Explosion rocks CBN office in Calabar

Eighteen persons have been injured, while two others are on critical condition, after a gas cylinder exploded in the Central Bank of Nigeria’s office in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

The explosion, which happened at about 11am on Friday, shattered the CBN banking hall and caused traffic jam on roads around the bank between 11am and 2pm as security operatives assisted officials of the state Fire Service in bringing the situation under control.

Thousands of passersby and commuters had scampered for safety after the explosion, concluding it was a bomb blast.

But the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Henry Fadairo, said that the explosion was caused by gas cylinders in the CBN office.

He said, “The team of expert handling the situation confirmed to me that 18 persons were injured while two others are said to be in a critical situation.

“The explosion was caused by gas cylinders in the CBN. It is not a bomb blast as it is already being speculated in some corners.

“The police in company of the Navy, Army, FRSC and the Civil Defence were on ground to help the state Fire Service to bring the situation under control.

“We also assisted the medical team to convey the victims to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital where they are currently being attended to.”

An eye witness, Mr Ndubuisi Okeke, said the explosion happened around 11am.

Ndubuisi, however, said that the sound of the explosion was too heavy, adding that it caused panic within the area.

“The explosion occurred around 11am this morning. The explosion was too heavy to behold. I am afraid that explosion would claim the lives of CBN staff because it was too heavy,” he said.

A nurse attached to the state fire service, who preferred not to be named, said that she prayed for the victims not to die because some of them were badly injured.

“While we were trying to convey the victims to the bus, some of them were bleeding badly. I am praying that most of them do not die because the explosion really affected them,” she said.

The CBN office is currently under tight security with armed policemen, while normal vehicular movement has been restored..

At the gate of the bank, relatives of staff were seen crying. They demanded to see their relatives working in the bank.

When approached, an official of the bank declined comment, saying, “We are traumatised right now. No one can talk.”

The Acting Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone Six, Calabar, Mr. Baba-Adisa Bolanta, who also inspected the scene, said the explosion was suspected to be from the gas in the central air-conditioning unit.

“This is just an initial assessment, and it is not confirmed yet. It is when a final result has been given that we will confirm what really happened,” he said.

Also, the Director-General of State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. John Inaku, described the disaster as unfortunate.

He appealed to the public to remain calm as relevant security agencies were on top of the situation.

Inaku also visited the Navy Hospital and University of Calabar Teaching Hospital to visit the injured persons.

Explosion rocks CBN office in Calabar

Explosion rocks Zomi-Zomi in Benin City

Explosion on Tuesday rocked about five residential buildings on Zomi-Zomi Street at the Upper Sakponba axis of Benin City the capital of Edo State.

Although no live was lost in the incident, which occurred in the afternoon, some occupants of the buildings sustained minor injuries.

The explosion, however, shattered part of the front perimeter fence, aluminum roofing sheets and bore hole rubber tanks.

In the premises of the buildings, papers were littered around.

A team from the anti-bomb squad swiftly deployed to the area which was subsequently cordoned off.

The Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Stanley Osifo, confirmed the incident to Channel Television in a phone call.

He said it was an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that had gone off.

Mr Osifo explained that the occupants of the building, where the IED went off, had been taken in for further questioning

He also said the police have commenced profiling of the residents of the area, as he believes that will assist the police with more facts about the incident.

Explosion rocks Zomi-Zomi in Benin City

Nnewi fire disaster: Relatives search bushes for bodies of victims

Nnewi (Anambra) – Relatives of victims of Nnewi gas explosion, yesterday, combed bushes near the gas plant for corpses of missing family members, even as the Anambra Fire Service has eventually succeeded in putting out the fire.

Some of them told Vanguard that they decided to search the bush because they got information that many people ran into it during the explosion.

A middle aged woman, Amaka said she is still in shock after the incident. According to her, “I cannot just believe that my maid who was sent to refill gas at the factory is gone for ever.

“I am in deep trouble, what will I tell the family of the girl, I just brought her from the village last three months with the promise that I would help sponsor her education, I have gone to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital(NAUTH) Nnewi mortuary where the corpses are deposited but my maid is not there. Will I just go and tell the parents that their daughter is dead without the corpse,” she queried.

Also, a staff of Chikason Group, who spoke on condition of anonymity said workers  of the organisation recently concluded a two-week fasting and prayer session after a prophet allegedly warned the Chairman of the group of the impending doom.

He however stated that the prophet did not specify which of the factories  in the group would be affected, a situation that made many members of staff to participate in the prayer sessions.

 “I don’t know why all these bad things are happening. Our Chairman is a very good man who is passionate about the welfare of the downtrodden even at great personal cost. Last time two of his fully-loaded trucks just disappeared. The vehicles were carrying items running into millions of naira. That one is yet to be resolved and now this fire disaster,” he said

 The Chikason  staff however, did not mention the name of the prophet .

Meanwhile, the traditional ruler of Nnewi, Igwe Kenneth Orizu in company of his council of titled Chiefs visited the scene of the fire incident yesterday. Spokesman for the royal father and former Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party PDP Anambra state, Chief Dan Ulasi told newsmen that Nnewi has never experienced such a level of devastation in its entire history.

He pointed out that the Igwe and his cabinet  had also visited the injured in different hospitals in Nnewi.

 The monarch expressed shock that an industrial town like Nnewi does not have a functional Fire Service Station, urging the government to address the anomaly.

 A member of House of Representatives for Nnewi North, Nnewi South and Ekwusigo  Federal Constituency Hon Chris Azubogu who also visited the scene of the explosion noted that the accident has cast a big shadow on Christmas celebrations in the town.

 Hon.Azubogu prayed for the repose of the souls of the victims, as well as, prayed for  the quick recovery of those in the hospitals.

The lawmaker said that the accident has made it incumbent on the government to enforce safety standards, stressing the need for regulatory bodies like Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and similar agencies to ensure that environmental impact assessments are properly carried out before giving licenses to people to set up filling stations.

Nnewi fire disaster: Relatives search bushes for bodies of victims

Xmas tragedy: 4 killed, 4 injured as Chikason gas plant explodes

ONITSHA—The industrial town of Nnewi, Anambra State was thrown into mourning yesterday as an industrial Gas plant suddenly exploded killing four persons and injuring four others.

The explosion occurred at the Inter Corp Oil limited (LPG Gas Plant) a member of Chikason Group at about 11 am.

According to an eye-witness, the fire incident started when a truck was trying to discharge its contents without waiting for the mandatory cooling time. It was gathered that the tanker was discharging at a time when customers were said to be refilling their gas cylinders.

The source stated that all the customers who went to the gas plant to get a refill were allegedly burnt to ashes while some of the victims who were in the neighborhood and passers-by also got caught in the inferno. It was gathered that the rescue workers had difficulty in gaining access into the factory where majority of the victims were trapped.

The charred bodies of the victims and other badly affected burnt persons in the vicinity of the gas plant were taken to Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital, NAUTH, Nnewi.

All efforts made to alert the Anambra state fire service of the fire incident did not succeed until damage had been done but a fire officer, Mrs Mary Ofia defended the fire service personnel in Nnewi when she claimed that the Nnewi fire truck was vandalized by angry mob when they went for an operation at Nkpor.

Apart from lives lost to the inferno, many buildings and over fifty vehicles around the gas plant were equally affected.

In his account, one of the survivors, Ikechukwu said: “My mother was preparing pepper we wanted to use to cook tomorrow after she returned from the market, the next thing we heard was the explosion that rocked the entire vicinity.

“I ran for my life and escaped with minor injury but my mother was not lucky. She was not as fast as myself and when the fire subsided a little bit, the next thing I saw was her dead body. Look at the chicken we planned to kill tomorrow for Christmas. A similar thing happened at another residence where a woman and her daughter were lucky to remain alive after suffering some degrees of burn”.

The Vice chairman of Anambra state Red Cross, Prof Peter Katchy who headed a team of Red Cross rescue operations, said that he was extremely worried about the presence of many filling stations in residential areas in the state.

He pointed out that the situation would have been worse if the affected gas plant was situated in thickly populated areas, pointing out that the Red Cross and the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA would declare war on owners of filling stations sited at residential areas in the new year.

Xmas tragedy: 4 killed, 4 injured as Chikason gas plant explodes

Explosion rocks Lagos, four injured

South West Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, confrimed that there was an explosion inside a locked beer parlour that is yet to open today at L&K Street, Oworonsoki, inward Mayaki, Lagos State.

He said four people including a girl were injured and had been rushed to Afolabi Hospital for treatment.

“Fire service and police are trying to find out the cause of the explosion as the shop was locked at the time of explosion.

“Crowd are greatly impeding emergency works.

“We call on the crowd to leave the area entirely. The explosion partly affected a building next to the beer parlour. The partly affected collapsed building do not pose any danger to the people, ” he said.

Details later. . .

Explosion rocks Lagos, four injured

16 dead in Yobe multiple blasts

Sixteen people have died and 10 others injured in multiple explosions on Wednesday morning in Damaturu, Yobe State capital.

Executive Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Musa Idi, confirmed the story to newsmen in Damaturu on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the explosions took place around Ministry of Housing quarters and Buhari Housing Estate in Damaturu.

NAN reports that normalcy had returned to the state capital as schools opened, while workers and other residents had resumed their normal business.

16 dead in Yobe multiple blasts

Photos: Faces of Boko Haram members behind Abuja explosions

Following last Friday’s multiple suicide bombings in Nyanya and Kuje areas of Abuja, which left 18 people dead and 45 injured, Boko Haram militants, claiming loyalty to Islamic State (Isis), in a statement, yesterday on Twitter, said they were behind the bombings.

Recall that sometime in March 2015, Boko Haram renamed itself Islamic State’s West Africa Province (Iswap). The leader of Isis, a militant group that controls parts of Syria and Iraq, however accepted the pledge of allegiance from Boko Haram, in May 2015.

Eventhough, the authenticity of the statement, which issued under the name Iswap, could not be verified, the group released the photos of three male suicide bombers who it said were behind Friday’s deadly attacks.

See photos:

Boko Haram claims this is one of the suicide bombers behind Abuja explosions on Friday, October 2, 2015.

Boko Haram claims this is one of the suicide bombers behind Abuja explosions on Friday, October 2, 2015.

Boko Haram claims this is one of the suicide bombers behind Abuja explosions on Friday, October 2, 2015.

Boko Haram claims this is one of the suicide bombers behind Abuja explosions on Friday, October 2, 2015.

Photos: Faces of Boko Haram members behind Abuja explosions

Security agents to look beyond Boko Haram in Abuja, Kuje"s explosion

Security agaents may be looking beyond the Boko Haram sect in their investigation into weekend’s explosions in Kuje and Nyanya in Abuja, The Nation learnt yesterday.

Victims of Nyanya and Kuje bomb blast in Abuja

“It may be an opportunistic crime by people with other motives. Boko Haram is not ruled out but nothing is also ruled out. It’s investigation that can determine the true situation and the investigation is in full swing,” a security source said.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal and Chief of Staff to the President Abba Kyari led the government team to the explosion site on Saturday.

Yesterday, security agents were still combing the Kuje site for evidence. The place remained cordoned off.  No activities were allowed. Residents and pedestrians were still shocked. No fewer than 20 people died from the explosions. The 41 injured are being treated in hospitals.

Vehicles coming into the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were being thoroughly searched.  Security operatives at checkpoints within the city especially those along the Airport road

At the Giri junction through to the Airport Express way, there was traffic hold up as a resut of the search.

Vehicles spent close to 45 minutes to pass thorough the military checkpoint.

Churches within the city and the satellite towns yesterday strengthened security.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) also suggested that security should not limit the investigation to Boko Haram.

In a statement yesterday, NLC President Ayuba Wabba said: “Our security agencies should not limit their intelligence or investigation to Boko Haram as there have also been recent reports that some militant groups in the Niger Delta region planned to resume violent attacks against Nigerians and the Nigerian State as a corporate entity.”

The statement added: “The attacks may have been a devious façade to rubbish the victories of our national army and other security agencies in the battle to rid our country of terrorism and all its residues before the global community. They want the world to believe our country is not safe.

“For us at the Nigeria Labour Congress, we believe this latest attacks should not weaken the morale of the forces involved in the battle against terrorism in our country, rather it should reinvigorate their fighting spirit and be seen by government as a challenge to arm our forces with more sophisticated and superior weapons both for intelligence gathering and combat.

“Beyond these, we urge our government to order the immediate reinvestigation, arrest and prosecution of all those previously indicted of sponsoring terror gangs, especially Boko Haram and other such violent groups in any part of the country.

“The freedom of those who sponsor deadly violence put the entire country seated on timed bombs that can explode at will. No matter how highly placed, whoever have been indicted should immediately be apprehended and reinvestigated now.

“We urge all Nigerians to see the battle against terrorism as our collective battle and therefore every resident must make information about suspicious movements or behaviours in and around them available to relevant security agencies who must act on such information in our collective national interests.

“We condole with the families of all the victims of these attacks and urge government to ensure provision of the best medical attention and treatment for the injured.”

To the NLC, bombings “obviously by decimated terrorists” are  a call for communal vigilance by all residents. “It  has become obvious that since the massive pounding of the sanctuaries of the terrorists, fragments of the terror cliques may have organised smaller cells in communities hitherto thought not to be vulnerable.

“These latest attacks are particularly dangerous as they were carried out at night and in locations where late purchases are made. One of the locations, Kuje, is on the route to our major international airport,” the NLC said.

Security agents to look beyond Boko Haram in Abuja, Kuje"s explosion

Breaking: Unconfirmed scores dead as bomb explode in Yobe Mosque

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News

A bomb has exploded at an unknown mosque in Yobe state on Friday.

The bomb went off killing unconfirmed number of worshipers at the Eid praying ground in Damaturu.

The details of the attack is still very sketchy.

Details to follow

 

 

Breaking: Unconfirmed scores dead as bomb explode in Yobe Mosque

Political violence in Rivers: Explosion rocks APC secretariat

1

Political violence raged in parts of the country on Sunday with an explosion rocking the All Progressives Congress secretariat in Abam Ama, Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The bombed All Progressives Congress secretariat in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State… on Sunday

Just as the news of the explosion hit Port Harcourt, another round of violence was recorded in Rumueme, Obio/Akpor LGA where four APC members were machetted by persons believed to be political thugs.

The Rivers incidents came less than 24 hours after two campaign buses   of President Goodluck were set ablaze by some youths at the Mangu Street junction in the Jos North LGA of Plateau State.

The PUNCH learnt that unidentified persons threw dynamite into   the three-storey APC secretariat at about 3.14am which caused extensive damage to the ground floor.

The APC Chairman in the LGA, Mr. Christian Asifamak, who narrated the incident,   said that   his office was the worst hit as the entire wall was pulled down by the impact of the explosion.

“In the early hours of   Sunday, some unknown group of persons threw dynamite into our party secretariat, he explained, lamenting that the   attack was   “a deliberate provocation by our opponents, the Peoples Democratic Party, to draw the APC into a battle that could destabilise our LGA.”

He warned that   “the APC in Okrika would not allow Okrika to become a hotbed of crises as the PDP would wish.”

Asifamak claimed that   the PDP had resorted to violence because of its rejection by the Okrika for failing to bring     development to their LGA.

He added, “Till now the East-West Road through which we access our community has been left abandoned by a PDP-led Federal Government while Governor Chibuike Amaechi who is not an Okrika man built a ring road in Okrika and also rebuilt the portion of the federal road that links the LGA to the Port Harcourt refinery.

“We however wish to warn our brothers in the PDP to remember that the land of Okrika has been known to defend itself and its people against aggression and that any Okrika person who brings crisis to the land answers for it.”

Also, the governorship candidate of the APC in the state, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, who was in the community to assess the extent of the damage,   expressed worry that the PDP   and its supporters had initiated a pattern of attacks on the people of the state.

He said, “The Police and other security agencies should tackle the excesses of the opposition party. This development is very sad and it is unfortunate that some persons in the society have decided to choose this path.

“If you have noticed, there has been a pattern of violence lately. On   January 6, when we had our presidential rally at the Adokiye Amesiemeka Stadium, you would have noted that some of our people who were coming from Abonnema, Degema and Asari-Toru axis were attacked around Sa-Ama junction.

“The persons who were coming from Kaani and Gokana were attacked around Saakpenwa junction. Some other groups who were coming for the same rally were attacked around Elele. All fingers point to the other political party, the PDP.

“We have raised these issues with the Commissioner of Police; we have raised it with the security agencies. Not much has been done after then. Aside from that, you must also have observed a trend. A few days ago, they were in Abonnema to campaign; a faction of PDP fought with another faction of the PDP and two persons were confirmed dead.”

When contacted, the   state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, said   the police were already investigating the   explosion.

“The command is aware of the incident (in Okrika). Information at my disposal is sketchy. However, investigation has commenced,” Ahmad said.

In Rumueme,   three out of the four injured APC members were rushed to the Kesley Harrison Hospital in Port Harcourt for treatment.

The APC leader in Obio/Akpor LGA and a House of Representatives candidate, Chief Tony Okocha,   said that a Warri chief   who was in Rumueme for the   APC rally on Sunday,   was machetted several times.

Okocha, who   personally drove the three injured person to the hospital, lamented that the whereabouts of the chief was unknown.

He warned   in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents that members of the APC were almost exhausting their patience over the continued attack on them by persons believed to be PDP thugs.

Okocha urged the state Police command to invite the leaders of the political parties to a meeting and warn them against violence.

NAIJA CENTER NEWS reported on Sunday that the PDP had promised retarliation on their continuous destruction of campaign materials and two honorables of the PDP were reportedly shot dead by alleged APC thugs

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Viewed 1 times
Political violence in Rivers: Explosion rocks APC secretariat

Breaking: Explosion rocks Yobe school; 13 people fear dead

At least 13 dead in NE Nigeria school blast, rescue worker said at an explosion that ripped through a school in northeast Nigeria on Monday, as students gathered for morning assembly before classes began, a teacher and a medic told AFP.

The blast happened at the Government Comprehensive Senior Science Secondary School in Potiskum, Yobe state, as students waited to hear the principal’s daily address.

“The students had gathered for the morning assembly when something exploded in their midst with a thunderous sound‎ at exactly 7:50 am (0650 GMT),” said one teacher, who asked not to be identified.

“The explosion has affected many students but I can’t say how many because we are now evacuating the victims to the hospital which is just 100 metres (yards) away,” the teacher added, sobbing.

A medic at the Potiskum General Hospital where the victims were taken said scores of students had been admitted.

“We are still receiving casualties from the school which is a stone’s throw from here,” the medic said.

“Our priority now is to save the injured, so we have not started a headcount of the victims.”

A local resident, Adamu Alkassim, said there was confusion in and around the school but the scene was a mass of abandoned footwear and blood.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but Boko Haram militants are likely to be the prime suspects.

The group, which wants to create a hardline Islamic state in northern Nigerian, has previously carried out deadly attacks on schools teaching a so-called Western curriculum since 2009.

In February, gunmen killed at least 40 students when they opened fire on students and threw explosives into the dormitory of a government boarding school in Buni Yadi, also in Yobe state.

In July last year 42 students were killed when Boko Haram gunmen attacked dormitories with guns and explosives in a government boarding school in the village of Mamudo, near Potiskum.

Potiskum, the commercial hub of Yobe state, has been repeatedly targeted by deadly attacks blamed on Boko Haram.

Just last week, at least 15 people were killed in a suicide bomb attack targeting a Shia religious ceremony in the city.

Yobe is one of three northeastern states that has been under a state of emergency since May last year to try to quell the bloody insurgency.

But violence has continued unabated and Boko Haram has seized at least two dozen towns and villages in recent months, raising fears of the government’s ability to control the region.

Viewed 1 times
Breaking: Explosion rocks Yobe school; 13 people fear dead

Democracy day: Explosion causes panic in Abuja

By Ehi Ekhator, Naija Center News

There was an explosion in Kurudu community, an outskirt of Abuja on Thursday morning, official confirmed.

Kurudu is a few kilometres from Nyanya, where bomb explosions about a month ago killed about 100 people.

The cause of the explosion which was initially not clear was said to have been either caused by a bomb or dynamites used in blasting rock, a resident alleged.

The explosion, due to the impression created by double blast in Nyanya park, caused a panic in the community as residents were running for safety.

An army officer in Kurudu Estate said the soldiers locked the gate, prevented anyone from going out after hearing the explosion.

But the spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Olajide Olaleye has confirmed to the media that the explosion was a controlled blast.

The spokesperson said a rock that had been blocking a new road under construction from Karishi to Apo was blasted with dynamite to free the road in order to allow continuation of the construction.

He added “The situation is under control,” the spokesperson said, advising residents to be calm.

Democracy day: Explosion causes panic in Abuja

Explosition in Port Harcourt: 10 fear dead

PORT HARCOURT – ABOUT ten persons were feared dead in the early hours of yesterday in a petrol fire explosion at a creek close to the NNPC jetty in Okrika, headquarters of Okrika local government area in Rivers state.

Chairman of the local government, Mr Tamuno Williams who spoke to newsmen  said scores of persons were also rushed to  undisclosed hospitals for various degree of burns.

He further blamed the  ugly development on illegal siphoning of crude oil from NNPC facilities in the area by illegal oil bunkers.

Continuing, the Chairman of the council, Mr Williams said it would be difficult to tie a figure to the number of casualties because of the terrain.

While appealing to the NNPC to protect its facilities in the area from attack by vandals the Chairman  said the government had continued to put measures in place to discourage acts of illegal bunkering in the area.

“The number of casualties cannot be properly ascertained for now due to the nature of the terrain where the incident happened and the level of security within and around the NNPC Jetty.

“The fire incident is as a result of oil thieves who were siphoning oil from NNPC pipelines”.

“I am speaking from the gate of the NNPC and I have been advised to come on Monday when the officials of the NNPC who are in-charge here will be on ground. The number of casualties cannot be properly ascertained as I speak due to the nature of the terrain, within and around the jetty”.

“Those who survived were said to have  been severely burnt. A lot of things are shrouded in secrecy. We have seen the fire but the NNPC have not given us permission to go in and verify the enormity of the damage. The security there is intensive, yet no NNPC staff wants to speak with us.”

“Since they are not ready to go, we chose to go there ourselves. There are, indeed, casualties but the number of casualties we cannot really confirm. We have been to the creek and we saw the pipelines connections.”

“From what we saw, there is negligence on the part of the NNPC in the maintenance of their equipment. There equipment and pipes are in a state of disrepair.

NNPC should take time to invest in the maintenance of their equipment.”, the local government chairman regretted.

Community sources said the incident happened at about 1am yesterday.  The sources who also blamed some officials of the NNPC for the ugly incident said some persons had allegedly come to lift crude from the facility, adding that as soon as they left some youths also allegedly went in fly boats to help themselves.

Vanguard gathered that the crude burst into flames killing some persons because  of an alleged spark on an engine in one of the flyboats used by the oil thieves. ” The engine of the fly boat was not covered so there was a spark that resulted in the fire. You know crude is highly inflammable”,  a source said.

The sources said some persons  may have been burnt to death in the sea, adding that government should investigate staff of NNPC and security men deployed to protect oil facilities in the area.

When contacted, the state Police command confirmed the fire incident, saying that it could have been cursed by the activities of oil thieves.

No official of NNPC in the media department at the Port Harcourt refinery was ready to comment on the development when contacted via mobile phone.

 

Explosition in Port Harcourt: 10 fear dead

Breaking: Explosion rocks Abuja bus Park

Bomb blast , Monday, rocks crowded bus station near Abuja the capital city of Nigeria, official said .

Explosion in Abuja

A loud blast rocked a bus station packed with commuters heading to the capital Abuja on Monday, with many people feared injured, the rescue agency spokesman told AFP.

“This morning there was an explosion at the Nyanya Motor Park,” Manzo Ezekiel of the National Emergency Management Agency said. “Rescue teams are already on ground. There were so many people there at that time, so we think there must have been some injuries,” he added. The cause of the blast was not yet known.

More details soon

 

Breaking: Explosion rocks Abuja bus Park

Explosion: Military arrest maiduguri mastermind, 30 others

A KEY suspect in the twin-bomb explosions in Maiduguri was arrested yesterday by the military after a massive combing of the city.

Boko Haram attack

He was said to be one of those who generated the explosives which killed more than 50 people in the troubled Borno State capital.

A probe of the Maiduguri incident was on yesterday in Abuja, forcing top military leaders to hold a long review session.

A source in the military admitted that some of those injured in Saturday’s explosions had died, leading to the rise in the death toll.

The troops and Boko Haram were locked in more encounters in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states since. Friday. The battle in Mainok is described as fierce.

Following the encounters, 30 other Boko Haram members were picked up in Adamawa and Yobe states and taken into custody for interrogation.

The Nigerian Air Force continued aerial attacks yesterday, targeting Boko Haram bases and hideouts.

A military source, who spoke in confidence on the Maiduguri explosions, said: “A suspect believed to be one of those who generated the explosions has been arrested and taken into custody for interrogation.

“He was picked up from his temporary hideout from where he had planned to run away from Maiduguri.

“The probe of the blast is ongoing; we are trying to study and analyse how they penetrated the tight security in Maiduguri with a van conveying firewood. We have also beefed up security to prevent a reoccurrence.”

The source said the success of recent air raids accounted for the reprisals by Boko Haram.

“Due to persistent air strikes, these insurgents were dislodged from their bases and cells or camps. In frustration, they sneaked into Maiduguri to wreak havoc.”

Asked of the update on those killed, the source admitted a rise in the death toll.

“The death toll must certainly be from those wounded,” the source added.

“Some of these fighters were also picked up in border towns and villages in their attempts to escape to their camps in Cameroon.

“We have found on them fighting weapons; they are undergoing intense grilling in some designated centres.

“Some of them were behind recent attacks on villages and towns in Adamawa and Yobe states.”

Yesterday, the Air Force continued its air strikes of identified camps and bases of Boko Haram.

Defence Headquarters spokesman Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade said: “Somebody was arrested in connection with Saturday’s explosions in Maiduguri. Investigation is in progress.” (0)

Explosion: Military arrest maiduguri mastermind, 30 others