NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
Environment

CP orders investigation into Ebonyi ‘New Year’ fire incident

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By Douglas Okoro

The  Commissioner of Police (CP) in Ebonyi,  Mr Philip Maku, has ordered full investigation into the fire outbreak that left no fewer than five persons dead on Jan. 1, in the state.

Mrs Loveth Odah, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Ebonyi, said this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abakaliki.

She said that the CP was devastated by the tragic incident that left many dead, including a three-year old child.

“The commissioner of police,  has ordered discreet investigation into the incident to ascertain the actual cause of the fire outbreak.

“We do not really believe that someone can actually fire a cannon all in the name of celebrating the New Year because even during traditional burials,  we normally give approval before cannons can be fired .

“So, this time around, we were not aware that the man wanted to fire a cannon, it’s unusual and see what great disaster it has caused.

“The CP has therefore, directed that full scale investigation should be carried out to find out why such tragic incident should happen when people were celebrating the New Year,” she said.

The police spokesperson, however, said that the number of casualties from the incident had risen from one to five persons.

“Four additional deaths were recorded from among those rushed to the hospital for treatment while the other survivors are still receiving medical attention at the hospital,” Odah added.

Meanwhile, Dr Nelson Ogbaeja, an indigene of Akaeze and one of those involved in the rescue operation, told NAN that seven of the victims taken to hospital had died.

Ogbaeja added that one of the survivors was in a critical condition, having sustained first degree burns.

NAN recalls that the fire incident occured around 8 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 1,  in Mr Ogenyi Chukwu’s residence in Iyioji, Akaeze community.

The fire allegedly brokeout when a cannon ‘Nkpolali’ loaded with gun powder  in the house,  had contact with fire.

Chukwu said their children and 11 other relatives were seeing a movie  in the house when suddenly the cannon exploded and fire engulfed the entire house leading to pandemonium.

Reacting over the incident, Chairman, Ivo Local Government Area, Chief Onyebuchi Ogbadu, commiserated with families of the victims.

He said that the council would do everything within its powers to ensure that survivors were given the best medical attention.

Ogbadu described the incident as ‘tragic’ and prayed for the repose of the souls of those lost in the inferno. (NAN)

Environment

Kano SEMA supported 47,551 flood, fire disaster victims in 2020 — Chairman

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 The Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), says it distributed relief materials to 47,551 flood and fire disaster victims across the 44 Local Government Areas of the state in 2020.
SEMA Chairman, Mr Usman Aliyu-Jili, who stated this on Friday in Kano, while reviewing the agency’s activities for 2020, added that the agency distributed bags of cement, nails, roofing sheets, food items and clothing materials to the affected persons ”to mitigate their sufferings”.
He said that 34,180 households were affected by flood, 2,741 by fire outbreaks, while 10,630 farmers lost their farmlands to flooding, during the year under review.
 He added that the damage assessment exercise conducted by the agency showed that the houses were destroyed by rain and windstorm, while the flood submerged farmlands.
“About N2 billion worth of landed property and farm produce were destroyed by the flood disaster in the state,” Aliyu-Jili said, adding, ”We submitted the damage assessment report to the state government and requested for N1 billion fund to enable us render further assistance to the victims.”
According to him, the agency has set up emergency committees at the local government level to enhance its response services, in addition to 13 centres it established to take care of the elderly, homeless and the destitute.
He said the centres, sited at Bichi, Danbatta, Gaya, Wudil, Karaye, Tudunwada, Minjibir, Dorayi and Shahuci, were designed to provide shelter, feeding, clothing and rehabilitation to the affected persons.
Aliyu-Jili commended the state government for its support to the agency and urged wealthy individuals to  also support the centres, to further improve the wellbeing of victims. (NAN)
Environment

NiMet predicts 3-day sunshine, haziness from Jan. 2

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By Gabriel Agbeja

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and haziness from Saturday to Monday across the country.

NiMet’s weather outlook released on Friday in Abuja predicted sunny and hazy weather conditions over the Northern region and the North Central states throughout the forecast period on Saturday.

According to NiMet, sunny and hazy conditions are expected over the inland cities of the South throughout the forecast period.

It predicted the coastal region to be under partly cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine within the forecast period.

The agency envisaged sunny and hazy conditions over the Northern region throughout the forecast period on Sunday.

NiMet predicted North Central cities to be in sunny and hazy conditions within the forecast period.

It anticipated partly cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine over inland and coastal cities of South with prospects of few thunderstorms over coastal parts of Bayelsa, Delta and Cross River in the afternoon and evening hours.

“For Monday, sunny and hazy conditions are anticipated over the North and North Central regions during the forecast period.

“Partly cloudy condition with interval of sunshine is envisaged over the inland and coastal parts of the country throughout the forecast period,” the agency said. (NAN)

Environment

Several teens reported dead in carbon monoxide poisoning in Bosnia

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Several people died from apparent carbon-monoxide poisoning at New Year in western Bosnia, local media reported on Friday, citing confirmation from a prosecutor.

Details, including the exact number of victims, are expected to be announced once an investigation in the town Posusje is completed.

The Dnevni Avaz daily quotes local sources as saying that eight teenagers died.

According to the Klix.ba news site, the death toll is nine. All sources attribute the deaths to a faulty power generator.

It appears that the group gathered in a holiday house to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

Many people in the region are thought to have organised similar events in order to party under the coronavirus lockdown.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is not uncommon in the winter months in the Balkans and in Central and Eastern Europe.

The toxic gas can build up while burning wood, using gas heaters or running generators in confined spaces. (dpa/NAN)

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