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More than 3.9 million Ukrainians flee war

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A Ukrainian serviceman helps evacuees gathered under a destroyed bridge, as they flee the city of Irpin, northwest of Kyiv, on March 7, 2022. (Photo by Dimitar DILKOFF / AFP)

More than 3.9 million Ukrainians have now fled Russia’s invasion of their country, the United Nations announced Tuesday, with the Red Cross saying refugees were arriving exhausted and feeling “hopeless”.

UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, said 3,901,713 Ukrainians had fled the country — a figure up 38,916 from Monday’s update.

The daily flow of refugees has slowed to around 40,000 in recent days.

But the exodus “is unprecedented since World War II in Europe, certainly in terms of the speed and scale of the displacement,” UNHCR spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh told reporters in Geneva.

Francesco Rocca, the president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), added: “We are seeing millions of people arriving at borders, their coping capacities stretched by what they have experienced and witnessed.

“People are understandably tired and stressed, physically, mentally and emotionally,” he said.

The UN’s International Organization for Migration said that in addition to Ukrainian refugees, close to 200,000 non-Ukrainians living, studying and working in the country have fled.

And as of March 16, some 6.48 million people were estimated to be internally displaced within Ukraine, according to an IOM representative survey.

Before Russia’s February 24 invasion, Ukraine had a population of 37 million in the regions under government control, excluding Russia-annexed Crimea and the pro-Russian separatist regions in the east.

Here is a breakdown of how many Ukrainian refugees have fled to neighbouring countries, according to UNHCR:

– Poland –

Six out of 10 Ukrainian refugees — 2,314,623 so far — have crossed into Poland, according to UNHCR.

Many people who cross into Ukraine’s immediate western neighbours travel onto other states in Europe’s Schengen open-borders zone.

– Romania –

The number of Ukrainians who have entered EU member state Romania has now topped 600,000.

These 602,461 Ukrainians include a large number who crossed over from Moldova, wedged between Romania and Ukraine.

The vast majority are thought to have gone on to other countries.

IFRC president Rocca visited Romania last week.

“Romanian Red Cross teams have been working 24/7 at border crossings since day one, showing great empathy and humanity, providing basic items as well as SIM cards and mobile charging stations to help people,” he said Tuesday.

“Many who have crossed the border simply ask for a cup of coffee or tea. Seemingly simple aid like this can offer families peace of mind in an otherwise hopeless moment.”

– Moldova –

The Moldovan border is the nearest to the major port city of Odessa.

UNHCR said 385,222 Ukrainians had crossed into the non-EU state, one of the poorest in Europe.

To reduce congestion, organised convoys leave daily from the Palanca crossing for Romania, with the most vulnerable prioritised for transfer.

– Hungary –

Some 359,197 Ukrainians have entered Hungary, according to UNHCR.

– Slovakia –

Some 278,238 people have crossed Ukraine’s shortest border into Slovakia.

– Russia –

Some 271,254 refugees have sought shelter in Russia, according to UNHCR figures last updated on March 22.

In addition, 113,000 people crossed into Russia from the separatist-held pro-Russian regions of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine between February 21 and 23.

UNHCR spokesman Saltmarsh said Tuesday the agency was aware of recent allegations of forced movements of people from Ukraine to Russia but could not corroborate such information.

– Belarus –

Some 9,875 refugees have made it north to Russia’s close ally Belarus.

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Two die as speeding truck, bus collide on Sagamu-Ore Expressway

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Two persons lost their lives while two others escaped unhurt in a road crash involving a truck and a commercial bus at Ogbere Junction along the Ogbere/J4 corridor of the Sagamu/Ore Expressway in Ogun State on Thursday.

The Federal Road Safety Corps said the accident occurred around 5:10 a.m.

The Ogun State Sector Command Public Relations Officer, Afolabi Odunsi, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, noting that the crash involved a white Mack truck with registration number ABC 660 XC and an orange Peugeot J5 bus with an unknown registration number.

Odunsi said four adult male occupants were involved in the accident, adding that two of them died while the other two escaped without injuries.

He attributed the crash to route violation and excessive speeding.

According to him, the impact of the collision caused the Peugeot J5 bus to burst into flames, leaving its front section completely burnt.

He added that FRSC rescue operatives arrived at the scene within two minutes of receiving the distress call and immediately began rescue and traffic management operations to prevent further accidents.

“Officials diverted traffic to an alternative carriageway to minimise congestion while efforts were made to clear the wreckage from the road,” Odunsi said.

He added that officers of the Nigeria Police Motor Traffic Division, Ogbere Division, evacuated the bodies of the deceased and deposited them at a nearby mortuary.

Reacting to the tragedy, the Ogun State Sector Commander, Corps Commander Oludare Ogunjobi, sympathised with the bereaved families and urged motorists to obey traffic rules to avoid needless loss of lives.

He warned drivers against speeding and route violations, especially during periods of poor visibility and on wet roads, stressing that reckless driving remains one of the leading causes of fatal road crashes across the country.

The FRSC also reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring safer highways through sustained enforcement of traffic laws, public enlightenment campaigns and prompt emergency response to road crashes.

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Bode Market Fire Heartbreaking, Oseni Sympathises with Victims, Seeks Urgent Relief

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial Candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has expressed profound sympathy with traders affected by the devastating fire that ravaged the Bode Traditional Herbs and Other Products Market, popularly known as Iso Alagbo, in Ibadan South-West Local Government Area of Oyo State.

‎The inferno, which broke out overnight into Friday, swept through the bustling market, destroying shops, traditional herbs, medicinal products and other valuable goods worth millions of naira. By daybreak, many traders were left in tears as the fire reduced years of hard work, sacrifice and lifelong investments to ashes.

‎In a statement issued on Friday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, Oseni, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and serves as Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), described the incident as heartbreaking, saying the tragedy had dealt a devastating blow to hardworking men and women whose livelihoods depend on the market.

‎”I received the news of the fire with a heavy heart. My thoughts and prayers are with every trader and family affected by this unfortunate incident. It is deeply painful to imagine that years of dedication, sacrifice and investment could be wiped away within a few hours.

‎”This is more than the destruction of shops and goods. It is the loss of livelihoods, the disruption of family income and the uncertainty of tomorrow for many hardworking people who depend on their businesses for survival. I sincerely share in their pain during this difficult time.

‎”I can only imagine the emotional trauma many of the victims are going through. For many of them, the market is not just a place of business; it is the source of livelihood that sustains their families and secures their future.”, the statement party read.

‎Oseni appealed to the Oyo State Government, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), corporate organisations, philanthropists and other well-meaning Nigerians to urgently come to the aid of the affected traders with financial assistance, relief materials and other forms of support to help them rebuild their businesses.

‎”This is a moment for compassion and collective responsibility. I urge governments at all levels, intervention agencies, corporate organisations and kind-hearted Nigerians to extend a helping hand to these traders. A timely intervention will not only help them rebuild their businesses but will also restore hope to families whose means of livelihood have been suddenly taken away.

‎”Together, we can help these hardworking men and women rise again. I am confident that with the support of government and compassionate Nigerians, they will overcome this painful setback and rebuild stronger”, it added.

‎He prayed that God would comfort the victims, strengthen them to bear the painful losses and grant them the courage to rebuild their lives.

‎”I pray that Almighty God restores the losses of every affected trader, grants them renewed strength and opens doors of greater opportunities for them. May He comfort every family affected by this unfortunate incident and protect our markets from such devastating disasters in the future.”

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Tragedy strikes Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: Five die, eight injured in fiery multiple crash

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It was a night of sorrow and devastation in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, as a horrific multiple-vehicle crash along the Ibadan axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway claimed at least five lives and left eight others injured in a fiery chain collision involving trucks, tankers, and smaller vehicles.

The accident occurred at about 10:00 p.m. on Friday around the Satguru Maharaji Ji Village axis, just before the Ibadan Toll Gate, throwing the busy highway into chaos as flames and thick smoke engulfed the scene.

The crash involved six trucks, including gas tankers and trailer units, two Toyota Hilux vans, and two cars, according to emergency officials who described it as one of the most severe road accidents in recent times on the corridor.

Eyewitnesses said the tragedy began when one of the trucks reportedly suffered brake failure and rammed into another vehicle ahead of it, triggering a chain reaction that quickly escalated into a multi-vehicle inferno.

In moments, several vehicles were trapped in the blaze, while terrified motorists and bystanders watched helplessly as the fire spread across the expressway.

Eight persons were rescued alive with varying degrees of injuries and were immediately rushed to nearby hospitals for urgent medical attention.
Confirming the incident, the Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Maroof Akinwande, said the crash was caused by brake failure which spiralled into a massive fire outbreak.

“Upon arrival, we discovered that the accident involved six trucks (gas tankers and trailer trucks) and two cars, resulting in a fire outbreak,” he said.

“Five persons were recovered dead, while eight others were rescued and handed over to the team of the Federal Road Safety Corps led by SRC Adegbite from Toll Gate, Ibadan, for further medical attention at the nearest hospital.”

Firefighters eventually brought the inferno under control after hours of operation, while security operatives and traffic officials worked to clear wreckage and restore movement on the busy expressway.

Normalcy has since returned to the road, but the tragedy has left behind a grim reminder of the dangers of mechanical failure and unsafe haulage on Nigeria’s busiest highway.

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