P.M.NEWS checks revealed that they have increased the tempo of night-life in some cheap brothels within Sabon Gari, including the notorious Abedi Street, known as an abode for local prostitutes.

Ninety passengers on board an Aerocontractors Airlines’ plane coming from Port Harcourt escaped death on Sunday as the pilot made an emergency landing at
the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport , Lagos.

Shortly after touching down on the runway 18R-36L, the aircraft, a Boeing 737-500 series, was totally engulfed by a thick smoke as it taxied towards the
tarmac, according to airport officials.

The pilot quickly opened all the six doors, and passengers used the emergency slides to disembark from the aircraft, according to airport officials who
witnessed the incident.

Fire fighters from the Federal Airports of Nigeria were quickly mobilised to rescue the passengers being evacuated from the aircraft.

An official disclosed that a fire, discovered inside the cockpit of the Boeing plane, spread into the cabin deck and threw the entire cabin into
pandemonium as passengers scampered for safety mid air.

Rescue officials told our correspondent that six passengers and an infant that sustained injuries were rushed to the hospital.

Aero confirmed the incident. .

A statement by the airline read in part, ”An incident occured this evening on flight AJ 320 from Port Harcourt to Lagos when a smoke was detected in the
cabin. Aero was able to succesfully evacuate all 84 passengers, an infant and
five crew members as the B737-500 aircraft landed at the Murtala Mohammed
International airport, Lagos at 6.15 pm local time.”

The airline said its officials had been invited by officials of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authorities for an investigation into the cause of the incident.

It was learnt that the fire might have been caused by an electrical spark from the electronics system of the aircraft.

Passengers on Dana Air's 9am Abuja bound flight from Lagos on Monday escaped a crash after one of the engines of their aircraft witnessed bird strikes some minutes after takeoff..

The aircraft which took off from the Murtala Mohammed Airport 2 (MMA2), Lagos with 97 passengers onboard, had to effect an emergency landing at the international wing of the airport when sparks resulting into smoke emanated from its affected engine.

"Some minutes after we took off from the airport, the captain announced that there was a bird strike and it has affected one of the engines," said Adeleke Babatunde, a passenger onboard the flight.

The situation, which made some residents of Mafoluku, a community close to the airport, run out of their houses in order to avoid casualties, was meticulously controlled by the aircraft pilot who landed the flight 9J 995 plane some minutes after the incident.

"We saw the plane shaking as large smoke came out of its engines and we had to run out for safety," said a resident who gave her name as Uchechi.

Commenting on the incident, Jacky Hathiramani, chief operating officer for Dana Air in a statement admitted that the aircraft suffered bird strike, adding that the captain had to make an emergency landing in line with the airline's safety and service policy.

"All 97 passengers and crew disembarked the aircraft safely, and the aircraft was taken to the hanger," he said. "Most of the passengers were booked on alternative Dana Air flights to Abuja while a few who preferred a refund were given." Mr. Hathiramani, however, thanked passengers onboard the aircraft for their cooperation, as well the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and all airport authorities for their responsiveness and support.

Bird strikes or Bird Aircraft Strike Hazards (BASH) are collisions between airborne animals and man-made vehicles or aircraft.