A
powerful explosion that rocked a popular bus stop on Junction Road, Kaduna, on
Sunday, left about 36 people dead. Most of the victims were okada riders and
petty traders doing business near the Ahmadu Bello Stadium roundabout.
Although the police were yet to come out with an official figure
of the casualties, spokesman for the Kaduna State Emergency Agency (SEMA),
Abubakar Aza told newsmen that charred bodies of over 36 persons had since been
evacuated from the scene of the explosion while several others with varying
degrees of injury were taken to nearby hospitals.
The explosion, eyewitnesses said, occurred at about 9.00 a.m.
while Christian worshippers were in churches around the area. But as soon as
people started running for dear life, traffic along the ever busy Junction Road
that links the northern part of the city with the southern part was paralysed
and worshippers abandoned church services in multitudes.
An eyewitness, Mr Nwachukwu, who was on his way to church, said as
he was waiting for a bus with other commuters near the Sardauna Crescent, he
saw a man wearing combat shorts coming out from a Honda car but within the
twinkle of an eye, the man could not be seen as a powerful explosion rocked the
area.
The suicide bomber was roasted in the explosion as he tried to
flee, while his car that was carrying the explosive devices was shattered
leaving only the damaged engine by the roadside.
Pandemonium ensued in the area as the powerful explosion, which
was heard seven kilometres away, also affected buildings along Junction Road.
These included the Marhaba Hotel, Pejay Hotel, the FirstBank and residential
buildings.
Although no group or individual has so far claimed responsibility
for the explosion, security agents were of the belief that the suicide bomber
might have been heading towards the southern part of the state capital before
the incident occurred. The explosion was described as the worst that had ever
happened in Kaduna.
According
to Malam Zakari, who was mourning the death of a friend, “bodies of victims
blown into pieces littered the streets around the scene of the explosion,
including tea vendors, a bean cake seller, a fruit seller and a local woman
selling akara. Their wares were seen at the scene of the explosion. The bomb
went off instantly killing the bombers and over 20 commercial motorcyclists.
“The car carrying the explosive device was a 2003 Honda End Of
Discussion with registration number BB111DKA.The injured persons were taken to
St. Gerald’s Catholic Hospital, Barau Dikko Hospital, Rakiya Hospital and 44
Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna. Red Cross staff had collected five dead
bodies and were treating 15 who were seriously injured. There would probably be
more casualties because police and other emergency workers also collected
bodies.
“The blast shattered windows of nearby churches and business
premises. Many vehicles were also destroyed. It was a big bomb because it
created a huge hole in the ground,” he narrated.
The Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, Mohammed Jinjiri
Abubakar, said intelligence report received said two suspected vehicles heading
towards the Kakuri / Sabon Tasha axis exploded while on transit.
“The two vehicles were pursued by Detective Corporal Francis
Marcus, and then suddenly one of the vehicles hit the other, thereby causing a
serious bomb explosion between the two vehicles on Junction Road by Sardauna
Crescent in Kaduna. The bomb explosion was massive which resulted in the death
of the suicide bomber and five persons with 16 people who were passers-by,
injured.
“Police and other security agencies are investigating the issue
and final report will soon be made public.
“I want to appeal to the people of the state to remain calm and to
go about their lawful business and to report any suspicious movement to
security agents for further investigation and action,” he said.
According to two survivors receiving treatment at Saint Gerald
Hospital, “we were both riding on top of a motorcycle, when suddenly the
vehicle in front of us exploded. There was a thick smoke and the motorcycle
rider died instantly.
“The car just exploded in front of us; we were just lucky to
escape with body and limb injuries, because we were riding in between the
moving suicide car and a CRV that was completely destroyed by the bombers. But
the okada rider was not that lucky. The car was said to be speeding to its
targeted destination before it accidentally exploded at the 'T' junction and
left a big hole in the middle of the road.”
The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency
(NEMA), Alhaji Sani Sidi, in an interview at the scene of the blast, told
newsmen that even though NEMA was yet to ascertain the exact figures of the
casualties, the agency would foot the medical bill of all those receiving
treatment in hospitals.
He said NEMA was taking body-bags to hospitals and would come up
with an official figure of casualties.
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