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Thursday, 26 June 2014

Deadly Wednesday: Explosion rocks Lagos, Abuja, Adamawa; Massacre in Kaduna and Violent Clash in Borno

Yesterday is a day to remember by Nigerians.

Explosion in Lagos:

An eyewitness who identified himself as Musa Ali, told Vanguard that he narrowly escaped death when the explosion that claimed 4 lives occurred.

His words: “I am a truck conductor and my truck was on the queue. I was walking towards the Folawiyo junction when I heard the explosion and I thought it was an earthquake. When I looked up I saw a large ball of fire at the spot where I was to buy food and a woman in front of me was badly injured. Fire fighters quickly raced to the scene and after some minutes the fire was put off. When I went close I saw a deep hole at the point where the explosion occurred.”


Another eye witness said: “A car wired with a bomb device rammed under a trailer parked outside the tank farm which exploded at about 8.30pm. We were all scared when we heard the explosion and saw smoke everywhere. There was pandemonium as everyone started running helter-skelter and it was in the midst of this confusion that a man wearing a hijab ran into the compound to detonate another bomb. Apparently, the first bomb was meant to be a distraction.”

However, spokesperson of the Lagos state police command, Ngozi Braide confirmed the incident but stated emphatically that it was not a bomb explosion.

Bomb blast in Emab Plaza, Abuja:

A third deadly explosion in the Federal capital territory, Abuja yesterday, exploded at a shopping mall, EMAB Plaza, adjacent BANEX Plaza, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, at 3. 50 pm. It killed no fewer than 21 persons and injured 17 others. 

An eyewitness of yesterday’s bomb explosion which occurred in Abuja spoke to Vanguard. He identified himself as Jason Ikenna Nwamadi and works at Emab Plaza, located at Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse II, where the blast occurred.
Narrating his experience he said: “At about 4pm yesterday, I was in my office which is located at the first floor when I heard the sound of a huge explosion. The effect of the explosion shook the entire building and everybody began to run helter-skelter.
“I ran with others towards the back of the plaza because the explosion occurred in front of the gate. We jumped the fence at the back of the premises with some women who were also running for their dear lives.
“After I jumped the fence, I ran through another path to get to the front of the plaza where the explosion occurred.
The spot where the bomb exploded was like a taxi park. It is usually a very busy place and the blast occurred at the busiest hour of the day.
“I saw people burning. One of those on fire was Christopher by name. He was burning on top of the bonnet of his Toyota Camry Car. He was eventually burnt beyond recognition. He was the driver to my boss Peter Akande. I don’t know where he has been taken to.
Most of those affected were hawkers of banana, groundnut and maize. Women and their children were also among the victims. Drivers of taxi cabs and passengers were also among those killed or injured.
At least 40 people lost their lives in the blast. Human parts littered the scene.
Soldiers kill suspected Abuja bomber, defuse another bomb
A middle aged man suspected to be the arrow-head of yesterday’s bomb blast at Emab Plaza, was killed by soldiers who arrived the scene of the blast about 25 minutes after being alerted of the development.
The timely intervention of the security men who were alerted by some traders that saw the bomber, saved another bomb that would have exploded after the first one at Emab Plaza.
The second bomb, according to eye witnesses, was planted at Banez Plaza, and was to be detonated shortly after the first one.
Besides the second bomb, the suspect, according to the sources, had another Improvised Explosive Device ,IED, inside a blue-coloured bag strapped to his back and was about detonating it through a remote controlled device when he was noticed and shot by the soldiers.

These horrible events happened same day with another bomb blast in a busy market in Adamawa, a massacre in Kaduna claiming about 123 lives and a clash in Borno that left 16 soldiers and scores of insurgents dead.

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