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341 persons confirmed dead in South Africa flood

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The death toll from South Africa’s “unprecedented” floods climbed to 341 on Thursday as helicopters fanned out across the southeastern city of Durban in an increasingly desperate search for survivors.

With roads and bridges washed away by freak rainfall this week, rescuers battled to deliver supplies across the city, where some residents have been without power or water since Monday.

“The level of devastation of human life, infrastructure, and service delivery network in the province is unprecedented,” said Sihle Zikalala, the premier of KwaZulu-Natal province.

“A total number of 40,723 people have been affected. Sadly, 341 fatalities have been recorded,” he told a news conference.

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At a small airport north of Durban, helicopters carried rescuers in and out. The air support was pulled from military and police, but also a fleet of volunteers, private contractors, and schools.

But one day after the rains finally subsided, fewer survivors were being found, said Travis Trower, a director for the volunteer-run organisation Rescue South Africa.

From 85 calls on Thursday, he said his teams had found only corpses.

“It’s unfortunate, but we do the best we can for as many people as we can,” he said.

The government has given no indication of how many people are missing. Zikalala predicted that the bill for damage will run into billions of rand (hundreds of millions of dollars, euros)

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South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (C) and Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs of South Africa, Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma (R), speak to various grieving family members at the United Methodist Church of South Africa in Claremont, near Durban, on April 13, 2022 of the 4 children that passed away in the surrounding area following heavy rains and floods.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared the region a state of disaster to unlock relief funds.

Authorities said they had established 17 shelters to accommodate over 2,100 displaced people.

Entering their fourth day without power or water, Durban’s poorest residents lined up on Thursday to collect water from burst pipes and dug through layers of mud to retrieve their few possessions.

There was a sense of despair amid the stench of sewage, growing stronger as the rains which wrought so much devastation stopped and the tropical heat returned.

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Sporadic protests erupted in some areas over slow restoration of services and a lack of relief.

Durban’s city government appealed for patience.

“We understand the frustration and anxiety of our residents,” it said in a statement.

“We are working as quickly as we can. Our teams are hard at work to resume services. However, it may take a while to fully restore all services because of the extent of the damage to access roads.”

The government of KwaZulu-Natal province has also put out a public call for aid, urging people to donate non-perishable food, bottled water, clothes and blankets.

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But many survivors said they had been left to fend for themselves.

In Amaoti, a township north of Durban, residents balanced precariously on the embankment of a collapsed road, trying to fetch clean water from a broken pipe underneath.

“We don’t have water, there is no electricity… people from (everywhere) are coming to get water,” Thabani Mgoni, 38, told AFP in the midst of the crowd.

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Philisiwe Mfeka, a 78-year-old grandmother, said her water supply stopped on Tuesday.

Even water from the fractured pipe was being rationed to one bucket per person, with children, some as young as 10, coming to fetch one bucket each.

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At a riverside, families washed what clothes they could recover in muddy water, amid severed pipes that poked from earth.

In a pitch-dark hall in Durban’s Glebelands, volunteers in a dingy apartment block used mobile phone torches to illuminate their registration of scores of displaced people overnight.

“We are just helping the people because we care,” said Mabheki Sokhela, 51, who helped organise temporary shelter at a community hall.

He urged fellow residents to shelter the victims. “There is not enough space,” he said.

Many victims slept on chairs or on cardboard on the floor.

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Weather experts say apocalyptic levels of rain were dumped on the region over several days.

Some areas received more than 450 millimetres (18 inches) in 48 hours, amounting to nearly half of Durban’s annual rainfall of 1,009 mm, the national weather service said.

The South African Weather Service has issued an Easter weekend warning of thunderstorms and localised flooding in KwaZulu-Natal and neighbouring Free State and Eastern Cape provinces.

The country is still struggling to recover from the two-year-old Covid pandemic and deadly riots last year that killed more than 350 people.

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Crime

Rivers state police neutralize four suspects in CDC chairman’s murder

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Rivers State Police Neutralize Suspects in CDC Chairman's Murder

The Rivers State Police Command has neutralized four suspects involved in the murder of Ndidi Livingstone, the CDC Chairman of Mgbuoshimini. The suspects were killed in a crossfire during a police operation. The police also arrested three additional suspects and six others linked to their criminal network.

 

The Rivers State Police Command has successfully neutralized four individuals linked to the murder of Ndidi Livingstone, the Community Development Council (CDC) Chairman of Mgbuoshimini. Livingstone was shot dead on January 13, 2024, in front of his church, Peculiar Faith Ministries, located in Rumueme, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

At a press briefing, Commissioner of Police Olatunji Disu provided details of the operation. He revealed that the suspects were killed in a crossfire between the police and the gang members.

 

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Also read: Rivers State police rescue 16 children from alleged trafficker

 

The incident occurred when four men attacked the church, dragged Livingstone out, and shot him multiple times with AK-47 rifles, all while his family and church congregants witnessed the horrific act.

Disu outlined that a team from the FID-Intelligence Response Team and the Rivers State Command conducted a nationwide manhunt for the perpetrators, following a viral video that captured the assassination.

The operation led to the identification and subsequent killing of Peter Daddy Chukwu, the mastermind behind the assassination, in his hideout in Ibusa, Delta State, on April 5, 2024.

The police also arrested three other suspects directly involved in the murder and six additional members of their criminal network.

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The arrested suspects are:

 

1. Nnamdi Emmanuel (alias BYC, 35 years)** from Onicha LGA, Ebonyi State. Emmanuel was identified in the video as the person who shot Livingstone in the foot.

2. John Lucas (34 years)** from Logoro LGA, Bauchi State. Lucas, a dismissed Lance Corporal from the Nigeria Army, was seen in the video firing the fatal shot. He also operated a gang specializing in procuring firearms for hire. The police recovered Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), military uniforms, five Skyrun refrigerators, and the Black Highlander vehicle used during the murder from him.

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3. Adebayo Adebayo (48 years)** from Ado Ekiti LGA, Ekiti State. Adebayo, a dismissed Sergeant from the Nigeria Army in 2019, was recruited by Lucas for the assassination. He was seen in the video wearing a special forces shirt and was apprehended while working as a Chief Security Officer at a Waste Management Company in Kwale, Delta State.

CP Disu praised the relentless efforts of the police in tracking down the suspects and emphasized the commitment to bringing all those involved in the crime to justice.

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Religion

Apostle Suleman reveals 3-year Jet servicing ordeal and divine message on forgiveness

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Apostle Johnson Suleman Private Jet Service Story

Apostle Johnson Suleman shared his frustration over a three-year ordeal with his private jet servicing, revealing a divine message on forgiveness.

 

Apostle Johnson Suleman of the Omega Fire Ministry has disclosed a personal struggle involving his private jet during a recent church service.

Suleman recounted how he faced frustration with the servicing of his jet, which he claimed was deliberately neglected by the service providers who wanted to pressure him into selling it.

 

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According to Suleman, after sending the jet for servicing, the maintenance team refused to work on it, despite repeated attempts to contact them.

Over a period of three years, Suleman alleged that they allowed the plane’s parts to exceed their recommended time frame, which is crucial for safe operation.

Suleman described his ordeal of repeatedly trying to get the jet serviced, only to face resistance from the service providers who were reportedly interested in buying the jet.

This situation caused him significant distress, as he struggled to get the necessary repairs done and faced mounting aviation costs.

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During this period, Suleman said he received a divine message while praying. He was instructed to forgive the individuals who had frustrated his efforts, with a warning that unresolved bitterness could jeopardize his spiritual well-being.

The cleric expressed that the Holy Spirit revealed to him that his inability to forgive could impact his chances of entering heaven.

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Eventually, after he chose to forgive, Suleman noted that the service providers contacted him, expressing their regret and readiness to complete the servicing.

He emphasized the emotional and spiritual lessons he learned from the experience, highlighting the importance of forgiveness.

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Education

Nigeria to integrate technology in education, says VP Shettima

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Technology Integration in Nigeria Education

Vice President Kashim Shettima announced plans to integrate technology into Nigeria’s education system to enhance learning outcomes, inspired by India’s success with KYAN smart class solutions.

 

Vice President Kashim Shettima has announced that the Federal Government plans to integrate technology into Nigeria’s education system to improve learning outcomes.

During a meeting with the World Bank Nigeria team at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Shettima outlined the government’s commitment to addressing human capacity and resource challenges within the education sector.

 

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Also read: International education day: How NGO educated 33 students on peaceful coexistence

 

Shettima assured that President Bola Tinubu is dedicated to leveraging technological advancements to add value to the country.

He drew inspiration from India’s use of KYAN smart class solutions, which teach 50,000 pupils in rural areas, and expressed confidence that similar innovations could transform Nigeria’s education system.

“The integration of technology will significantly upgrade our education system,” Shettima said. He also stressed the need for a comprehensive education reform plan, including better infrastructure, teacher training, and technological implementation.

 

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Shettima emphasized that the federal government is committed to driving these changes, but success will require the cooperation of all stakeholders, including state governors.

Dr. Ndiame Diop, World Bank’s Country Director for Nigeria, highlighted the bank’s focus on improving governance, health, and education through its HOPE series projects.

These initiatives aim to reform governance processes, primary healthcare, and education facilities across Nigeria, with an emphasis on human capital development.

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