The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Yola blast

  • Yola blast: IGP places CPs on red alert

    Yola blast: IGP places CPs on red alert

    The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, has placed Command Commissioners of Police (CPs) on red alert following the blast that occurred at a Police Divisional Headquarters in Yola.

    Bombs retrieved from Boko Haram were said to have exploded accidentally at the Police Anti-bomb Squad Office in Jimeta, Yola, the Adamawa State capital.

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), confirmed through a statement that  four people died while scores of policemen  injured.

    The IGP who commiserated with families of the victims has directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Department of Operations, DIG Sontoye Wakama, to visit the scene of the blast.

    DIG Wakama is expected to condole with the families of the deceased and to ensure that those that sustained injuries from the explosion receive prompt medical attention.

    This is contained in a statement in Abuja by the Force Spokesperson, Olabisi Kolawole.

    According to the statement; “The Nigeria Police Force High Command has directed adequate security surveillance on places where Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) recovered and kept to ensure such incident does not occur in anywhere across the country.

    “The IGP has also directed all Commands’ Commissioners of Police to deploy Anti-Bomb Squad personnel of their respective State Commands to inspect all explosive elements kept in their armories to ensure they are safe, to forestall re-occurrence of the unfortunate incident.”

    The police boss who called for calm urged members of the public to go about their normal businesses without fear as all hands are on deck to ensure their safety at all times.

  • UN condemns Yola attack

    UN condemns Yola attack

    United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon, on Thursday condemned Tuesday’s bomb attack in Yola, Adamawa, North-East of Nigeria, which claimed many lives and left others injured.

    Ban, in a statement issued by UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Lagos, said that no political or ideological objective whatsoever, should justify the killing of people.

    “The Secretary-General condemns the bomb attack on 17 November in the city of Yola, in the North-Eastern state of Adamawa, Nigeria, which resulted in death of dozens and scores injured.

    “He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims as well as to the government and people of Nigeria, and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured.

    “The Secretary-General reiterates that no political or ideological objective whatsoever justifies the loss of life and terror to which civilians are being subjected,’’ the statement said.

    The statement also restated UN’s support to the Nigerian government in its fight against terrorism.

    It also said that for the government’s effort at fighting terrorism to be effective, such effort must be grounded in international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law.

  • Blast: Adamawa bans night markets in Yola

    Blast: Adamawa bans night markets in Yola

    Following Tuesday’s bomb blast in Yola which claimed many lives, Governor Mohammadu Jibrilla has announced an indefinite ban on night markets in the state capital.

    Jibrilla made the announcement on Wednesday in an interview with newsmen in Yola.

    He said the ban was part of decisions taken at an emergency security meeting at Government House, Yola.

    He said all business premises that attracted crowds, particularly night markets, were expected to close by 6 p.m.

    The governor urged those affected to show understanding as such measures became necessary in order to save lives and property.

    Shedding more light on the ban, the Commissioner for Information, Malam Ahmad Sajoh, said relaxation points, particularly those that gathered crowd, would also be affected by the ban.

    Sajoh said security operatives would assess the situation and take necessary measures to contain the security challenge.

    He said government would increase security awareness campaigns while a Submit would soon be organised for stakeholders including religious and traditional rulers on measures to check the security challenge.

  • Yola blast: Relatives in search of loved ones

    Relatives of victims of Tuesday’s blast in Yola have besieged the Specialists Hospital, Yola, to claim the remains of their loved ones.

    Many of the relatives who spoke to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said they thronged the mortuary after visiting the hospital emergency wards and could not locate their relatives.

    “Since I did not see my brother who was selling sugar cane at the scene of the incident, I have no option but to come to the mortuary,” said one of them, who simply gave his name as Adamu.

    Another one, Habila Ibrahim, also said he checked the wards in the specialists’ hospital and the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, before visiting the mortuary to ascertain if his brother was among the dead.

    The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Bala Sa’id, said the hospital had received 29 dead bodies from the scene of the incident.

    ” As at Tuesday night we had 29 corpses in the mortuary.

    “We also have 30 people on admission with various degrees of injury; I believe by now some of those injured are stable. We are now about to take our rounds and make some discharges,” Sa’id said.

    He said among the dead were six women and eight children.

    Also speaking to NAN, the Public Relations Officer of Yola Federal Medical Centre, Malam Adamu Dodo, said 41 casualties were taken to the hospital, including four dead.

    ” One of the dead is a woman,” Dodo said.

    NAN reports that the blast occurred at 8 p.m. at a night market in front of the Tipper Garage,Yola.

    The incident happened about a month after the blast at the Friday Mosque in Jambutu Area, also in Yola.