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Turkey-Syria earthquakes death toll surpasses 16,000

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The death toll from the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on Monday is now at least 16,035, according to authorities.

In Syria, the total number of fatalities is at least 3,162, including 1,900 in rebel-held areas in the northwest, according to the “White Helmets” civil defense group. Some 1,262 deaths have been recorded in government-controlled parts of the country, according to Syrian state media.

In Turkey, the toll has risen to at least 12,873, Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) said on Thursday.

Aid agencies have warned the toll is likely to rise significantly higher, especially in Syria, as search and rescue teams sift through the rubble of thousands of collapsed buildings amid freezing weather conditions, faced with the risk of aftershocks.

Tens of thousands of people have been reported injured across the region, according to officials.

The body of an Australian man killed in Monday’s earthquake has been found in Turkey, according to Linda Scott, a municipal councilor in Sydney.

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Can Pahali, also known as John, had been visiting family in the country and was on vacation in the province of Hatay when the quake struck, CNN affiliate Nine News reported.

Australia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the death of an Australian citizen as a result of the quake but did not name the individual.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is deeply saddened by reports an Australian has died in the Turkiye earthquakes,” the ministry said. “Our consular team, and our teams in Turkiye and Lebanon, are working hard to assist family members concerned about their loved ones.”
The ministry said it is supporting around 50 other Australians and their families who were in the quake zone.

Photos taken at a border crossing between Turkey and Syria show a devastating scene as families receive the bodies of their loved ones who died in Monday’s massive earthquake.

The bodies of more than 300 Syrians who died in the quake in Turkey have been brought across the border, a spokesperson for the Bab al-Hawa border crossing said on Wednesday.

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The bodies were sent back to Syria so the victims can be buried in their home country, Bab al-Hawa spokesperson Mazen Alloush said.

“Since Monday, and until now, we have been receiving bodies,” he said. “The bodies of Syrians, who were in Turkey, have been sent to us from various areas and hospitals.”

More than 15,000 people have been killed in Turkey and Syria after Monday’s catastrophic earthquake, according to authorities, with the death toll expected to rise higher.

Authorities are yet to release a detailed breakdown of the victims’ nationalities. Turkey is home to some 3.6 million Syrian refugees, according to UN figures, with hundreds of thousands of Syrians living in the southern province of Gaziantep, near the quake’s epicenter.

Allloush told CNN no aid had yet crossed the border, but he had received notice that six aid trucks would be entering the border before noon Thursday.

According to Alloush, the six trucks would be carrying sanitary items and possibly food.

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Search and rescue teams work to rescue a woman from under the rubble of a collapsed building in Diyarbakir, Turkey, on Thursday morning.

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Woman jumps into Lagos lagoon, rescued by boat operators

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A yet-to-be-identified woman has been rescued after reportedly jumping into the lagoon from the Idumota end of the Carter Bridge in Lagos state.

The incident, which reportedly drew the attention of passersby and local boat operators, occurred on Tuesday afternoon.

According to eyewitnesses, nearby boat operators responded and brought the woman back to safety.

video circulating on social media showed the woman, seated in a rescue boat shortly after she was brought out of the water.

The footage, shared on X by a user identified as CHUKS, also showed people gathered on the bridge expressing concern about the woman’s condition.

Some bystanders could be heard appealing to the boat operators to ensure that she received appropriate care.

The circumstances surrounding the incident were unclear as of the time of filing this report.

Authorities had yet to issue an official statement on the incident or confirm the woman’s identity and condition.

See also  Hajj: Family search for relatives as death toll exceeds 1,000

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Police seize truck-load of fake drug warehouses in Lagos, arrest two

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The Lagos State Police Command says its operatives have uncovered two warehouses allegedly used for repackaging counterfeit pharmaceutical products and arrested two suspected members of a syndicate involved in the interstate and cross-border distribution of fake drugs.

Fatai Tijani, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command,  disclosed this on Monday while briefing newsmen at the command’s Violent Crime Response Unit in the Ijora Olopa area of the state.

The suspects, identified as Eze Okwudilichukwu, 52, and Chukwudi Mba, 42, were arrested during an intelligence-led operation by detectives attached to the unit.

The police boss said the suspects were apprehended at a warehouse located at Number 7A Otto Causeway, Otto, Lagos, where they were allegedly repackaging suspected adulterated pharmaceutical products for distribution to various parts of Nigeria.

He said the operation followed credible intelligence on the activities of the syndicate.

According to the police commissioner, “The suspects, Eze Okwudilichukwu ‘m’ 52 years, and Chukwudi Mba ‘m’ 42 years, were arrested at their warehouse located at No. 7A Otto Causeway, Otto, Lagos, where they were found repackaging suspected adulterated pharmaceutical products for distribution to different parts of Nigeria.

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“Following their arrest and interrogation, the suspects led detectives to another warehouse, where a duly executed search warrant was carried out. During the search, a truck loaded with large quantities of suspected adulterated pharmaceutical products, bearing registration number KFR 241 XA (Katsina), was recovered alongside other exhibits.”

The police boss said items recovered during the operation included about 300 cartons of suspected adulterated Omeprazole; six bags containing unpackaged suspected adulterated Viagra, Ampiclox, Septrin, Piriton, and other pharmaceutical products; and about 10 cartons of suspected adulterated Ampiclox, Viagra, and other drugs.

The CP noted that more than 300 empty printed packs and cartons were used to repackage counterfeit medicines.

According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the syndicate had been involved in the repackaging and distribution of suspected adulterated drugs for over two years.

He added that detectives uncovered evidence suggesting that the products were supplied to different parts of Nigeria, while large consignments were also destined for Lomé, Togo, indicating the existence of a transnational distribution network.

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“The investigation also suggests that the suspected adulterated drugs are being manufactured somewhere within Lagos State.

“While the production facility has not yet been located, detectives have intensified efforts to identify and dismantle the factory, arrest all those connected with the operation, and bring them to justice,” Fatai said.

The commissioner also alleged that attempts were made to compromise the investigation after the suspects were arrested.

“It is pertinent to state that since the arrest of the suspects, desperate attempts have been made through different channels to induce officers of the Violent Crime Response Unit to release both the suspects and the recovered exhibits.

“I wish to categorically state that these attempts were firmly resisted. The Lagos State Police Command remains committed to professionalism, integrity, and the rule of law, and no amount of pressure or inducement will derail the course of justice,” he added.

Tijani said the suspects, recovered exhibits, and case file had been handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control for further investigation and possible prosecution.

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He explained that the handover was necessary because the case falls within the regulatory mandate of the agency.

The CP commended operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit for what he described as a professional and intelligence-driven operation while urging members of the public to provide useful information on the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit pharmaceutical products and other criminal activities.

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NDLEA uncovers cocaine hidden in wooden mortar, backpack bound for China, Italy

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says its operatives have uncovered fresh attempts by drug syndicates to export cocaine concealed inside a traditional wooden mortar and a specially modified backpack destined for China and Italy.

This was contained in a statement released by Femi Babafemi, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, and shared on X on Sunday.

According to Babafemi, one of the consignments involved cocaine concealed inside a traditional wooden mortar, a local tool commonly used for pounding yam and grains, which was being shipped to China.

The agency added that another cocaine shipment destined for Italy was discovered concealed in the false bottom of a backpack hidden among lace materials.

He wrote, “Mortar is a traditional local wooden tool commonly used for pounding yams or grains but was used to conceal cocaine consignment heading to China in one of the latest seizures by #ndlea_nigeria officers who also discovered another shipment of cocaine going to Italy in the false bottom of a backpack hidden in lace materials.

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“Beware of every parcel you’re given to deliver. Remember the key word for liability is possession!”

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