The police authorities said the explosion which occurred at No.32 Ogbomosho Street, off Katsina Road, Ori-Akpata, at about 9:30 a.m. had resulted from a gas cylinder, but eyewitnesses categorically stated that the explosion occurred when two men riding on a motorbike tossed a bomb into the area. The spot is close to old Scala Cinema, Kaduna, which now houses spare part shops in the area mostly inhabited by non northerners. No one has claimed responsibility for it.
When the news of the explosion filtered around Kaduna, many parents rushed to the schools in the area to pick their children and wards, while armed soldiers, police and plain-clothed security agents cordoned off the area. Fire fighters from the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) tried to end the massive fire, which consumed many shops around the scene of the explosion.
After the explosion, there were gory images of dead and injured persons, body parts and pools of blood, with one human head found lying separately. Officials assembled and packaged the human parts in polythene bags.
BLAST—Scenes of the Kaduna explosion yesterday. Photos: Olu Ajayi
The explosion also forcefully dismantled and dispersed various components of car engines from the scene into an open field in front of the old cinema house.
The Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Ballah Magaji Nasarawa, told newsmen at the scene: “It is a very sad incident and as at now we are still working and fire is raging, and if you observe this is where they sell batteries, acid and gas and we are suspecting it is within and not saboteurs.”
When he was asked about the two men who allegedly arrived on a motorcycle and hurled the explosives, he said, “that is not true.”
On casualties, Mr. Nasarawa said that he counted six bodies but cautioned that the final tally may be higher “until after investigations.”
The commander of the anti-bomb unit who was at the scene, Asst. Superintendent of Police, Patrick David, said that the blast was a “mechanical explosion” from reactive chemicals he claimed were pressured in a can containing compressed acid used by battery sellers in the market.
While not admitting that it was a bomb, ASP Patrick likened the explosion to a Boko Haram attack in Suleija which also claimed several lives earlier this year.
An eye witness, Yahaya Maiyaki Danasabe (31), who claimed to have witnessed the incident from a distance as he was just entering the street from the western side said: “There were two men on a motorcycle. They must have been coming from Saduna crescent and heading somewhere. The one at the back was carrying something like a carton. As they reached these shops, I don’t know what happened but there was a bright light followed by an explosion. I ducked on the ground. The bike was on fire. One of the boys was sliced into pieces, while the other had his head blown off.
Arms and body parts were blown far away. As I was running to the scene, I heard about four more explosions then I ran back and then the building collapsed and fire started”, he said. About six shops collapsed At the back of the shops were about 12 living quarters with a common courtyard and one entrance.
The living areas also came down and went up in flames with people trapped inside, as at the time of filing this report.
Fabian Uguchukwu (32) owned one of the affected shops. He spoke to newsman in tears.
“It was around 9 this morning. It was not long that I opened the shop. We sell motor spare parts and car batteries. Three boys were working on my Lister Generator. They are of 16, 17 and 22 years of age. I saw two boys on a motorcycle. They were carrying something in between them. When they reached our shops, they stopped as if to adjust the thing. The next thing I heard was a loud explosion. The ground shook. I can’t tell you how I escaped. It is only God. The three boys were killed because the generator also exploded and the building came down on them. Oh God!”, he cried.
Emmanuel Eburo (27) also owned one of the shops. He narrated his experience to the Press thus:
“I saw two men on bike. When they reached these shops it was like someone called out to them. And they stopped. They were carrying something in a box, or something like that. Then I heard the explosion. I was saved by the miracle of God. Our generators also exploded, bringing down the shops.
Right now, some of my friends are still trapped in that flame. I have never experienced this in my life. I don’t believe that we are under any attack, because I have been living here since I was a kid and I have never witnessed this kind of problem. It was like they were heading somewhere”, he said.
However, the Kaduna State Police Spokesman. DSP Aminu Lawal, fielding questions from reporters at the scene of the incident, said: “It is too early to conclude that it was bomb that exploded. Our anti-bomb squad are already here and working. I believe that by tomorrow they should tell us the cause of the explosion. But, remember that in these shops they sell incendiary materials and chemicals that can explode. We must not rule that out please”.
Around 11am; five charred human remains were recovered and put in a pick-up van belonging to the Federal Road Safety Corps with Number plate FRSC, RS 906 – Ao1. The bodies were later taken to the mortuary.
The Public Relations officer of Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency, Abubakar Zakari spoke to Vanguard on phone and confirmed that the death toll around 2pm yesterday was 8.
“We took 8 corpses to the Barau Dikko Hospital mortuary. One was the corpse of a Muslim boy of 3. His parents have taken him away for burial. So we have 7 left. The number of those injured are six. And one of them is in very, very critical condition”, he said.
Thousands of onlookers spilled on to the streets. Some climbed high-rise buildings, some climbed trees, while others were on roof tops to catch a glimpse of the rescue operation. Around 10am, the Police and FRSC cordoned off the area. The army later arrived in three trucks. The police and the Army then started chasing the crowd away. Newsmen were also sent away, but later allowed back after they staged a protest. The soldiers in an attempt to drive away the crowd started firing into the air which caused pandemonium and people started throwing stones at the soldiers and the police.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment