Mr Liu Kan, the Consul-General of the Consulate General of People’s Republic of China in Lagos, on Thursday expressed his country’s growing interest in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

Liu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that China would also depend on Nigeria to satisfy the demand of her increasing population for crude oil and gas.

“China is the most populous nation in the world and her demand for oil and gas is increasing by the day.

“Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa and ranks the 11th largest in the world.

“China will, therefore, continue to value her good relations with Nigeria in areas of oil and Gas.

“We see a great potential in our cooperation with Nigeria in areas of oil and gas in the future,’’ he said.

Liu said that China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec) and China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) were already doing well in Nigeria’s oil sector.

The consul-general also said that many more Chinese oil companies had indicated interest in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

The envoy expressed optimism that the cooperation between both countries would continue to be on a win-win basis.

Liu appealed to the Nigeria Government to create enabling environment for cooperation between the two countries to continue to thrive. (NAN)

An ECOWAS health official, Dr Mariane Ngoulla, said on Wednesday that contracting the Ebola Virus could be avoided once people abstained from touching the body fluids of an infected person.

Ngoulla, who is the ECOWAS Health Advisor for the Malaria Elimination Campaign, based in Nigeria, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dakar, Senegal.

She said that people could contact the virus if they touched the body fluid of a dead person but could prevent the spread of the virus if they improved their personal hygiene by constant washing of the hands with soap and running water, among other things.

“Ebola is actually quite hard to contact; so we should know that it is not something that is spread in the air; it comes when you get in close contact with the body fluid of an infected person.

“So, if you don’t touch the body fluids you can’t contact Ebola and this is the message; so to prevent it is as simple as don’t touch an infected person and, therefore, the body of an infected person.

“Use hygiene; wash the hands as frequently as possible under running water with soap and of course when you see somebody who is not feeling fine, encourage the person to go to the health system where they are equipped to take care of him.

“In case it is Ebola, the sooner the person goes, the better it is; but the most important thing is that we have to stop the transmission of the virus.“

She said that avoiding contact with uncooked bush meat and the fluid of infected meat could increase the chances of containing the spread of the virus.

“For now, the transmission is human-to-human; it started maybe more likely from the bush animal to a human being; but the way is being spread now is more from human to human.

“While we avoid uncooked bush meat and the manipulation of dead bush meat, we should also know that right now it’s one way – contact between human beings. So, it’s important to avoid it.

A statue of Satan standing proud with a huge erection has been swiftly taken down by city officials in East Vancouver.

The nine foot underworld ruler mysteriously appeared on Tuesday morning.

It was on display near the Clark Drive SkyTrain station – raising hell with shocked commuters.

But it didn’t last long, and was removed hours later.

The small square where the devil appeared was originally home to a statue of Christopher Columbus, but that has since been moved to Hastings Park, report CTV News.

 Rizwan Naseer, Pakistani Rescue official, said on Wednesday in Islamabad that the death toll from a week of flooding in Pakistan has risen to 250.

He said the authorities rushed to evacuate nearly 1 million people from the southern province of Sindh.

Naseer said more than 24 people died when the roof of a mosque collapsed on worshippers overnight in the eastern city of Lahore.

The National Disaster Management Authority said mudslides and flooding killed around 250 in the central province of Punjab and parts of the Kashmir region divided between Pakistan and India.

The agency spokesman, Ahmed Kamal, said two eastern rivers were still in high flood.

He said the Chenab and Jhelum rivers have breached their banks and inundated more than 350,000 acres (142,000 hectares) of cropland in Punjab.

“Flooding has destroyed cotton, sugarcane and rice crops,’’ he said.

Shahbaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister, said authorities on Wednesday used explosives to divert River Chenab away from entering the southern city of Jhang.

Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, said thousands of troops and rescue workers were evacuating nearly 1 million people in Sindh province, as floods headed towards the region.

He said military helicopters and rescue boats were taking part in the evacuation operation.

Television footage showed people standing on overloaded boats taking them to safety, leaving their houses and cattle behind in flooded villages.

 President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday directed the immediate removal of the “#BringBackJonathan 2015” signs and banners around Abuja.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, said in a statement in Abuja that the signs were offensive and repugnant to Jonathan and many Nigerians.

The statement said: “Jonathan wholly shares the widely expressed view that the signs, which were put up without his knowledge or approval, are a highly insensitive parody of the #BringBackOurGirls hash tag.

“Jonathan appreciates the enthusiastic show of support for his administration by a broad range of stakeholders.

“But he condemns the #BringBackJonathan 2015 signs which appear to make light of the very serious national and global concern for the abducted Chibok girls.

“The president assures all Nigerians and the international community that his administration remained fully engaged with efforts to rescue the abducted girls.

“He will not knowingly promote any actions that will fly in the face of the seriousness of their plight and the anguish of their families.”

Adamawa Acting Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri on Tuesday commended officers and men of the Nigerian Army for their effort in containing insurgency in the state.

Fintiri lauded armed forces when he visited Lt. Col. Adeboye Obasanjo, who was recuperating from injuries at the Federal Medical Centre, Yola.

Obasanjo sustained injuries in a battle to repel insurgents in Bazza town of Michika Local Government Area of the state.

Fintiri was received at the hospital by the Chief Medical Director, Dr Aliyu Danburam, who said younger Obasanjo was recuperating and in stable condition.

Meanwhile, transport fare has sky rocketed following mass movement of people from the northern part of the state to other parts as a result of threats from the insurgents.

Our correspondent reports that transport fare from Mubi to Yola has risen by 400 per cent.

“We used to pay N1,000 from Mubi, but today I paid N5,000,” said Aliyu Buba, a student from Mubi. (NAN)

Global Commission on Drug Policy on Tuesday in New York, at its annual meeting, called for a fundamental change of global drug policies and decriminalisation of drug use.

Members of the commission are drawn from political leaders, including, former Brazilian president Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo, former Colombian president Cesar Gaviria, former Swiss president Ruth Dreifuss.

The group also includes former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and Richard Branson, Founder, Virgin Group.

The commission called for a complete overhaul of the global drug prohibition regime and focus on the promotion of the health and welfare of people instead of continuing to criminalise drug use.

It agreed that there must be an immediate end to punitive enforcement of drug policies, including jail time for non-violent, low-level users and producers of drugs.

It therefore recommended the redirecting resources to prevention and treatment of substance use.

It noted that repressive drug policies have lead to corruption and violence.

The group called on countries for outright legalisation of certain drugs such as cannabis, coca leaf and some other psychoactive substances.

Annan said at the occasion that the facts has spoken for themselves, and now is time for immediate change.

He said there was the need for drug policies informed by evidence of what actually works, rather than policies that criminalise drug use while failing to provide access to effective prevention or treatment.

Annan said such policies have led not only to overcrowded jails but also to severe health and social problems.

He said the report of the meeting was coming two years ahead of the next UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs, set for 2016.

Annan said at the session will enable world leaders decide on new global drug control policies.

A beggar, Gboyega Dauda, who allegedly attempted to kidnap a toddler, Ismail Abdullahi, was on Tuesday, charged before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

Dauda, 31, of no fixed address is standing trial on a one-count charge of attempted kidnap.

The Prosecutor, CPL. Koti Aondohemba, told the court that the offence was committed on Sept. 8, at about 4 p.m., at No. 15, Idita St., Elegbata, Lagos Island.

Aondohemba alleged that the accused attempted to run away with the toddler, but was caught.

“But as he crossed the road, some passers-by who noticed the strange movement of the accused quickly apprehended him before he could abscond with the boy,’’ the prosecutor said.

Aondohemba said that the offence contravened Section 404(2) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Dauda, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge levelled against him.

The Magistrate, Mr M.L. Owolabi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till Oct. 10, for report on legal advice. (NAN)