The relative peace enjoyed
by residents of Jos, Plateau State capital for some time was shattered,
yesterday, as two bomb explosions ripped through Terminus Market in the city,
killing no fewer than 118 persons and injuring several others . The Police, however,
said that 46 were killed while 45 others were injured.
The
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), described the casualty rate of the
blasts as catastrophic just as President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Jonah Jang
and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal condemned
it.
EXPLOSION—Firefighters
and rescuers extinguish a fire at the scene of the bomb blast at Terminus
Market in the central city of Jos, yesterday. Photo: AFP.
EXPLOSION—Firefighters
and rescuers extinguish a fire at the scene of the bomb blast at Terminus
Market in the central city of Jos, yesterday. Photo: AFP.
The
first explosion was said to have gone off in the market, located at Jos
Terminus, at the back of the popular Ahmadu Bello Way by 2.30pm, while the
second explosion occurred about 30 minutes later.
The
first blast, according to an eye witness, was said to have gone off in a Sienna
space bus with number plate Plateau XB 146 BLD.
The
second blast was said to have killed more people than the first, as many
residents and traders, who had fled the scene following the first explosion,
tried to join rescue agencies to save the injured and retrieve bodies of the
dead.
At
least five residents who were suspicious of a mysterious van parked in their
area reportedly informed police officers but no police officer arrived at the
scene, and nothing was done until the car exploded some hours afterwards.
Briefing
journalists in Jos, the State Commissioner of Police, Chris Olakpe said the
bodies have been deposited at the Plateau Specialists Hospital and the Bingham
University Teaching Hospital, all in Jos.
Olakpe
said: “At about 1500hrs, we heard an explosion but on getting there, a
secondary explosion occurred along the same axis. In a situation like this, we
don’t rule out high casualties but we are following up to check the Jos
University Teaching Hospital, JUTH and other places.
“Anyone
with information should come forward with such as it will help us in our
investigation”.
The
CP who was flanked by heads of other security outfits appealed to residents to
remain calm and steer clear of the scenes of the explosions as investigations
were still ongoing.
He
advised residents not to always rush to scenes of explosion as shrapnel could
add to the casualties.
Bombing
in Jos catastrophic —NEMA official
The
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has also declared that the casualty
rate after the twin bomb blasts could be best described as catastrophic.
“I
can’t tell you the figure of those killed by the blasts now, because we are
still evacuating bodies from the scene.
“The
only thing I can say is that the casualty figure is very massive. It is a
catastrophe,” Alhaji Abdulsalam Abubakar, the NEMA Coordinator (North-Central),
told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos.
Abubakar
said both explosives were loaded in parked cars.
Jos-Blast1
“The
bombers parked the cars and left the explosives to detonate. It was in the
market and at a peak period. So, you can only imagine what could have
happened,” he said.
He
said dead bodies and mutilated human parts were being deposited at the old and
new Jos University Teaching Hospitals, as well as the Plateau Special Hospital.
“There
are also a massive number of people injured. We have conveyed some to various
hospitals,” the NEMA official said.
He
said that an idea of the number of casualties was only possible after the
rescue operation.
“We
will have to first finish the operation and then visit the various hospitals.
For now, we are only picking dead bodies all over the place,” Abubakar said.
Mr
Chris Olakpe, Plateau’s Commissioner of Police, who also spoke to NAN,
confirmed that it was difficult to confirm the figure immediately.
“We
are still busy at the scene. We shall speak later,” he said.
An
eye-witness, Peter Amine, said: “We were inside the market when I heard a loud
explosion at about 3:28 p.m.
“Before
I knew what happened, a vehicle part landed just by my legs,” a visibly shaken
Amine told NAN. He said that a thick dark smoke engulfed the scene, thus
compounding the already chaotic situation as horror-stricken persons ran in all
directions.
However,
the State Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Olivia Dazyem appealed to “all
hospitals within the metropolis to accept those injured as the result of the
unfortunate incident for prompt treatment”.
She
added that though the details of the incident regarding “the extent of
casualties and damages were yet to be ascertained, government appeals to the
public to remain calm and law-abiding as security personnel are already
working”.
Jonathan
condemns Jos bomb blasts
In
his reaction, President Goodluck Jonathan strongly condemned the bomb blasts in
Jos, Plateau State. A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on
Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, yesterday, said the President described
the perpetrators of “this tragic assault on human freedom as cruel and evil”.
According
to Dr Abati, the President has directed all relevant agencies to mobilise
support and relief efforts in aid of the victims.
The
Presidential Spokesman said President Jonathan has also assured Nigerians that
government was fully committed to winning the war against terror, and “this
administration will not be cowed by the atrocities of enemies of human progress
and civilization”.
The
statement read: “President Jonathan has also expressed Nigeria’s deepest
appreciation to the international community on the success of the recent summit
in Paris on the security situation in Nigeria hosted by the President of
France, H.E. Francois Hollande.
“He
reaffirms Nigeria’s commitment to the implementation of the resolutions reached
by the summit, in addition to existing measures already being taken by the
administration to combat terrorism and ensure the safety of lives.
“President
Jonathan states that the Federal Government of Nigeria is prepared to
strengthen existing mechanisms to ensure the immediate implementation of the
resolutions of the summit.”
On
emergency relief assistance, the President said: “The intensification of
on-going relief assistance programmes by the National Emergency Management
Agency (NEMA)) in partnership with donor agencies, will ensure rapid deployment
of relief assistance to the affected local government areas and communities.
This will include provision of food supplies, medical supplies, basic relief
commodities, and conditional cash transfer programmes for affected households”
President
Jonathan also reiterated Nigeria’s determination “to ensure the safety and
security of schools in Borno and other parts of the country and also provide
counselling services to any affected students to enable them return to school
and continue with their academic work.”
On
the abducted Chibok school girls, Jonathan said: “The Federal Government will
rebuild the Chibok School and fortify security in schools. In collaboration
with the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Education, former British Prime
Minister Gordon Brown and the private sector, the government will launch the
“Safe Schools Initiative” which will address security issues; re-build the
destroyed schools; and provide equipment and materials”.
Masterminds
are agents of retrogression—Governor Jang
Governor
David Jang of Plateau State who also condemned the two blasts described the
attack as unfortunate and retrogressive.
The
governor, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media, Pam Ayuba, regretted
the renewed blasts, which reportedly hit the busy market area close to the
University of Jos Teaching Hospital and Railway intersection.
Although
the casualty figure was yet to be ascertained, Ayuba confirmed that scores had
been killed and injured by the twin blasts, which hit the city.
“It
is a renewed attack on Jos, the state capital and it means that security has to
be beefed up,” Ayuba said.
“It
is an unfortunate situation, which we condemn in its entirety because we do not
believe this type of barbaric thing should be happening at this stage of our
national development.
“We
have been doing our best to tighten security in the state and protect lives and
property,” he said.
While
sympathising with the families of those who lost their loved ones, the governor
said efforts were being made to secure the state for residents and visitors and
asked the residents not to despair.
According
to military sources, the two bombs were concealed inside a truck and a minibus.
The
spokesman for the military Joint Task Force, told newsmen that the first IED
(improvised explosive device) was in a truck while the second was in a minibus.
Officials
of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, reportedly had a tough time
getting into the area to evacuate both the dead and injured due to large
crowds.
The
blasts in Jos are coming barely three days after a suicide bomber hit the Sabon
Gari area of Kano on Sunday night, killing five persons.
Before
then, two blasts had hit Nyanya, a suburb of the FCT, killing no fewer than 100
persons and leaving scores of others disfigured.
President
Goodluck Jonathan has already ordered security agencies to urgently investigate
the Kano blasts and find the masterminds.
These
are happing at the time Nigeria and the world are united in the search for the
over 200 school girls abducted from the college at Chibok in Borno State on
April 14, 2014, the same day when the first blast hit Abuja.
Also
condemning the blast, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri
Tambuwal, described the attacks as acts of cowardice that have no place in
civilised societies.
In
a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam
Imam Imam, Tambuwal urged security agencies to redouble their efforts so as to
fish out perpetrators of the attacks. He equally appealed to members of the
public to provide the security agencies with useful information that will help
investigations.
He
urged Nigerians not to despair, saying the current security challenges
bedeviling the nation will soon be a thing of the past.
While
condoling with the families of those who have lost loved ones in the attack,
the Speaker prayed to almighty God to bless the injured with speedy recovery
