ALMOST all the roads within Ibadan metropolis are impassable during and after rainfall as they would be flooded. Two heavy rains that fell recently caused serious havoc in some places like Awolowo Avenue, Bodija and Ogbere areas of the city.

“I have not lost anything, Allah has simply taken back what He gave in trust”. This was the philosophical declaration of Alhaji Sunusi Bello, 55, who lost six members of his family, his wife and five children in Kano. Tragedy occurred when a 50 years old mud house he inherited from his late father at Warure quarters in the old city of Kano caved in early Sunday morning.

No fewer than 200 youths in Ajegunle area of Lagos have become beneficiaries of an empowerment programme packaged by Omojuwa solidarity Group in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Council Development Area LCDA, of the State.

It was six hours of sheer madness at the Dangote Benue Cement factory in Gboko last week Wednesday. And at the end of the mayhem, 13 persons lay dead, while 154 heavy-duty trucks belonging to the company and other transporters were burnt beyond recognition.

If Kehinde Sikiru had known what fate had in store for him on Tuesday August 9, he would have reconsidered his planned action for that day. But oblivious of what was to happen, he had proceeded with his plan to visit Solumade community in Ikorodu area of Lagos State. The point is that he is presently rueing his action in police detention.

As Nigerian youth joined the rest of the world to commemorate this year’s International Youth Day, stakeholders have stressed the need to empower the Nigerian youths as the strength of any nation lies in them.

The threat to life and natural habitat is considered serious indeed. For some communities in Akwa Ibom State, this fear of erosion menace has left them crying for help.

When the present Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Owerri, Dr. Celestina Njoku, took over in September 2010, as the substantive Rector, the school community jubilated. It was a seeming endless jubilation.

When 39-year-old Anthony Offor walked into Vanguard premises recently, it was almost difficult to know that he was suffering from hearing impairment. His neat appearance and dignified carriage initially did not give the impression that he had come to solicit for assistance. But after a question-and-written- response interview with Vanguard Metro, his mission became clear enough.

Following the perennial traffic congestion across Lagos, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, has reiterated its determination to entrench sanity on Lagos roads by ensuring that every traffic offender is punished in accordance with the law of the land.

ANY one who has seen the high walls of the Port Harcourt prisons would certainly doubt if it is possible to scale over it. But it happened last Sunday.

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State distributed 500 auto-vehicle inspector devices to the Nigeria Police Force, NPF; the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC; Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA and the Vehicle Inspection Units, VIUs, as part of the measure to stem traffic gridlock in the state.

In 2009, when Elder Godsday Orubebe, Minister of Niger Affairs, spoke in Copenhagen, Denmark about his passion to swiftly and promptly bring up sustainable, holistic development of the Niger Delta region, I sympathised with him.

For Octogenarian Pa Fatai Soneye, a native of Ikorodu in Lagos State, Thursday July 28 will remain an unforgettable day in his life. That was the day he had a narrow escape from death.

The recent upsurge of violence and crimes across the country, most especially the incessant bombings in some parts of the North by the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, was at the centre of this year’s Combat Support Arms, COSAT, Training week 2011.