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BY SAM EYOBOKA, OKEY NDIRIBE, BEN
AGANDE, FAVOUR NNABUGWU, IKECHUKWU
NNOCHIRI, VICTORIA OJEME LAIDE
AKINBOADE GABRIEL EWEPU, FUNMI
OLASUPO
ABUJA—As outrage from within and outside
Nigeria continues to trail last Wednesday’s bomb
blast in Abuja, which claimed 22 lives and left 50
others injured, some of the survivors have narrated
their close shave with death.
The Department of State Service, DSS, on its part
disclosed that security agencies actually obtained
intelligence reports two weeks ago that the terrorists
planned to attack a busy shopping mall or market in
Abuja. Major markets in the city were virtually
deserted, yesterday, following the bomb blast.
Taxi driver cheats death
A taxi driver, who identified himself as Malachy
Odo, said he was caught up in the midst of the
ravaging fire after the bomb exploded at the car park
of Emab Plaza.
He said: “I had arrived at the plaza in my cab
minutes earlier. After the last passenger alighted
from the cab, I was reversing when I heard the
explosion. My car went up in flames, and I struggled
to pass through the window and in the process my
left hand caught fire. As I was running for my dear
life, broken glasses pierced my feet. I was later
rushed by rescuers to Maitama General Hospital.”
Another survivor, Mrs Mary Andrew, said she was
lying on the ground beside her groundnut tray, while
waiting for buyers at the entrance of Emab Plaza,
when the blast occurred.
VICTIMS OF ABUJA BLAST—Vice-President
Namadi Sambo and SGF, Anyim Pius Anyim (top
left) visit victims of the Abuja bomb explosion at
Maitama General Hospital, Abuja, yesterday.
According to her: “I was lying down when the bomb
exploded, and my baby was also with me. After the
blast, I discovered that three of my fellow groundnut
sellers were dead. I was very lucky, I was not hurt,
and I thank God for saving my life.”
I was covered with broken glasses —Olasupo
Samuel Olasupo, who sells and repairs mobile
phones at Emab plaza had this to say: “I was about
to take step out of my shop to the gate to buy corn,
when the bomb exploded. I was thrown to the floor
and my body was pierced by pieces of glass. When I
recovered from the impact of the blast, I gave glory to
God.” He said the bomb-laden car was said to have
been parked at the entrance of the plaza for more
than 30 minutes with nobody inside.
Daniel Itodo said he was still searching for his
cousin, 24-year-old Bassey Bassey, who hails from
Cross River State. Bassey, who was said to be the
first child of his parents was working with a
pharmaceutical shop at the plaza.
“I was at home when I heard about the bomb blast at
Wuse II, and I remembered that my cousin, Bassey
Bassey was at the shopping plaza. I rushed to the
pharmacy where he was working at Emab plaza,
near Banex. I was told that about three minutes
before the bomb blast, my cousin left with a customer
that came to the pharmacy to buy some drugs. Since
then his phone has been switched off and he is
nowhere to be found. I have gone to University of
Abuja Teaching Hospital and National Hospital,
where I saw health officials attending to some
injured people brought to them, and I learnt four
persons were in the intensive care unit. But I was not
allowed to have access to them. I went to Garki
Hospital and I could not see him there.”
He continued: “I went to Maitama General Hospital
where I saw up to 10 dead bodies. Four could not be
identified because the bodies were charred. One of
the bodies was without a head, with intestines
packed on one side.
“The parents are yet to be informed because we have
not seen him dead or alive. We are still searching for
him. I will meet with the manager of the pharmacy to
know whether the customer was alive or both of them
died and for the management of the pharmacy to tell
us the exact story about our brother’s whereabouts.
“I want the government to step up security, because it
is very painful as innocent Nigerians are daily
becoming the objects of attacks. The security
agencies should improve on their strategies because
these terrorists are spreading fast across the
country.”
Another eyewitness who spoke to Vanguard
identified himself as Joseph Okonkwo. Okonkwo
who said he is a journalist said his office was located
at Emab Plaza. He said he writes for Legis Magazine
based in Abuja.
Said he: “As I was entering Emab Plaza, yesterday
(Wednesday), I walked past a particular shop I
normally go to which is close to the gate. I later saw
the person I went to visit and discussed with him
after which I suddenly heard a big bang. A lot of
things flew into the air. I saw a lot of smoke.
“I began to run and when I was about to jump a
fence, I saw some people whose skin had been peeled
by the heat generated by the blast. They were trying
to jump too. Everybody ran to the back side because
the explosion occurred at the gate. Some people who
were close to me were affected by the blast. The
impact of the blast is still disturbing me. I was
psychologically affected but physically okay.”
Speaking to news men at the scene of the blast
yesterday, the FCT Commander of the Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr E.C.Ewurum
confirmed that some suspects were arrested by
security operatives at the scene of the explosion. He
said they had been taken away for interrogation. He
also said three ambulances involved in rescue
operations had already taken the dead and injured
victims of the blast to different hospitals within the
city.
My close shave with death
“My name is Ikechuku Iba, aka Ogbologbo. I am a
taxi driver in Abuja, my park is at Emab plaza and
everybody in the plaza knows that I always stayed at
the exact spot where the bomb went off yesterday.
That was where I usually parked my car, waiting for
passengers. But thank God, on Wednesday, 30
minutes before the bomb went off my sister phoned
me to come. I was reluctant at first because it was the
peak of activities but I later decided to go. Just 30
minutes after I left the Plaza, the bomb went off.
Thank God I wasn’t around and thank God I went to
Asokoro to see my sister. A lot of people were calling
me to ask whether I was involved because they all
know I was always there.
“There was a particular boy I saw being taken to the
hospital and I knew the mother as a banana seller, I
used to buy banana and groundnut from her but she
was caught up in the blast and she died. I knew so
many others who died. When I went to Maitama
hospital yesterday to check people, I recognised
about four people but some people were badly burnt”.
On whether there was any of his friends missing, he
said: “There was one Mallam Shehu who used to sell
fruits at Emab plaza; we have been looking for him
since the blast but we are yet to locate him, and
Saheed, who sold provisions had his two legs cut off;
the woman that used to sell banana, who we called
Mama Bobby died in the blast. One Mama Charity
also died as well as one Hausa man that used to sell
guava. So many other people died.
“We are still looking for one of our drivers whose car
was completely burnt in the blast, his name is Ukpu.
We have checked Maitama Hospital, he is not there.
We got intelligence report of plans by terrorist to
attack— DSS
24 hours after the bomb blast, the Department of
State Services, DSS disclosed, yesterday, that security
agencies got intelligence report two weeks ago
showing that terrorists planned to attack a busy
shopping mall or market in Abuja.
Deputy Director Information, Department of State
Services (DSS), Marilyn Ogar, who made the
disclosure, said “when we got the report we had to go
from one shopping complex to another telling people
to be more security conscious and vigilant. Every day
since the report, our surveillance teams went round
the motor parks, markets, supermarkets, trying to
ensure that the instruction we left behind were
strictly adhered to.
“Yesterday (Wednesday), the surveillance team was
here (Emab Plaza) up till about 12:30pm observing,
monitoring. When they discovered that the security
people here were enforcing what they were told, the
team retreated.” She urged Nigerians to continue to
give security agencies information that will help
them stop the terrorists in their track.
Also speaking, Force Police Public Relations Officer,
ACP Frank Mba advised managers of big companies
and owners of cinemas and busy shopping malls to
help by instituting a strong access control regime
and also install CCTV cameras.
Mba reiterated the importance of shielding hawkers
from entering shopping malls saying, “it’s also good
to keep away hawkers from busy places, because
hawkers attract people which make the target softer”.
We’ll defeat the terrorists — Sambo
Meanwhile Vice President of Nigeria, Namadi
Sambo, yesterday, condemned in strong terms, the
activities of terrorists saying “this cowardly and
unjust act will be defeated; evil can never be
sustained”.
The Vice President, who was accompanied by the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF)
, Senator Ayim Pius Ayim; the Minister of FCT, Sen.
Bala Mohammed; the Minister of Interior, Comrade
Abba Moro and the Minister of State for FCT, Oloye
Olajumoke Akinjide spoke when he visited the scene
of the bomb blast.
Reiterating Government’s commitment towards
fighting terrorism, Sambo said: “Mr. President will
not leave any stone unturned until we defeat this
terrorism. Terrorism cannot survive in Nigeria or any
part of this country. We are doing everything to
ensure that within the shortest possible time, this
will become a matter of the past”.
Another victim dies, 52 injured, 34 vehicles damaged
One of the injured, who was at admitted at the
Intensive Care Unit, ICU, of the National Hospital is
dead. Vanguard investigations across the major
hospitals in Abuja, yesterday also revealed that the
number of those injured was 52. The police told
journalists at the scene of the blast that only 17
people were injured.
Specifically, the Director-General of the FCT
Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, Alhaji
Abbas Idriss said the 52 injured victims are spread
across five hospitals in the FCT: Maitama has a total
umber of 36 victims, Wuse Hospital, 7; National
Hospital 6; Garki Hospital 2 and Turkish Hospital 1.
It was equally learnt that while 17 vehicles were
completed destroyed , a total of 34 were damaged.
Major markets deserted
A visit by Vanguard to major markets in the Abuja
metropolis showed that they were virtually deserted
as very few traders ventured to open their shops.
Customers also preferred to shop at neighbourhood
shops. Most affected were: Wuse, Garki, Utako.
The Head, Corporate Affairs of the Abuja Market
Management Limited, AMML, Mr Innocent
Amaechina, who spoke to Vanguard on phone
yesterday, said the scanty market activities in the
FCT was quite natural because of the explosion the
previous day.
But he advised that rather than panic at the
development, residents should be reassured that
government was on top of any possible security
breach in the markets.
“The fact is that people are afraid naturally because
of what has happened and people are becoming more
security conscious especially after the bombing of
Emab plaza.”
He said the agency is in close collaboration with
security agencies to see that markets in the FCT are
safe for Abuja residents.
US, EU condemn Abuja bomb blast
The United States (US) and the European Union
have also condemned the bomb attack at the Emab
Plaza, Abuja, describing it as heartless act.
The US in a statement issued yesterday, by its
embassy in Abuja, said:
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families of
the victims and call on all Nigerians regardless of
region or religion to join in and support efforts to put
an end to this evil against humanity,” it enjoined.
The US said it remained committed to supporting
Nigerians in their struggle against violent extremism
“and to helping the Government of Nigeria as it
works to counter these threats to citizens and its
national called on the Federal Government to ensure
that the perpetrators are brought to justice. The EU
in its statement said, “We condemn in the strongest
terms the bombing of a shopping centre in Abuja,
killing 21 people. This attack is the latest in a long
series of violent acts terrorising the Nigerian
population.
“We express our deepest sympathy to the families of
the victims. As demonstrated by the increased
support we have provided recently, the EU stands
with the government of Nigeria in its fight against
terrorism and violence, and for the rule of law and
human rights,” it said.
NBA asks FG to step up efforts to end terrorism
The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in its reaction
yesterday, urged the federal government to intensify
its efforts towards ensuring an end to the current
reign of terror in Nigeria.
The association, in a statement it issued in Abuja
yesterday, signed by the National President of the
association, Chief Okey Wali, SAN, read: “The
Nigerian Bar Association received with shock the
sad news of bomb blast in Emab Plaza, located at
Wuse II area of Nigeria’s Capital, Abuja on June 25,
2014 which resulted in the unfortunate and untimely
death of 22 persons and left many more injured.
“This latest bomb explosion in Abuja is only part of a
series of sporadic bomb blasts in some parts of
Nigeria.
“The NBA outrightly condemns this bomb blast,
which has caused deaths and grievous bodily
injuries to many Nigerians.
“There can never be any justification for these
dastardly and brazen acts of carnage.
“This latest bomb explosion brings to the fore the
need for the Federal Government of Nigeria to
intensify efforts in bringing these acts of terrorism
and insurgency to an end.”
CAN, Catholic Church condemn blasts
THE Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN and the
Catholic Church has also condemned the bomb blast,
saying that these activities of Islamic
fundamentalists have brought untold embarrassment
to the nation.
In two separate reactions last night, Secretary
General of CAN, Rev. Musa Asake and the Director
of Social Communications at the Lagos Archdiocese,
Monsignor Gabriel Osu were unanimous in pleading
with the Federal Government and especially the
security agencies to fashion tactics in dealing with
themenace, admonishing that the leadership of the
Church has been restraining Christian youth to avoid
plunging the nation into a huge conflagration we
may be able to contain.
Asake maintained that the Federal Government has
done a great deal to stamp out the renewed wave of
terrorism in the country, “but they still need to do
more since these Islamic jihadists have refused to
respect the sanctity of human life.”
According to him, there is the urgent need to
effectively monitor the nation’s borders and stop
these foreign muruaders because “I am yet to believe
that Nigerians will mindlessly bomb their fellow
brothers in these dastardly manner and still able to
sleep at night.”
