The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Kano bomb blast

  • FG donates N40m to victims of Kano bomb blast

    The Presidential Victims Support Fund on Friday donated N40 million to the victims of the bomb attack that occurred on Wednesday in Kano.

    The money was given to victims of the blast who are currently receiving treatment at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) and Murtala Muhammad specialists Hospital,Kano.

    The Executive Director of the Fund, Prof. Sunday Ochoche, announced the donation during a visit to the two hospitals.

    Ochoche, who led the team, said they were in Kano to commiserate with the government, the victims and people of the state over the unfortunate incident.

    “The Fund gave N20 million to each of the two hospitals we visited, making it a total of N40 million.

    “We are here to assist the victims and bring succor to the injured people,” he said.

    He expressed hope that the money would be judiciously used for the treatment of the injured persons to ensure their speedy recovery.

    According to him, the Fund would sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the hospitals involved on how the donation would be expended.

    “The MoU will clearly state how the intervention should be distributed among the victims for their immediate medical needs and attention,” he said.

    The executive director disclosed that before coming to Kano, the team had visited 14 hospitals in the North-East.

    “We have so far given out N240 million for the affected victims, including the N40m million given to the Kano hospitals,” he said.

    Responding, the Acting Chief Medical Director of AKTH, Dr Sani Mijinyawa, commended the Federal Government for the gesture and assured that the money would be used for the purpose it was given.

  • Minister condemns recent Kano blast

    Minister condemns recent Kano blast

    The Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke has condemned the recent bomb blast in Kano, saying the act is against the culture of peace which our culture preaches about.

    Chief Duke a made the statement at a gathering of who-is-who in the creative industry hosted by the president at the prestigious Eko Hotel Suites, Lagos, recently.

    Speaking at the event tagged:”An Evening with the President”, the Minister said security and insurgency are two challenges upper most in the president’s heart.

    He said: “Tonight  the peace of our nation was shattered. People went out to Kano to pray but so many of them never returned home. Let us observe a minute silence to the life that was shattered.”

    He called on members of the creative industry to use their works to advocate peace, saying they possess the tool to influence minds.

  • 5 killed, 16 injured in Kano Church bomb blast

    Female suicide bomber blown up

     

    For three days, suspected terrorists have laid siege to the metropolitan city of Kano, with an attack on a Catholic Church in Sabon Gari area of Kano, claiming the lives of five worshippers, including a security operative.

    In another suicide attack, which occurred at Kofar Nasarawa area of the city, a female bomber in an attempt to lure some security men stationed by the North West gate with sallah food blew herself up.
    Outside the church premises at St Charles Church, 16 persons were said to have sustained varying degree of injuries, while three suspects, including a cripple were arrested by security agents, who arrived the scene, shortly after the attack, which occurred at about 1:29 pm.
    The suspected terrorist, according to an eyewitness account had hidden at a Primary school, adjacent to St Charles Catholic Church on Zungeru Road, from where they hauled the explosive on the unsuspecting worshippers.
    It was gathered that the explosives were thrown from the window of the school on the innocent worshippers, who had just concluded their Sunday service and departing the premises for homes.
    According to sources, four of the dead persons, included the husband, identified as Ugochukwu Okoli, (32), wife, father and maid were among the victims, who had gone to the church for thanksgiving.
    In the case of the female bomber, she reportedly arrived at the scene under the newly constructed flyover at about 12:30 pm and attempted deceive the security operatives that she brought sallah food for them.
    The security men however suspected foul play, following the female bomber’s desperation.
    The security men , it was further gathered took to their heels when they noticed that the female bomber was moving towards them, as they threatened to gun her.
    However, luck ran out on the female bomber, who secretly concealed the explosives under her hijab when the bomb suddenly exploded.
    While briefing reporters at the scene of the Church bomb attack, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Aderenle Shinaba said the suspects had,gone to a church on Zungeru Road, where they hid themselves at a Primary School, close to the church and threw explosives on the unsuspecting worshippers, which left no fewer than five people dead, eight injured, while three suspects were arrested.
    The Catholic Bishop of Kano, Bishop John Namanza to this reporter in a chat that this community had protected themselves beyond imagination in the vicinity.
    Namanza, while condemning the attack on his church members, described it as uncalled for.
    Although the Bishop Namanza commended the security operatives for their quick response but lamented that it was belated despite the early information passed to them that the church was a target.
    He therefore called on Security agents and the State government to beef up security around the vicinity.

     

  • Still on Kano bomb blast

    The recent bomb blast in which scores of people died and were injured in a motor park in Sabon Gari, Kano, has again left many Nigerians in a stupor of surprise and pangs of anger and righteous indignation. These frequent bombings have not only dented but denigrated the image of our beloved country nationally and internationally. Furthermore, the blast is a serious national and international embarrassment. In addition, it is quite obvious that the incidence have raised fundamental issues about national security as well as Nigeria’s corporate existence.

    In view of all the bombings taking place in various places in the country with loss of lives and properties and trying to make the country ungovernable for President Goodluck Jonathan and his team, I think it is absolutely necessary and should be handled as a matter of urgency to seek for external assistance in order to find out the bombers and their sponsors. It is flabbergasting that security agencies have not been able to help matters in this regard. At times, we arrest and the suspects will escape either from cell or while police men were on patrol with them. This is ridiculous!

    Whatever the case may be and to all intents and purposes, there is the need for all Nigerians to always be religiously and jealously guided by the words of an elder statesman, octogenarian and first President of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, a professional teacher and career politician when he said: “The moment in our history demands of all of us the spirit of cooperation rather than the things that divide us; we would have succeeded in bequeathing a fitting legacy to the coming generation.”

    The federal government should endeavour as much as practicable to rise to the challenge of unmasking those behind the cowardly and dastardly act no matter how highly or lowly placed in the society and crush them in a most exemplary manner to serve as deterrent to others who would ever think of engaging on the destructive act. The bombing in a motor park is as condemnable as it is despicable and regrettable.

    However, let this be a time of sober reflection for us all. As Nigerians and the international community condemned the wicked act, let everybody look inward and reappraise what happened. Injustice and oppression cannot but ultimately produce a desire for revenge and or rebellion. Let our deep sympathy go to all who lost their lives, persons, properties and sense of security. Nigeria needs to be made safe for all, and the federal government should lead and show the way to this purposefully and decisively.

    In my opinion, all progressive and articulate Nigerians irrespective of religion and tribe must dislodge the idea of being agents of darkness and destruction. In this connection therefore, it is absolutely necessary with due respect, humility, and sense of responsibility to appeal to all Nigerians no matter the status to remain steadfast, focused on the part of truth, honour, fairness, and justice so that Nigeria can make meaningful progress economically and politically.

    With this recent bomb blast in a motor park at Sabon Gari, Kano, one may boldly say that the Nigerian democracy is therefore dangerous if not properly investigated. The way some saw the blast, it might lead to an extent that the falcon can no longer hear the falconer and that things will fall apart. This is not the best for Nigeria’s democratic structure. In the words of Desmond Mpilo Tutu, “Justice must be done to the poor and the oppressed and if the present system does not serve the purpose, the public conscience must be roused to demand another.”

    It appears that some of those engaged in the dastardly act must be under sponsorship but God or Allah knows whom or group. Like the immediate past Pope, Benedict XVI, while appealing for peace in a message to commemorate the 2007 World Peace Day (WPD) said, “Those with greater political, technical or economic power must not use the power to violate the rights of others who are less fortunate.”

    Charles Ikedikwa Soeze,

    Effurun, Delta State.