NEMA Confirms 4 killed, 3 Injured In Latest Jos Bombings

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines Sunday, May 25th, 2014

The targeted view center

…As Lawmaker, others condemn blast

Agabus Pwanagba

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said the bomb that exploded some few minutes after 9pm at Bauchi road area of Jos North LGA, Plateau State on Saturday night killed 4 people including the suicide bomber and injured three others.

Speaking to journalists at the scene of the blast, the Principal Planning Officer, NEMA North Central Zone, Mohammed Suleiman, said ,”During our search and rescue, we discovered three bodies last night and this morning we discovered one more body, and three persons were injured.

“Two of the injured persons were taken to Al-Isan hospital in Anguwan Rogo and the other one is at Gambaji Hospital in Yan Shanu.

Reacting to the blast, Member representing Jos North-North Constituency in the Plateau State House of Assembly, Hon. Ibrahim Baba Hassan, said, “It is a very terrible situation, at times I lack words to express myself. It just happened 4 days ago at terminus market and now it has happened again in Bauchi road.

“We condemn this act, this is something we only watch on television and now we are seeing it even here in Jos North.

“All I’m calling on the youths, what I saw last night, I was impressed. They should come together and fight this thing, because this is a war as far as I’m concern.

“Predominantly the people staying here, I think 100% are even Muslims, and the target was the viewing centre not this house, so as you can see is a war on everybody.

“It is not the issue of religion, so let’s put sentiments aside, let’s come together and fight this thing.”

The targeted view center

The Lawmaker called on Presidency to leave up to its expectation of providing security for the citizenry and their property.

Also in his reaction at the scene of the blast, the Commissioner for Water Resources and Energy, Mallam Idi Waziri, “The most important thing is that we are collectively fighting this war, the war is not for the government alone, it is for everybody.

“This people leaving with us, they are within us and we must fish them out.

“Government cannot provide security to all households in Nigeria, everybody must be a partaker in ensuring that we fight this war. It is not the issue of religion or tribe, but is an issue that some people have made up their mind to kill their fellow human being and they want to continue.

“As far as some us are concern it is a deliberate attempt to frustrate governments efforts towards development. He stressed.

“Government will continue to call on citizens of Plateau State in particular to remain calm, resolute and firm towards ensuring that we fight this war so that we win the war and collectively we celebrate it, God’s willing.

African Examiner’s correspondent who visited the scene of the blast gathered that the suicide bomber who was targeting a viewing centre which has an estimated number of viewers of over 300 who were watching the UEFA champions league final, between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

Narrating the incident that led to the death of Alhaji Bello the owner of the house where the suicide bomber blew himself, the younger brother of the deceased, Garba Ahmed said, “Around 8:30pm I came into the compound of my elder brother and met him arguing with someone that he is not comfortable with the presence of the car there and asked the driver of the car to take it away from there. But the man refused.

“So he went into the house and instructed his wife and children to leave the house. After they have gone, he came back and called a neighbour, telling that he is suspecting the vehicle (Honda Odessey).

“We all insisted that he removes the vehicle but he refused, when we further insisted, he agreed that he will remove the car, so when he entered the car they further insisted that he must take the car away, then I had gone into the my own compound but I was hearing them.

“When started the car, the bomb exploded with him and my brother and his friend who had come to visit him were killed.

“It could have been worst if not that his family members had gone out.

Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the Plateau State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Alhassan Barde said, unidentified corpses of the Tuesday twin blast at Jos University Teaching Hospital and other hospitals in Jos would be give a mass burial on Monday.