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Alpha Gist Media, Imo (2024)

02/10/2022

PHOTOS: Pete Edochie, Wife Celebrate 53rd Wedding Anniversary

Veteran actor, Pete Edochie and his wife, Josephine, on Saturday celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary.

Edochie shared photos from the celebration on his Instagram page and hailed his spouse.

He said, "53 years of marital bliss with my queen, Chief Barrister Mrs Josephine Edochie. Thanks to my children for hosting us to the biggest party of our lifetime, yes our life because we are one.

"In celebration of our 53 years of marriage and Life in goodness and in good health.

"These past 53 years, God blessed us with six biological children (among all the inherited ones and numerous grand-children)."

Credit: Instagram| peteedochie

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01/10/2022

PHOTOS: Gridlock As 'Obidients' Rally At Lekki

A rally in support of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in the Lekki area of Lagos on Saturday has resulted in heavy traffic.

There was police presence in the area and Lekki Tollgate to enforce a court order that Obi's supporters shouldn't converge at that location.

Credit: Sharon Osaji
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06/09/2022

Happy 42nd Birthday To Former Nigerian Defender, Joseph Yobo.

Joseph Michael Yobo (born 6 September 1980) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a centre back.

He was the captain of the Nigerian national team until his international football retirement in June 2014, and was Nigeria's record appearance holder.

In February 2020, he was appointed assistant coach of the Super Eagles by the Nigeria Football Federation.

Please wish him well.

20/06/2022

Atiku Mocks Tinubu, Obi Over Inability To Pick A Running Mate.

In an apparent mockery of some other frontline contestants in the 2023 presidential election who were unable to choose their vice presidential running mates before the deadline given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has said the first and most important decision that any candidate for an executive position in a democracy must make is the choice of a running mate.

The APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu and his labour counterpart, Peter Obi had chosen ‘place holders’ because of their inability to choose their preferred presidential running mate.

While Tinubu picked Usman Masari and Obi chose Doyin. They have a 30-day window to replace them.

But in a statement, he signed, Atiku said: “The office of the president in particular requires that the holder of that office must have clarity of the mind on decision-making.

“That is why in countries that have acquired more experiences in democratic acculturation, the choice that a presidential candidate makes about their running mates, and how they make the decision, provides a window of assessing their preparedness for the job that potentially waits ahead of them.”

According to Atiku, “In meeting up with this expectation, and more importantly to ensure that I make a pick of a running mate that you shall be proud of, it became necessary for me to be introspective about my choice.”

He continued, “Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa and I share a lot of personality attributes in common. He is a fine gentleman, but tenacious. His experience as a Senator will come in handy in some of the legislative reforms that are urgently needed to reformat our governmental processes.

“Ifeanyi and I are incurable optimists in the future of Nigeria and the promises it holds as one united, peaceful and prosperous country.

“Having him on the ticket brings a lot of asset to our campaign. In the months ahead to the general election, together with other great leaders of our party, the Peoples Democratic Party and, with your esteemed support, we shall work very hard to ensure convincing victory for our party.

“A victory for the PDP in the general election is a victory for Nigeria. When we win, Nigeria wins. The stakes in the election are very high, and it gives me tremendous joy that I can count on your support to win the election and get to work in earnest.”, Atiku stated.

Source: This Day.

14/06/2022

2023: Umahi Needs Urgent Psychological Help – Ohanaeze Youth Wing.

The youth wing of apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has slammed the Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi over his recent outburst with regard to the 2023 presidential election.

Umahi has been in the news following the shameful outing of South-East presidential aspirants.

The Ebonyi Governor, who participated in the All Progressives Congress, APC, primary election, has come out to say that the people of the state would support the APC candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

He had earlier said he would no longer recognize the Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership.

DAILY POST reports that the Governor defected from the PDP to the APC, citing the refusal of the PDP to give the South-East presidential ticket.

However, with presidential primaries concluded, both the APC and the PDP did not give their tickets to the South-East zone.

Umahi, who could only muster 38 votes, has now turned his anger to the Ohanaeze.

He was also quoted to have asked Ebonyi people never to support Peter Obi of the Labour Party, LP, or Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.

But reacting on Tuesday, the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike said Umahi needed urgent psychological attention.

He said ever since the Governor’s “disgraceful performance during the APC presidential primary election, he has been behaving and talking strangely.
“What he needs urgently now is an urgent psychological help because his woeful outing during the primary election has affected his reasoning.”

Okwu noted that “Umahi was deceived into joining the APC, with a fake promise of a presidential ticket. They did not just scam him but have also denied him the opportunity to produce his successor.”

On the issue of Ohanaeze’s role in the presidential primaries, the OYC President challenged Umahi to “state in clear terms the efforts he made to galvanize the support of his colleague governors to the Igbo presidency project.

''Whereas the Ohanaeze made all the regional organizations, including the Afenifere, the Middle-Belt Forum, the Niger-Delta Forum, among others, to support the Igbo cause, Umahi could not get the support of a single Governor. This goes to show that he is a paper tiger and must not be taken seriously.”

He maintained his earlier stand that the South-East governors sold the Igbo presidency project and would get the reward at the appropriate time.

Meanwhile, Governor Umahi has come out to deny asking Ebonyi people not to vote for Peter Obi.

He said he merely re-echoed his stand that he would support whoever emerged APC flagbearer.

Source: Daily Post.

23/05/2022

Igbo People Are Largely Responsible For Killings In South-East, Not Fulani, Other Outsiders – Ebonyi Governor, Umahi.

Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi has identified the unknown gunmen terrorising southeast Nigeria and killing people as those who hail from the region and not outsiders.

Some southeasters and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have accused some governors in the region of sponsoring outsiders to terrorise the southeast.

But while answering questions regarding the identities of the killers on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Umahi said the atrocities committed in the region were largely carried out by youths from there.

He said, “People tend to be funny at times when they say that we have been invaded by outsiders, but it is not true.

“We have people from other regions that are in the South East. There’s no tribe that doesn’t have criminality. I wouldn’t say some of these people from other tribes don’t engage in criminality.

“What I call bandits are people that engage in violence; and they are our people, South-East people. The youths, some of them are in this category.

“So, when people say insecurity in the South-East is being imported, I do not buy that. Because I am a Governor, I do security reports.

We have arrested a number of these people, and it should be that they are about five or 14 per cent of those outside the South-East. If we have 90 per cent of our youths engaging in these things, you cannot say the South-East is being infiltrated.”

He also said, “We engaged with some of the bandits, we made contacts with some of them. We had to say, what is your problem? If it is infrastructure, we have done that.

“If it is jobs creation, we have addressed that through direct labour. The bandits are angry about the lack of what to do, and we said to them that if your only trouble is that you didn’t have formal education, there is no job for you to do.

“We put them together and said, if you will stop attacks on our strategic infrastructure, killing of our people and attack on security agencies, we can rehabilitate you. So, we have rehabilitated a number of them.”

Source: Sahara Reporters.

18/05/2022

Court Denies Nnamdi Kanu’s Bail Application.

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, declined to grant bail to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, pending the determination of the treasonable felony charge the Federal Government preferred against him.

Trial Justice Binta Nyako held that Kanu must explain the reason why he breached the previous bail that was given to him, before he could enjoy another favourable discretion from the court.

“Until the issue of absence of the defendant for his trial, with all the bail conditions breached, is determined, the instant application of the defendant for bail will at best be premature and it is refused.

“However, the defendant is at liberty to refile the application”, Justice Nyako held.

The court noted that Kanu’s trial had since 2015, suffered various setbacks owing to over 19 interlocutory applications that have been filed in the matter.

It, therefore, implored the parties to allow the case to proceed on trial to enable the charge to be determined, one way or the other.

Kanu, told the court that he was severely tortured for eight days in Kenya, before he was repatriated back to Nigeria for continuation of his trial.

He alleged that his health condition deteriorated, following “a highly poisonous substance” he said was injected into his system, which he said is causing him to have constipation and increased heart beat.

Insisting that the DSS lacks the necessary medical facility to cater for his health needs, Kanu, told the court that he was confined to solitary confinement where he alleged that he was daily exposed to mental torture.

The IPOB leader told the court that he has “credible and reliable sureties”, pledging that he would not commit any offence while on bail.

Besides, Kanu, argued that he has not been tried or convicted by any court of law in the country, contending that he was entitled to bail.

He further drew attention of the court to the fact that he was previously released on bail on health ground.

However, FG, urged the court to refuse the bail application, insisting that Kanu, having realized the gravity of the case against him, would run away from the country and not make himself available for trial.

Source: Vanguard

18/05/2022

2023 Presidency: No PDP Candidate Can Contest Against Me – Tinubu.

All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential aspirant, Senator Bola Tinubu has urged delegates of his party to give him the presidential ticket in the coming 2023 general elections assuring that there would be no contest between him and whoever emerges as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Senator Tinubu who spoke Tuesday while addressing delegates and stakeholders of the APC in Makurdi said he has the capacity and also well endowed to lead the country.

He stated that he was in the race to replicate what he did in Lagos state as Governor by building a united and prosperous Nigeria.

While rekindling the hope of Nigerians in the unity of the country, Senator Tinubu assured that his presidency would redirect the resources of the country and make it beneficial to every citizen.

He said: “I will bring the experience of my leadership in Lagos state as a Governor to bear on my leadership style in Nigeria when elected president of the country.

“And I guarantee you that I will run a transparent, open government as President. Nigeria is rich, what we need is to redirect our resources and channel them in the right direction.

“I urge you to give me the ticket because there will be no contest between me and whoever will emerge as candidate of the opposition PDP.”

Senator Tinubu urged Nigerian youths to entrust him with the leadership of the country assuring that he would meet their expectations.

Earlier, Senator Kashim Shetimma had recalled and extolled the leadership qualities of Senator JS Tarka who hailed from Benue state describing him as the leader and emancipator of the minority interest groups in Nigeria.

He said Senator Tinube possesses such leadership qualities describing him as the right person to take Nigeria to the promised land.

Source: Vanguard.

30/04/2022

Woman Madly In Love Shows Off Her Two Husbands

American woman named Kenya Stevens over the years has shared her polyamorous relationship on social media.

As of the latest she still very married to both her husbands and is also open to falling in love with others men as well.

She shared matching outfits photos with her two husbands she calls "Hubby 1" and "Hubby 2".

What’s going on here? In the beginning it was only Adam and Eve. 😕

Credit: Nation Scoops

22/04/2022

Mike Tyson Punches Passenger On US Plane.

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson repeatedly punched a passenger on a plane about to fly out of San Francisco after reportedly becoming irritated by the man’s attempts to talk to him.

Cell phone footage showed Tyson leaning over the back of his seat and delivering a flurry of blows to the man, who appeared to be left with bruises and some bleeding in the incident on Wednesday.

“Iron Mike” was initially friendly to the passenger and his friend when they boarded the flight but reacted after the man “wouldn’t stop provoking” him, the TMZ entertainment website said.

The man “kept trying to talk” to the 55-year-old fighter, it reported.

“Tyson had enough of the guy behind him talking in his ear… and told him to chill. When the guy didn’t, that’s when the witness says Tyson started to throw several punches at the man’s face.”

Tyson was reported to have walked off the plane before it took off for Florida.

US police, the JetBlue airline and Tyson’s representatives made no immediate comment on Thursday.

Considered one of the best heavyweights of all time, Tyson is also known for his erratic behavior — biting off a piece of Evander Holyfield’s ear in a 1997 bout — and brushes with the law, including a conviction for r**e and a co***ne addiction.

AFP

22/04/2022

Protesters Storm Jonathan's Office Ask Him To Join 2023 Presidential Race.

As Nigeria draws closer to its general elections, protesters on Friday, stormed the Abuja private office of Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, urging him to declare for 2023 presidential race.
The group made up of men, women and youngsters stormed the office with posters and leaflets demanding that the former President joins the race.

Some of the posters which bore Jonathan’s portraits read: “GoodLuck Jonathan,you must run” “We need you to restore Nigeria.”

The supporters argue that the former President has the template to restore Nigeria’s pride of place and give all Nigerians a sense of belonging.
A spokesman for the group, Mayor Samuel, who is also the convener of the Youth Compatriots of Nigeria said, “We were deceived and brainwashed by those who claimed they could do it in 2015.

“Now, we know better, under Jonathan the minimum wage could buy one or two bags of rice. What do we have today? We are begging President Jonathan to forgive us, we have realized our mistakes, we want him back to complete what he started.

Some groups had also called on Jonathan to contest. The Nigerian Young Professionals in Diaspora, NYPD, yesterday gave Jonathan one week ultimatum to declare for 2023 Presidential race or risked being sued.

The group which comprises of Young Professionals in Diaspora is made up of Nigerians from all over the Country who are based in different countries.

The convener of the group, Arc. Oladipo Akande in a press release made available to newsmen via email from Los Angeles, United States Of America stated that it was imperative for the former helmsman to throw his hat into the ring without further delay.

Source: Vanguard.

16/04/2022

In Retaliatory Sanctions, Russia Imposes Ban On Boris Johnson, Others.

Russia, as a response to London's sanctions, included key members of the British government and several politicians in the Russian "stop list".

In connection with the unprecedented hostile actions of the British government, expressed, in particular, in the imposition of sanctions against top officials of the Russian Federation, a decision was made to include key members of the British government and a number of political figures in the Russian "stop list".

This step was taken as a response to London's unbridled information and political campaign aimed at isolating Russia internationally, creating conditions for containing our country and strangling the domestic economy.

In essence, the British leadership is deliberately aggravating the situation around Ukraine, pumping the Kyiv regime with lethal weapons and coordinating similar efforts on the part of NATO. The instigation of London is also unacceptable, which is strongly pushing not only its Western allies, but also other countries to introduce large-scale anti-Russian sanctions, which, however, are senseless and counterproductive.

The Russophobic course of the British authorities, whose main task is to stir up a negative attitude towards our country, curtail bilateral ties in almost all areas, is detrimental to the well-being and interests of the inhabitants of Britain itself. Any sanctions attacks will inevitably hit their initiators and receive a decisive rebuff.

The following is a list of British subjects who are no longer allowed to enter the Russian Federation.

Boris JOHNSON (Alexander Boris de Pfeffel JOHNSON) - Prime Minister;

Dominic Rennie RAAB - Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Justice;

Elizabeth TRASS (Elizabeth Mary TRUSS) - Minister of Foreign Affairs;

Ben WALLACE - Secretary of Defense;

Grant SHAPPS - Minister of Transport;

Priti PATEL - Minister of the Interior;

Rishi SUNAK - Minister of Finance;

Kwasi KWARTENG - Minister of Entrepreneurship, Energy and Industrial Strategy;

Nadine Vanessa DORRIES - Minister of Digitalization, Culture, Media and Sports;

James HEAPPEY - Deputy Secretary of Defense;

Nicola Ferguson STURGEON - First Minister of Scotland;

Suella BRAVERMAN - Attorney General for England and Wales;

Theresa MAY is a Conservative MP and former British Prime Minister.

In the near future, this list will be expanded to include British politicians and parliamentarians who contribute to whipping up anti-Russian hysteria, pushing the “collective West” to use the language of threats in dialogue with Moscow, and shamelessly inciting the Kiev neo-Nazi regime.

16/04/2022

Governor Uzodinma’s Daughter, Oprah Marries Her Boyfriend, Henry Ohaeri.

Oprah Chioma Uzodimma, daughter of Imo State governor, Hope Uzodinma, has married her heartthrob, Henry Ohaeri, at the Federal Marriage Registry, Abuja on Thursday, 14th April, 2022, IGBERETV reports.

The mother of the bride and First Lady of Imo State, Mrs Chioma D. Uzodimma, shared photos from the event on her Instagram handle, on Friday.

She captioned the photos;

“Over the years, I have seen our beautiful daughter, Oprah Chioma Uzodimma and her heartthrob, Henry Ohaeri, allow love to evolve together into better people; individually and as a unit. So watching them confess their vows yesterday at the Federal Marriage Registry, Abuja made me exceptionally proud.

Love stories are beautiful, but to be privileged to witness the growth, sacrifices, and unification of that love between your family and another is a different joyous feeling you can never fully describe.

The Ohaeri and the Uzodimma families had a phenomenal time celebrating the court wedding of their children and we are optimistic that together, our new couple would weather any storm, no matter how high or low it may come.

Once again, on this joyous day, I congratulate our wonderful couple, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Ohaeri, and I pray the road ahead of them in their marriage journey will be successful, peaceful, and prosperous. Amen.

Chief Barr. (Mrs.) Chioma Uzodimma.
First Lady, Imo State, and Founder, GoodHope Flourish Foundation."

15/04/2022

Terrorists Attack Governor Soludo's Hometown, Isuofia, Anambra State.
Details Loading.

14/04/2022

Woman Didn't Know She Was Pregnant Until She Gave Birth In A Hospital Toilet And Almost Flushed Her Baby.

A woman didn't know she was pregnant until she saw a baby's hand inside the toilet bowl when she was about to flush after use.

Lalene Malik, 23, was rushed to A&E at Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, London, by her family after she complained of an excruciating stomach ache at home in Greenford, west London, on March 26.

The 23-year-old said she had been prescribed the contraceptive pill five months earlier and took two pregnancy tests in February 2022 and they came out negative.

So, she assumed the stomach pain was constipation.

She was rushed to the hospital when the pain became unbearable. While waiting to be attended to at the hospital, Lalene went to the hospital bathroom and her mother, Sumra, heard her crying in pain while using the toilet so she alerted doctors.

Just as Lalene was about to flush after using the toilet, she spotted a tiny arm in the toilet bowl.

She believes her baby may have been stuck in the toilet bowl for up to seven minutes before he was rescued by medics.

The new mother said: "I was gone. My mind was blank. I was put in another room because obviously I was crying and my mum was crying.

"It was a complete shock and a trauma for both of us and I felt that my life was in danger.

Doctors who retrieved the baby said he "looked lifeless" and was not breathing. But resuscitation efforts were successful.

Baby Mohammed Ibrahim was born full-term and is now healthy after he was given oxygen and monitored carefully by hospital staff.

Dr Ewa Grocholski, an A&E registrar at the London hospital, who helped save Ibrahim by giving him chest compressions after getting him out of the bowl, said it was the "most amazing experience" of her medical career.

She said: "Luckily we caught it in time. I've never seen (a baby be born) in such circumstances.

"I've seen young ladies like Lalene before coming to A&E not knowing they're pregnant and delivering in the A&E department, but it was always in a more safe place."

Around one in 2,500 pregnant women do not know they are pregnant until they give birth.

Ms Malik said her son is a "miracle" baby but accused her family doctor, at Elm Trees surgery in Greenford, of failing to carry out tests properly which could have revealed she was pregnant.

Around one in 2,500 pregnant women do not know they are pregnant until they give birth.

Ms Malik said her son is a "miracle" baby but accused her family doctor, at Elm Trees surgery in Greenford, of failing to carry out tests properly which could have revealed she was pregnant.

14/04/2022

Lady Allegedly Beheaded In Hotel Room In Delta State.

A lady identified as Adegor Rukevwe Sophia has reportedly been found dead in a hotel room in Delta state.

Sophia who was allegedly beheaded in a hotel room in Ozoro community of the state, is said to be a popular socialite in the student community.

Facebook user, Akpomedawaro Ike who penned down a tribute to her wrote;

Lord have mercy. A young lady was allegedly murdered in an Ozoro hotel and her head cut off. Said to be a socialite of the student community, she was identified simply as Late Miss Adegor Rukevwe Sophia.

May her soul Rest In Peace. Ozoro mourns.

12/04/2022

Rise up in self defence" - Governor Ortom charges Benue indigenes as Fulani herdsmen kill 23 in fresh attacks

A devastated Benue state Governor Samuel Ortom has again lamented over the gruesome murder of 23 persons in fresh attacks on two communities by marauding Fulani herdsmen.

LIB had reported that 12 persons including women and children were slaughterd by Fulani herdsmen in Tiortyu in Tarka local government area of the state on Monday night April 11. The death toll has so far since risen to 15.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Nathaniel Ikyur, in a statement on Tuesday, April 12, said no fewer than 8 other persons were mowed down same night by Fulani herdsmen who invaded Mbadwem in Guma local government area.

Scores of others were injured and are receiving treatment in unnamed hospital in the state.

Ortom who charged his people to rise up to defend themselves forthwith.
"It is becoming increasingly glaring everyday that my people are now an endangered specie and so we can no longer wait for help from anywhere. My people will have to rise up to the occasion to defend themselves and their heritage against the Fulani army of occupation," he said.

"We are law abiding citizens. We have cried for help against these invaders but nothing is forthcoming. We are left alone and it looks like it is a deliberate strategy. Now we have only one option; to defend ourselves or get extinct. This is a case for our survival.

"We have been accommodating of other people in our land but our hospitality is misconstrued as weakness. We are not a conquered people. We will never be. We are free born citizens of Nigeria”, the Governor declared.

Governor Ortom nevertheless enjoined security operatives to do more in crime prevention and protection of lives and property in the land just as he urged the people to cooperate with security agencies to flush out the undesirable elements in the society.

The state government, he said, will not shy away from its commitment to provide welfare and the security for the citizens.

Source: LIB

12/04/2022

Happy birthday to the Chairman of Cubana Group, Chief Obi Iyiegbu (Okpataozuora).

You are indeed a good man and we wish you long useful life ahead.

12/04/2022

Lagos Youth Kills Girlfriend, Sleeps With Co**se For Six Days.

A man, Ifeanyi Njoku, has been arrested for allegedly killing his girlfriend, Precious Okeke, 24, in an estate at Badore, in the Ajah area of Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the live-in lovers stayed on Oke Street, where Njoku allegedly killed his girlfriend for ritual purposes.

Our correspondent learnt that a native doctor, who was assisting the suspect, instructed him to have s*x with Okeke’s co**se.

Njoku was said to have engaged in the illicit act with the co**se for six days, as the stench emanating from his apartment prompted his neighbours to inform the management of the estate.

A source, Elizabeth John, said during a search of the apartment, Okeke’s decomposing co**se was found.

She said, “The boy killed his girlfriend about six days ago, and he confessed that he wanted to use the girl for money rituals. He said he was told that he should have s*x with his girlfriend’s co**se for seven days, but he was caught on the sixth day. Yesterday (Monday) was supposed to make it the seventh day.

“The smell of the co**se had been disturbing neighbours in the compound and other residents. So, they called the estate chairman to help in confirming what was going on in the apartment and while searching the apartment, they found the girl’s body.

“The boy was arrested and taken to the Lamgbasa Police Station and during interrogation, he confessed that he killed his girlfriend six days ago.

“We learnt that the boy offered N6m to kill the case; we also learnt that he brought the girlfriend from the village and they just moved into the estate.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident, adding that the deceased and the suspect were lovers.

He said, “Two suspects, Ifeanyi Njoku and Mbam Atunmufor, 36, have been arrested. They have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Yaba, for further investigation. Njoku was the one that rented the apartment.”

Source: Punch.

08/04/2022

Russia Attacks Kramatorsk Train Station In Ukraine, 39 People Killed.

At least 39 people, including four children, have been killed and nearly 100 wounded in a rocket attack on a railway station in Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials.

In an online post on Friday, Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko revised an earlier estimate of 30 killed and said many of the 87 wounded were in a serious condition. A Ukrainian intelligence official said four children were among those killed.

Ukrainian officials accused Russia over the attack, saying it took place as civilians were at the station in an attempt to evacuate to safer parts of the country. Russia, however, denied any involvement.

“Two rockets hit Kramatorsk railway station,” Ukrainian Railways said in a statement.

Oleksandr Kamyshin, head of the railway company, called it “a deliberate attack on the passenger infrastructure of the railway and the residents of Kramatorsk”.

AFP news agency said its journalists on the scene saw at least 20 bodies of people grouped and lying under plastic sheets next to the station. Blood was pooling on the ground and packed bags were strewn outside the building in the immediate aftermath of the attack, it reported.

The journalists said four cars next to the station had been destroyed and the remains of a large rocket with the words “for our children” in Russian were lying adjacent to the main building. Bodies were later seen being loaded onto a military truck.

“This is just an ordinary railway terminal … just an ordinary town in the east of Ukraine,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video address to the Finnish parliament.

"This is how Russia came to protect the Donbas, how they view the protection of the Russian-speaking population. And this is the 44th day of our reality,” he added, referring to the time that has passed since Russia launched its invasion on February 24.

Earlier on Friday, Kyrylenko had said thousands of people had been at the station at the time the rockets struck.

“The ‘Rashists’ [‘Russian fascists’] knew very well where they were aiming and what they wanted: They wanted to sow panic and fear, they wanted to take as many civilians as possible,” he said.

Kyrylenko published a photograph online showing several bodies on the ground beside piles of suitcases and other luggage. Armed police wearing flak jackets stood beside them. Another photo showed rescue services tackling what appeared to be a fire, with a pall of grey smoke rising into the air.

Russia has denied targeting civilians since invading Ukraine.

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