Kano suicide bomb: Police, witnesses give varied figures of dead

Wednesday, July 30, 2014 11:26 pm

MADUABUCHI NMERIBEH/Kano

Kano state Polytechnic in Kano city Northwest Nigeria on Wednesday came under attack when a female suicide bomber released a low-profile Improvised Explosive Device killing herself and three others, according to police authorities.

However, eyewitness account said no fewer than 12 people died and 15 others wounded.

The dead bodies were already removed by security agencies before TheNEWS Correspondent could get to the scene, but blood and pieces of human parts were sighted at the scene.

The teenager below the age of 14 concealed the explosive in her Hijab.

This is the third time female suicide bombers have wreaked havoc in the ancient commercial city.

The terrorists targeted graduands of the school who came to check the list of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, posting.

According to sources within the area, the incident occurred at about 3:30 pm when the batch A NYSC graduands had converged in their large numbers at the school bus stop to check the deployment of area of assignment.

According to the account of Kano State Commissioner of Police , Aderenle Shinaba, three persons lost their lives, while seven others were injured in the suicide bomb attack that rocked the State Polytechnic.

In his words, ” we are in a very difficult times, a situation that is assuming a new dimension of suicide bombing in the state. This one that happened here at the Administrative block of Kano State Polytechnic on Bayero University Kano road is frightening.

” The incident occurred at about 3:30 pm as this situation calls for vigilance on the part of every one of us because we have tried as much as possible for the deployment of police officers in every strategic location.

” So at this critical times, what is required is intelligence and vigilance on the part of everybody, even when we have policemen everywhere, we require information as well as vigilance of everyone of us.

”A situation where somebody is carrying explosives, what business does such person has where graduates assembled to check their results of the Batch A NYSC deployment.

”It is disheartening to note that when you see somebody around, who is looking like a Primary or Secondary School student to disguise with her hijab in our midst without anybody taking note. We have been telling people about the issue of female teenage suicide bombers, which calls for the attention of the law enforcement agencies to be on alert.

”Look, for hijab wearing female suicide bombers, sentiments and religion should not be the issue but we should face the reality of tackling it headlong, so as to avoid future occurrence.”