Explosion rocks office of CBN in Calabar

The office of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Calabar, capital of Cross River state, has been hit by by an explosion.

A witness who spoke with TheCable on phone described what he heard as “a deafening explosion”, saying it occurred “around 1pm”.

“I was part of a group of people that was about to make cash withdrawal at CBN building in Calabar this afternoon,” said the source, a banker who did not want to be named.

“Suddenly, there was an explosion within the CBN premises that caused heavy casualties. Ambulances were used to convey people to various hospitals.

“I was lucky to have escaped, and even luckier to discover that everyone in my group was safe and in good conditions of health. CBN immediately began to evacuate staff, just as corporate organisations in the area did.”

John Elu, police spokesman of Cross River, confirmed the incident but said no life was lost.

“The incident happened around 11:35am. It is believed to have been caused by a faulty fire cylinder,” he said.

“No death was recorded but 18 persons sustained injuries and they have been taken to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. Investigation is ongoing.”