Another Bloody Day in Abuja

Fri, Jun 27, 2014

By publisher

7 MIN READ

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Residents of Abuja are again jolted by another bomb blast in which 21 people are killed at a popular shopping mall in Wuse II, on Wednesday, June 25

|  By Vincent Nzemeke  |  Jul. 7, 2014 @ 01:00 GMT

IT WAS yet another brutal mindless attack on Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, on Wednesday, June 25. It was the third time in recent months. On April 14, 75 people were killed a in bomb blast at Nyanya bus station on the outskirts of the capital city in which Boko Haram, an Islamic fundamentalist group, claimed responsibility. The group also claimed responsibility for the May 1, blast at the same bus station in which 19 people were killed and 60 others injured. This time, the target of the attack was a popular shopping mall in the city. By press time, 21 people were reported killed and many others injured.

The bodies of the victims and injured persons were taken to the Maitama General Hospital which is a few metres away from the scene of the blast. One of the victims of the bomb blast was Sulieman Bisala, managing editor, North, of the New Telegraph newspapers. Bisala was said to have gone to the plaza to repair his phone when the explosion occurred. The late editor, who hailed from Plateau State, had worked in various media organisations before joining the New Telegraph as a pioneer staff.

The explosion at the popular Emab plaza in Wuse zone II, occurred at about 4:00pm when football enthusiasts were preparing to watch the match between Nigeria and Argentina. According to eyewitness accounts, the explosion happened when a bomber riding on a power bike attempted to force his way into the plaza. The bomb exploded as security officers manning the gate attempted to stop him. The impact of the explosion shattered many of the shops and other facilities within the surroundings.

But the worst hit were petty traders selling banana, oranges and groundnuts within the entrance of the plaza. Nearly all the sellers were women and young girls who hawked their goods around the vicinity of Emab and Banex plazas.

One of the eyewitnesses simply identified as Martha, told reporters that she could not find her three sisters. “I went to collect oranges, as I picked the oranges and went to the corner of the road to wait for a car to pass before crossing, that was when I heard the explosion, and it is in that same place that we were all sitting,” she said.

Martha, who was wailing profusely, said all efforts to reach them on phone failed. One of the girls was her immediate younger sister, while the other two were her cousins. Chiamaka Oham, another eyewitness, said:  “We heard a really loud noise and the building shook, and people started screaming and running out. We saw the smoke and people covered in blood. It was just chaos.”

Although, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack, the  Boko Haram sect is being fingered because of the mode of the attack. A police statement signed by Frank Mbah, an assistant commissioner and police public relations officer, said there had been an increase in surveillance in and around  Abuja metropolis.  The statement also indicated that the Police Bomb Disposal’s Squad had commenced a post-blast analysis as part of the general investigative process.

The security forces appear to be making progress in their investigation following the disclosure that one of the bombers was killed by soldiers and another arrested by the police.  Mike Omeri, coordinator of the National Information Centre, NIC, said while briefing the press at the centre, that the dead suspect was killed by soldiers as he tried to escape on a power bike. Omeri said emergency services had been deployed to ensure that the injured were attended to immediately.

Omeri, in a statement shortly after the blast, urged residents to go about their normal activities, assuring that the situation had been brought under control. “Security agencies have fully mobilised to the scene of the incident and are handling the situation,” he said.  Omeri assured further that  steps had been taken by the government to check the activities of insurgents in the country and advised Nigerians to remain vigilant and conscious of the movements of unidentified people around their areas. He expressed the sympathy of the federal government to the families of those that lost their lives just as he wished the injured speedy recovery.

The National Emergency Management Agency NEMA, also said victims of the blast were taken to five nearby hospitals, namely Maitama General Hospital, National Hospital, Nigerian Turkish Hospital, Asokoro General Hospital and Alliance Clinic.  NEMA said in a statement issued by Sani Datti, senior information officer, that “Following the explosion that occurred around 4:00pm at Emab Plaza, we can confirm that all the affected persons at the location of the incident have been evacuated to various hospitals. Most of the affected persons were evacuated to the closest medical facilities being Maitama District Hospital before being transferred to other hospitals.”

In his condemnation, Labaran Maku, minister of information, said the spate of bombings and killings in parts of the country was calculated to distract and intimidate the president and his government as the 2015 elections draw nearer. “Every time there is any major positive development in the country, it is quickly greeted with bombs and attacks on defenceless citizens. Every milestone recorded by government is followed by explosions and attacks to discourage the citizens and to turn them against the government,” he said.

Maku, who observed that the Abuja bomb blast occurred simultaneously with another bomb explosion in Mubi, Adamawa State, said the federal government was deeply saddened by these dastardly acts of murder against innocent Nigerians. The minister, however, called for unity among Nigerians in this trying moment in order to isolate and defeat the insurgents who are bent on creating panic and dividing the people with the aim of casting President Goodluck Jonathan and his government in bad light.

On his part, Bala Mohammed, the FCT minister, described the bomb blast as an act of savagery even as he again directed that free medical services be given to all those injured. Mohammed, spoke during his visit to the scene of the bombing and the Maitama District Hospital, Abuja where most of the injured were receiving treatment. The minister also restated his directive for stricter security in all public places and other soft targets which usually witness large gatherings within the FCT.

Femi Adesina, president, Nigerian Guild of Editors,  said in a statement issued on Thursday, June 25, that  the Guild was disconsolate over the death of Bisalla, one of its members, in the shopping mall bombing. “As we condole the Bisalla family, and the families of the other dead victims, we can’t but ask: where and who next? Nigeria, very sadly, has become one huge sepulcher, and death has now become very cheap. Unnatural deaths have become so commonplace, that Nigerians are almost becoming inured to the news of it, except those directly affected. This is not good for our common humanity,” the statement said. The Guild said while it recognised the near intractable nature of the insurgency and efforts of government, security agencies should not relent in carrying out their duties to stamp out the insurgence. “Terrorism must never get the better side of us. Never. But we must devise new tactics and strategies to rein in the situation,” the statement said further. Adesina also prayed for the quick recovery of those injured in the incident.