19 die as Muslims celebrate Eid-el-Kabir

No fewer than 19 people were killed in two separate auto-crashes in
Ilorin, the Kwara State capital during this year's Sallah celebration.
Three people were burnt to ashesFriday morning in the state
capitalwhile 16 others died in a separatemultiple crash involving a
trailer and a commuter bus at Osin RiverCommunity, a suburb of Ilorin
at the beginning of the festivity on Wednesday.
Kwara State Sector Commander ofthe FRSC, Ola Ademoluti, confirmed the
incident, saying that the three people were burnt to ashes on Sallah
morning in Ilorin.
It was also gathered that a 10-year-old boy survived Wednesday's crash
as he was rescued under the wreckage of the vehicles some hours after
the tragic incident.
Witnesses said that the commuterbus was conveying passengers who were
returning to Gbadamu-Ologi village in Ilorin East Local Government
Area from Oke-Oyi Market where they had gone to shop in preparation
for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, pointing out that the accident
occurred when the driver of the trailer lost control of the vehicle
while descending a slope at high speed.
The eyewitness said that the trailer crushed the commuter bus while
maneuvering through the rough part of the spot as it descended the
slope.
However, FRSC Commader Adeyemi confirmed that the remains of the
victims had been deposited at the University of Ilorin Teaching
Hospital, UITH, Ilorin.
On the crash involving the petrol tanker, eye witnesses told Saturday
Vanguard that brake failure caused the incident as the tanker rammed
into the taxi cab around Oke Oyi, near the NNPC depot, which caught
fire as the content spilled.
However, reports from across the country showed that there was
peaceful celebration even as the former President Shehu Shagari,
Governors Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto State and Kashim Shettima,Sultan
Sa'ad Abubakar and Ambassador Shehu Malami, Governors Babatunde
Fashola, Mauzu Babangida Aliyu, Ibikunle Amosun and the ACN leader,
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu were amongprominent Nigerians who prayed yesterday
to mark this year's Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
Others included former Minister of Mines and Power, Muhammed Ahmed
Gusau and his counterpartin Ministry of Culture, Senator Bello Jibrin
Gada.
However, contrary to wide speculations by the Joint Task Force JTF in
Maiduguri and Damaturu, the Borno and Yobe state capitals that the
Boko Haramsect will launch massive attacks before, during and after
the Sallah, there was a peaceful celebration in both states with
massive turn out of Muslim faithfuls at their various Eid el Kabir
praying grounds.
In some of the praying grounds in Maiduguri and Damaturu cities, it
was observed that Muslims performed their prayers without any hitches.
Most of those who went out to pray however, rushed back to their homes
soon after, in places like Gomari Airport, Bulumkutu, Polo, Damboa
road, Ramat Square among others in Maiduguri. Prayers at Jere local
Government Areas of Borno state started at about 8:30am.
Vanguard