Survivors of yesterday’s bomb blast at a branch of a first generation bank in Azare town, Bauchi State have revealed that a female suicide bomber, dressed in long flowing garments, who had queued up with them while they were waiting to make cash withdrawals from the bank, allegedly detonated the bomb which killed about 20 people and injured over 37 people, mainly civil servants.
The bank building where the bomb explosion occurred had all its glass windows shattered just as all banks in the town suspended operations and hurriedly closed following the incident.
According to witnesses and survivors, the bomb explosion occurred at about 10am yesterday, while they were in the bank premises. Two women were said to be among those who died.
A resident of Azare town who craved anonymity, said most of the victims were civil servants from within Azare and others from Shira and Giade, who were in the bank to withdraw their salaries.
A staff of the bank who spoke to LEADERSHIP Weekend on condition of anonymity, said the female suicide bomber joined other unsuspecting customers on the queue and it was while she was in their midst that the bomb exploded. He said he counted 20 dead bodies, including that of the bomber; whose body he said was divided into two.
According to him, the suicide bomber’s head was found across the road, near a suya spot.
He also disclosed that among those who died was a student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, who was in the bank to make withdrawals.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP Weekend from his bed at the Federal Medical Centre, Azare, a student of the College of Education Azare, Sunday Samaila, said he was at the bank to withdraw money from the bank’s ATM when the explosion occurred.
“I was in the bank to make withdrawals when the blast occurred. We were on the queue waiting to withdraw money from the ATM, when the attack occurred. I just heard a loud sound of an explosion but did not know precisely what happened. I had not even made the withdrawal,” he said.
A driver from Dambam, Abdullahi Suleiman, 25, also told LEADERSHIP Weekend that he had gone to the bank to withdraw cash from the ATM when the explosion occurred.
“I came to the bank to withdraw money and then joined the queue with others standing by the ATM in front of the bank. Minutes after I joined the queue, I heard a loud explosion and there was commotion and confusion everywhere. I was flung by the force of the blast and landed heavily against a wall. I saw blood all over my body; I was confused and did not know what to do until help came and we were evacuated to the hospital here,” he narrated.
He lamented that despite the hardship Nigerians especially those in the northern part of the country were going through as a result of insecurity, there appeared to be no end in sight as the government seemed to be overwhelmed.
“I went to the bank in company of my cousin to withdraw money and when we got there, there was a long queue of customers waiting to carryout transactions. I was given number 200 and as we were waiting, the explosion suddenly occurred,” another survivor, Kabiru Aminu, told LEADERSHIP Weekend.
Meanwhile, the chief medical director of the hospital, Dr. Abdullahi Ibrahim, told LEADERSHIP Weekend at the hospital that 14 dead bodies and 37 injured persons were brought to the hospital, including a little girl of about two-years-old who was also injured.
He said 16 of the victims were still on admission while others with more severe injuries had been referred to Malam Aminu Kano University Teaching Hospital.
Confirming the incident yesterday, spokesman of the state police command, DSP Haruna Mohammed, however said only seven persons died while another 10 were injured in the attack.
He further stated that four suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident and they were assisting the police with useful information that could aid arrest.
According to Mohammed, “on 7/11/2014 at about 10:05hrs,there was a bomb explosion suspected to be carried out by a female suicide bomber at First Bank premises in Azare Town, Bauchi State.
“So far, seven persons have been confirmed dead while 10 others who sustained various degrees of injury have been taken to Federal Medical Center, Azare, for medical attention, out of which five were treated and discharged.”
Mohammed added that the entire surrounding areas had been cordoned off and swept by the police explosive ordinance disposal unit.
Meanwhile, residents of the bubbly town were in a sober mood yesterday, just as commercial activities were at low ebb when our correspondent visited some popular business spots in the town.
Three Generals escaped death in Hong attack
Three Generals in the Nigerian Army escaped death by the whiskers yesterday when gunmen who reportedly invaded Gashala village in Hong local government, Adamawa State, and specifically sought to kill them failed to meet them in their respective homes.
Gashala village is the home town of Air vice Marshal Steven Yaduma (Rtd), Major General Zakariya Yaduma and General Samuel Dzarma.
A resident of the village said when the gunmen entered the village, they demanded from residents, the residents of the three Generals in the village but sensing danger, the residents declined knowledge of the generals’ residents, claiming that they were also visitors in the village.
“Four gunmen came to the village on two motorcycles on Thursday and immediately demanded to know the residents of the three generals in the town but sensing danger, the residents declined, saying they were strangers,” the source said.
Having failed in their mission, the gunmen reportedly went on rampage and set the residence of the EYN Church pastor of the village ablaze and shot dead a retired engineer forcing residents to flee into nearby bushes.
“Out of fear for our dear lives, we slept in the bush and are
constantly in trepidation as we fear that the insurgents may yet launch another attack on us as they said they would stage a comeback,” another resident disclosed.
The residents said the gunmen warned that anyone who is not ready to accept Islam should leave the village as the area is under their jurisdiction.
Strategies Against Insurgency Not Working- Tuggar
Meanwhile, an All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Bauchi State, Yusuf MaitamaTuggar has implored the federal government and security agencies in the country to overhaul the security strategy they have been using in battling the Boko Haram sect, saying they strategies are not working.
In a statement he issued condoling the families of those who lost their lives in yesterday’s bomb attack in Azare town, Bauchi State by the insurgents, Tuggar prayed God for the recovery of those injured in what he described as a “senseless attack”.
Calling for an overhaul the country’s security apparatus, the governorship aspirant said, “I call on the authorities to come to the assistance of the good citizens of Azare and others contending with insecurity and threat to lives and property in North Eastern Nigeria.
“There is a need to re-examine the strategies being employed to fight this ongoing insurgency as they are clearly not working. We must not be forgotten or abandoned”.
Condemning the bombings in Bauchi, he said, “It is with a heavy heart and deep sorrow, that I learnt of the setting off of yet another incendiary device, this time in Azare town, Bauchi State. From all indications, this heinous act was meant to cause maximum casualty, as the explosion took place in front of First Bank Plc., a day after salaries had been paid and at a time when hundreds of people were queuing up in front of an ATM to withdraw funds.
“The people of Azare are courageous people, as they demonstrated in December 2012 when citizens of the town worked with security agencies and drove out armed bandits menacing communities in the area. I am confident their spirit shall never be broken and they will continue to stand up for what is right” he said.
Iwuayanwu sends SOS to retired Igbo security personnel on Insurgency
Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board Of Trustees chairman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuayanwu has urged the apex socio-cultural organisation in the south east, Ohaneze Ndigbo to summon their retired senior security personnel to a crucial meeting to avert the creeping of insurgency to the zone.
Iwuayanwu who addressed journalists yesterday in Owerri, the Imo State capital, said his fear stemmed from the fact that the Boko Haram sect daily claimed some towns and villages in the northern part of the country, stressing that if adequate measures are not taken, the sect may delve into other zones.
“The way I see this thing, I don’t think they will stop at one zone, they may gradually creep into other zones. The south east should be wary so that they would not be taken unawares,” Iwuayanwu said.
The PDP chieftain who expressed his fears that the country may disintegrate if the political tension brewing as the general election closes in is not controlled, appealed to other zones in the country to allow the south south complete their eight years tenure in the presidency while the north, he added, should take their turn after the south south.
“I appeal to other zones in the country to allow the south south complete their eight years in the presidency after which the north should follow. I will join in the campaign for the presidency to go to the north, Ndigbo would take their turn after the north,” Iwuayanwu stated.
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