CBN gas explosion: Police confirm 3 dead, 10 in critical condition

CBN gas explosion: Police confirm 3 dead, 10 in critical condition The Cross River Police Command has confirmed three persons dead and 10 in critical condition due to Friday’s gas cylinder explosion at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Calabar. Mr John Eluu, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), disclosed this on Saturday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). Eluu said 20 members of staff of the bank were injured in the explosion which occurred at about 11 a.m., while two others were in critical condition. As of yesterday, being Friday, 20 CBN staff members were injured and two were in critical condition immediately after the gas explosion. We have been monitoring the situation closely and I can confirm to you that three of the victims are dead, while 10 are in critical condition. Investigation is still ongoing to unravel the cause of the explosion.We will continue to monitor the victims as we pray for their survival and quick recovery’’, he said. The PPRO dismissed the rumour in some quarters that the explosion was a detonated bomb blast by Boko Haram insurgents. I wish to say categorically that the explosion was not a bomb blast by Boko Haram insurgents as it is being rumoured in some corners. Our men from the Explosive Ordinance Department were on ground at the scene of the accident. Their investigation shows that it was a gas cylinder explosion from one of the units in the building that caused the blast”, he explained.

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U.S. accuses Uganda of rights violations after presidential poll

U.S. accuses Uganda of rights violations after presidential poll Uganda has persistently violated the rights of its citizens and media in the aftermath of last month’s presidential election which saw President Yoweri Museveni retain power, the United States said. Reuters reports that the comments are the latest sign of deteriorating relations between Western powers and Uganda, an ally in the fight against Islamists in the region. U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby in a statement condemned Uganda’s repeated detention of opposition figures and harassment of their supporters. He said that the government’s interference in a challenge of the poll results is, “unacceptable activities in a free and democratic society”. The United States and Uganda have a long standing and strong partnership that has contributed to the stability and prosperity of the region. “We are concerned that the Ugandan government’s recent actions could endanger the economic and political progress that has enabled our relationship to grow,” the statement said. Reuters reports that Uganda’s electoral commission declared Museveni, 71, who has been in power since 1986, the winner of the Feb. 18 election with 60 per cent of the vote. Kizza Besigye, who came second with 35 per cent and rejected the results as fraudulent, has been under virtual house arrest for weeks. A second challenger, former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, has filed an official challenge to the results,” Reuters reports. Mbabazi said his lawyers’ offices were raided soon after filing the challenge. The government has denied any involvement. Museveni has endeared himself to the West by contributing thousands of troops to a peacekeeping mission in Somalia. He has also been credited with bringing relative peace and economic growth to Uganda, a prospective oil producer. But critics say Museveni has not done enough to raise more Ugandans out of poverty or address widespread corruption. Monitors from the European Union (EU) have criticised Uganda for creating an “intimidating atmosphere” around the vote and have said the electoral body lacked transparency and independence.

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U.S. doctor with Lassa fever moved to Atlanta from Togo

U.S. doctor with Lassa fever moved to Atlanta from Togo Lassa-feverAn American doctor with a suspected case of Lassa fever, working with missionaries in Togo, has been moved to an isolation ward at an Atlanta hospital on Friday, an official said. Lassa fever is a deadly hemorrhagic disease similar to Ebola. The patient, who has not been identified publicly, was being flown in a specially equipped aircraft from Togo and was expected to arrive at Emory University Hospital this weekend, officials said. The isolation ward is where Emory successfully treated four Ebola patients in 2014, said Dr Bruce Ribner, Director of Emory’s Serious Communicable Disease Unit. “The take-away from this for the public, is that there is absolutely no risk to anyone. We have shown that we can handle Ebola and this is a lot less communicable.” “Lassa fever has been endemic in Africa for many years, with up to 300,000 infections annually. “Only about 3 per cent presenting symptoms severe enough need hospitalization. “Of those hospitalized, about 20 per cent of the cases are fatal, compared with a 70 per cent rate for all patients who catch Ebola, which is transmitted through blood and bodily fluids. “With Lassa, most of the people who get it never even know it,” Ribner said. An outbreak of Lassa fever is now underway in Nigeria, according to the World Health Organisation, and it is starting to spread to nearby countries including Togo. According to a WHO statement, 159 suspected cases of Lassa fever and 82 deaths were reported between August 2015 and January 2016. “Some media reports have said as many as 101 people have died as of February. “Like Ebola, Lassa causes a severe fever with bleeding. It is most commonly transmitted to people from rodent excrement, and it can be transmitted from person to person by contact with blood or bodily fluids,” Ribner said. He said the hospital will take every precaution and that the public should not be alarmed. “You can’t catch it like you get the common cold. We can handle this,” he said.

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Celtic back on track after nervy win at Firhill

Celtic back on track after nervy win at Firhill Celtic survived a nervy finish as they ended a two-game winless run in the Scottish Premiership with a narrow 2-1 win over Partick Thistle at Firhill on Saturday. The home side were without a victory against Celtic since 1995 but they held out against the Hoops until the 45th minute when Leigh Griffiths sent a shot on the turn past Tomas Cerny for his 35th goal of the season. Celtic added another in the 54th minute when Callum McGregor fired home from a tight angle to put the Scottish champions on course for victory. However, Thistle set up a tense finale when Sean Welsh netted a 85th minute penalty after Steven Lawless had been fouled by Erik Sviatchenko as Thistle ended a six-game goalless run against Celtic. The win restores Celtic’s four-point advantage at the top of the table over Aberdeen, who take on Kilmarnock later on Saturday. “I thought we won in a good way. We had a lot of chances and could have killed the game a bit earlier,” Celtic manager Ronny Deila said. “I think the boys worked very hard, especially when we went 1-0 up and we played better and better.” Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald rued his side’s missed chances. “I was happy enough with the first half apart from the goal we lost,” Archibald said. “Before that we had a half chance ourselves then Kris Doolan had a chance and we saw the other night against Aberdeen that you need to take your chances.” At Firhill, Dedryck Boyata’s suspension meant Charlie Mulgrew moved into the centre of defence to partner Sviatchenko while Nir Bitton replaced the injured Stefan Johansen. Partick Thistle had suffered 22 consecutive defeats against Celtic so it was no surprise that the Hoops started the stronger of the two sides with Cerny diving low to stop a diving header from Griffiths early on. Gary Mackay-Steven then stabbed a cross from Kris Commons wide before McGregor dragged a shot wide from the edge of the box as Celtic looked for an early goal. However, it wasn’t all one-way traffic with Craig Gordon scrambling to keep a Liam Lindsay effort from 25 yards from sneaking into the top corner. The home side then had a great chance to end their goal drought against the Hoops when Doolan evaded a couple of challenges to break into the box but Gordon was quick off his line to block his shot. With the game heading to the break it was Celtic who made the vital breakthrough. Mackay-Steven swung the ball into the box from the by-line and Griffiths took a touch to control it before spinning round to lash the ball low past Cerny, who couldn’t keep it out despite getting a hand to it. Celtic only needed nine minutes of the second half to add another. Mackay-Steven was the architect again as he held up the ball before slotting it through for McGregor who evaded the challenge of Dan Seaborne and fired an angled shot past Cerny. A brilliant save by Cerny denied Celtic a third in the 73rd minute as McGregor sent Griffiths through on goal but his strike was blocked by the keeper’s leg before substitute Colin Kazim-Richards blasted the rebound wide. Thistle pulled one back from the penalty spot in the 85th minute. Sviatchenko’s tug on Lawless’ shirt saw referee Stephen Finnie point to the spot and Welsh sent Gordon the wrong way to reduce the deficit.

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TRUMP

CHAOS: TRUMP RALLY SHUT DOWN Thousands Of Protesters Swarm Chicago... 'Pushing And Shoving' Inside Rally... Thundering Cheers... 'We Stumped Trump!'... 'I've Never Seen Anything Like This'... 5 Arrests... 2 Officers Injured... Trumps Claims He Is A 'Unifier'... 'I Don't Incite Violence'... FLASHBACK: Offers To Pay Legal Fees Of Violent Supporters... Slams Protesters.

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