Kano bombing: Police under-report casualties

CP Musa Daura vows to intensify war against terrorism

CP Musa Daura vows to intensify war against terrorism

MADUABUCHI NMERIBEH/Kano

As the Nigerian authorities evaluate Tuesday’s bombing of the luxury bus terminal in Kano, in terms of the human cost, there are conflicting reports about the actual number of the dead.

Reports yesterday indicated that scores of people died in the attack in Sabon Gari area of the volatile city.

But the police were insistent today that 22 people died.

But P.M. NEWS learnt from other independent accounts, that the police figure was far from reality.

A rescue official told the French news agency today that 41 people were killed by the bombers.

“The rescue official, who requested anonymity, said that 20 victims were counted at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, while an additional 21 bodies were reported at the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital,”AFP reported.

President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Kano, northwest Nigeria, Chief Tobias Michael Idika also debunked the death figure given by the Kano state Police Command .

Idika said no fewer than 60 people, mostly Igbos, lost their lives during the attack.

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a bombed bus at the park
a bombed bus at the park

Spokesman of Kano state Police Command, Magaji Majia put the figures of the dead at 22, while 65 got injured, but Idika told P.M.NEWS he counted nothing fewer than dead bodies shortly after the incident.

According to him, the Lagos-bound Gobison Luxury bus which was hit by the bomb-laden Golf car was carrying about 54 on the passenger’s seat and 15 extra passengers, “and none of them survived the attack; even the driver identified as Osisikankwu lost his life.

“This is aside huge number of casualties recorded in the four other buses that were also torched; and coupled with hawkers who were mostly children and the Park touts. I do not know why they are playing politics with human life,” said Idika.

The Ohanaeze boss said a three-a day sit-at-home mourning rite has been declared, starting from Tuesday, “to pray for the soul of the departed and plead with God for the quick recovery of the wounded. We have also started collating data of the victims,” he added.

The state Commissioner of Police, at a Press Conference also insisted that only 22 people died during the devastating attack while 65 got injured.

According to him, “the Kano state police command is displeased to inform the general public of an ugly incident which occurred on Monday , 18th March, 2013 at about 1770hrs whereby two suicide bombers drove a Golf Car, blue in colour into Luxury bus along New road Sabon Gari Kano

“They attacked and hit a loading bus belonging to Gobison Motor which is taking off to Lagos and sparked off a serious explosion which illuminated the particular bus into flames and affected passengers, hawkers, traders and other workers in the park.

“So far, a total of 22 people were confirmed dead and 65 people sustained varying degrees of injuries , five buses were burnt , all the injured persons were taken to various hospitals within the Metropolis for treatment while corpses were deposited in the morgue,” Daura.

P.M.NEWS, however, learnt that the Command lost a female officer to the agitating guns of terrorists on Tuesday, who fired several shots at yet to be identified police lady at the Farm Centre axis of the city.
The gun men, eyewitnesses said, were riding on tricycle.

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