SUICIDE BOMBING: Shops Shut In Kaduna

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Following reprisal attack in the wake of the bombing of Saint Rita Catholic Church, Anguar Yero, Malahi, Kaduna, Kaduna State, northcentral Nigeria on Sunday, traders shut their shops this morning.

When P.M.NEWS correspondent went round the Kaduna metropolis Monday, all business premises along the ever-busy Amadu Bello Way, Kaduna were shut.

The streets were deserted as most workers and students of Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna State University and other schools within the metropolis shunned work and school.

According to an Igbo trader, Okpala Chuks, “we cannot afford to risk our lives and lose our property as well as wealth this time. So, we decided to close our shops and stay outside to monitor the situation.

“The last time a bomb went off at Shallom church, Kaduna, we were caught unawares when we opened our shops after the state government lifted the curfew. We (traders) met yesterday and agreed not to open our shops until further notice.”

P.M.NEWS also observed that Muslim okada riders, traders and taxi drivers that usually ply Sa-boa-Tasha, a Christian dominated area today shunned the area.

In the wake of the reprisal attack by Christian youths at Malali after the suicide bomber rammed his vehicle into the Catholic Church killing at least 15 worshippers, a large number of armed soldiers and policemen have been deployed to flash points in Kaduna to maintain security.

At St. Saint Gerald Catholic Hospital, the 34 victims of Sunday bomb blast who are undergoing treatment at the hospital are responding well.

Some of them who spoke with P.M.NEWS correspondent condemned the bombing. One of them, Mr. Emmanuel Godiya, described the bombing of worship premises as “wicked and ungodly”.

Another version of the attack by the National Emegency Management Agency (NEMA), on Sunday in Kaduna said eight persons lost their lives.

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A statement signed by NEMA’s Kaduna Zonal Public Relations Officer, Aliyu Muhammed, said that 145 others were injured in the attack.

It said that the corpses of the victims had been deposited at various hospitals in the city.

According to the statement, four of the corpses have been deposited at Barau Dikko Specialists Hospital, three at 44 Military Hospital, while one has been deposited at the Garkuwa Specialist Hospital.

The statement said that 81 injured persons were receiving treatment at Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital, while 35 others were being treated at 44 Military Hospital.

It said that 15 injured persons were also receiving treatment at St. Gerrad’s Hospital with five among them were under critical condition.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Adenaike had in a telephone interview with NAN earlier said that only three persons were killed with seven others injured.

Adenaike said that the victims included the lone bomber and two worshippers “a man and a woman”.

He said that seven others were receiving medical attention at various facilities within the city, with two under critical condition.

—Femi Adi/Kaduna

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