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Police confirm 18 injured in gas explosion in Port Harcourt

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River State Police Command has said that 18 persons were severely injured in a gas explosion which occurred in Oroazi community in Port Harcourt.

The incident occurred in Sunday evening at a gas refilling shop, causing significant damage to nearby buildings.

The latest explosion follows a series of gas and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) incidents recorded in the state since 2024.

SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the command’s spokesperson, confirmed the incident during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday.

According to her, yes, I can confirm that the explosion was caused by a welder repairing a refrigerator.

‘’The technician was using a gas cylinder to weld while simultaneously trying to refill gas on the refrigerator which led to the explosion.

“No fewer than 18 persons, including the technician, sustained injuries but fortunately, no lives were lost,” she added.

Iringe-Koko stated that those injured suffered varying degrees of burns and were promptly evacuated to the hospital where they are receiving treatment.

She also confirmed that the police have launched a full investigation into the incident and would share their findings with the public.

An eyewitness, identified as Tamuno, described the incident as devastating, noting that the victims included a pregnant woman, four children, and a couple.

“The explosion triggered a chain reaction with other gas cylinders in the shop also exploding.

“Most of the victims were residents and passers-by who unfortunately happened to be near the shop at the time,” he said.

He added that many of the victims were rushed to the Rivers State Teaching Hospital in Port Harcourt and expressed hope for their survival. (NAN)

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Kaduna State to hold education summit – Commissioner

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Kaduna State Government will convene an Education Summit as part of its strategy to bring about transformative change in the education sector, which will be anchored on four strategic pillars.

The Commissioner for Education, Professor Muhammad Sani Bello, who disclosed this while inaugurating the steering committee, further said that the event will be titled KADA EDUPACT International Summit 2025″.

According to him, one of the pillars is the Policy/Governance/Innovative Education Financing Pillar.

The Commissioner also listed the Access and Retention, Credible Learning Outcomes From Quality Inputs Pillars, as well as the Technology and Innovation pillars.

Prof Bello argued that the main objective of the summit is “to forge an Educational Pact between the government and the people, establishing commitment to shared model for education delivery, measurable outcomes and clearly defined negotiables.”

He further said that experts will make motivating presentations, adding that the Summit will provide opportunity for robust discussions on local and international investments in education, policy-making as well as technological innovations for improved teaching and learning.

The Commissioner also assured that a comprehensive education development roadmap for Kaduna State would fashioned out during the summit.

He said that the Director General of Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority, Professor Usman Abubakar Zaria, will coordinate the activities of the steering committee, whose membership cuts across relevant Ministries Department and Agencies.

Sub-committees to handle various aspects of the summit were announced immediately after the steering committee was inaugurated.

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Police Bust Human Trafficking Ring In Oyo, Rescue 84 Victims

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The Oyo State Police Command has uncovered a human trafficking ring in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

In a major operation, the police rescued 83 individuals and a child from a house in the Orogun area of the city, where they had allegedly been held for an undisclosed period.

Preliminary reports suggest that the victims, believed to be nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo, were lured to Nigeria under the pretence of being offered employment opportunities.

There are also claims that the perpetrators extorted significant sums of money, reportedly in dollars, from the victims’ parents and relatives as part of the elaborate scheme.

The rescued individuals are currently at the Police Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, where authorities are conducting further investigations to ascertain the full details of the case.

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Pope Francis Laid To Rest In Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica

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Pope Francis was buried inside his favourite Rome church after a funeral mass in St Peter’s Square, the Vatican said on Saturday.

Francis, who died on Monday aged 88, was laid to rest during a 30-minute ceremony which started at 1:00 pm (1100 GMT) at the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in the Italian capital.

Footage shared by the Holy See showed cardinals marking his wooden and zinc coffin with red wax seals.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who as camerlengo is running the Vatican’s day-to-day affairs until a new pope is elected, sprinkled it with holy water after it was lowered into a tomb set inside an alcove.

A reproduction of the pectoral cross worn by Francis during his lifetime hung above it.

Francis had asked that the tomb, located near the altar of Saint Francis, be simple and unadorned, reflecting the humble spirit of his papacy.

The tombstone bears only the inscription “Franciscus” — the pope’s name in Latin.

Its marble is sourced from Liguria, the northwestern Italian region once home to the Argentine pontiff’s Italian ancestors.

Francis, born Jorge Bergoglio, had specified in his will the exact spot he wanted to be buried, in the side nave of the beloved fifth-century AD church.

The pontiff was devoted to the worship of the Virgin Mary and made a point of praying in Santa Maria Maggiore before leaving on trips abroad and upon his return to Rome.

Located in the heart of Rome, the basilica already holds the tombs of seven popes.

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