Kano, Yobe hit
Jonathan attacks sect
APC: govt to blame
The Boko Haram bloodletting continued yesterday with suicide bombings in the North’s commercial capital, Kano and Potiskum, Yobe State’s biggest town.
No fewer than 27 people died at bus stations in the cities, giving an indication of a co-ordinated action.
Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, the manner of the blasts point in the direction of Boko Haram.
President Goodluck Jonathan criticised Boko Haram for what he described as its focus on “soft targets”, saying the latest action is “an act of a sect facing extinction”.
Twelve persons were killed in the Kano blast. Five others were injured as the explosion rocked the Kano Line Motor Park at Kofar Nassarawa. Fifteen died in Potiskum.
At about 3.15pm, three suspected suicide bombers walked into the park, disguising as passengers.
It was gathered that the suspected bombers believed to be aged between 17 and 18, carried bags and mixed freely with passengers travelling to various destinations.
An eyewitness account said two of the suicide bombers stood by the side of an Urvan bus loading passengers and detonated explosives. Ten passengers were burnt to death.
The third suspected suicide bomber reportedly escaped during the pandemonium that followed the blast.
Three vehicles were burnt.
Kano State Commissioner of Police Idris Ibrahim, speaking at the blast site, said: “As you can see, it involves three vehicles – a Sharon, a bus and a golf car. We estimated that about 12 people died. It seems that the two suicide bombers came in that Sharon car as passengers from outside the city.
“As indicated, investigation is ongoing.”
An eyewitness, Bello Ibrahim, said: At exactly3:05pm, I greeted some of the people, including the man writing passengers’ manifest. Shortly after, I heard a deafening sound. I saw bodies being roasted.
“I saw the two suspected suicide bombers. They were strange faces, young boys between 17 and 18. Among the dead were the man writing the manifest of passengers and a bread seller. There were up to 10 dead.
Another suicide attack in Potiskum, Yobe state’s commercial city, killed 15 people. No fewer than 33 were injured, eyewitnesses said.
Yesterday’s was the third successive attack in Potiskum within one week.
Last year, members of a Muslim sect on procession were attacked. Many died.
The bomb was reportedly detonated by a woman at the roadside Tashan Dan Borno Motor Park along Kano Road.
Hospital sources said 15 people died while some of the injured were transferred to the Federal Medical Centre, Nguru for better attention.
An eyewitness account said the bomber came into the bus station and went straight into the Kano-bound Toyota bus before blowing herself up, throwing the entire vicinity into confusion after the bang.
Speaking on how the blast was carried out, an official of the National Road Transport Workers Union (NURTW) said the vehicle was getting set for take-off, when the car went into flames.
“The loaders were getting ready to collect money from passengers because the motor was about to filled when we heard a loud sound and the car went up in flames,” he said.
Another witness said the entire vicinity was thrown into confusion with the loud sound from the explosion.
In a statement yesterday by his Special Adviser of Media, Dr. Reuben Abati, President Goodluck Jonathan condemned “the reversion by the terrorist group, Boko Haram to the callous bombing of soft targets in parts of Nigeria in the wake of the ongoing rapid recovery by gallant Nigerian troops and their multinational allies of areas formerly controlled by the sect.
“President Jonathan commiserates with all families who have lost loved ones in the bombings which continued today with attacks on Kano and Potiskum.
“The President shares the grief of all the bereaved families and is deeply saddened by the continued loss of many innocent lives at the hands of misguided and desperate fanatics who are now feeling the heat of the intense counter–insurgency operation by the Nigerian Armed Forces.
“The President assures all Nigerians and the people of the North-Eastern states in particular that the days of mourning victims of incessant terrorist attacks in the country will soon be over as the tide has now definitely turned against Boko Haram.
“President Jonathan further assures the people of Nigeria that the gallant, courageous and patriotic officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces, supported with new platforms, equipment and logistics provided by the Federal Government will carry the ongoing operations against the terrorists through to a successful conclusion in the shortest possible time.
“He affirms that his administration will continue to take all necessary action to guarantee the success of ongoing military operations against the terrorist group and drastically reduce its ability to take and hold territory or recruit, groom and brainwash young persons to undertake suicide bombing attacks on soft targets.”
Jonathan attacks sect
APC: govt to blame
The Boko Haram bloodletting continued yesterday with suicide bombings in the North’s commercial capital, Kano and Potiskum, Yobe State’s biggest town.
No fewer than 27 people died at bus stations in the cities, giving an indication of a co-ordinated action.
Although no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, the manner of the blasts point in the direction of Boko Haram.
President Goodluck Jonathan criticised Boko Haram for what he described as its focus on “soft targets”, saying the latest action is “an act of a sect facing extinction”.
Twelve persons were killed in the Kano blast. Five others were injured as the explosion rocked the Kano Line Motor Park at Kofar Nassarawa. Fifteen died in Potiskum.
At about 3.15pm, three suspected suicide bombers walked into the park, disguising as passengers.
It was gathered that the suspected bombers believed to be aged between 17 and 18, carried bags and mixed freely with passengers travelling to various destinations.
An eyewitness account said two of the suicide bombers stood by the side of an Urvan bus loading passengers and detonated explosives. Ten passengers were burnt to death.
The third suspected suicide bomber reportedly escaped during the pandemonium that followed the blast.
Three vehicles were burnt.
Kano State Commissioner of Police Idris Ibrahim, speaking at the blast site, said: “As you can see, it involves three vehicles – a Sharon, a bus and a golf car. We estimated that about 12 people died. It seems that the two suicide bombers came in that Sharon car as passengers from outside the city.
“As indicated, investigation is ongoing.”
An eyewitness, Bello Ibrahim, said: At exactly3:05pm, I greeted some of the people, including the man writing passengers’ manifest. Shortly after, I heard a deafening sound. I saw bodies being roasted.
“I saw the two suspected suicide bombers. They were strange faces, young boys between 17 and 18. Among the dead were the man writing the manifest of passengers and a bread seller. There were up to 10 dead.
Another suicide attack in Potiskum, Yobe state’s commercial city, killed 15 people. No fewer than 33 were injured, eyewitnesses said.
Yesterday’s was the third successive attack in Potiskum within one week.
Last year, members of a Muslim sect on procession were attacked. Many died.
The bomb was reportedly detonated by a woman at the roadside Tashan Dan Borno Motor Park along Kano Road.
Hospital sources said 15 people died while some of the injured were transferred to the Federal Medical Centre, Nguru for better attention.
An eyewitness account said the bomber came into the bus station and went straight into the Kano-bound Toyota bus before blowing herself up, throwing the entire vicinity into confusion after the bang.
Speaking on how the blast was carried out, an official of the National Road Transport Workers Union (NURTW) said the vehicle was getting set for take-off, when the car went into flames.
“The loaders were getting ready to collect money from passengers because the motor was about to filled when we heard a loud sound and the car went up in flames,” he said.
Another witness said the entire vicinity was thrown into confusion with the loud sound from the explosion.
In a statement yesterday by his Special Adviser of Media, Dr. Reuben Abati, President Goodluck Jonathan condemned “the reversion by the terrorist group, Boko Haram to the callous bombing of soft targets in parts of Nigeria in the wake of the ongoing rapid recovery by gallant Nigerian troops and their multinational allies of areas formerly controlled by the sect.
“President Jonathan commiserates with all families who have lost loved ones in the bombings which continued today with attacks on Kano and Potiskum.
“The President shares the grief of all the bereaved families and is deeply saddened by the continued loss of many innocent lives at the hands of misguided and desperate fanatics who are now feeling the heat of the intense counter–insurgency operation by the Nigerian Armed Forces.
“The President assures all Nigerians and the people of the North-Eastern states in particular that the days of mourning victims of incessant terrorist attacks in the country will soon be over as the tide has now definitely turned against Boko Haram.
“President Jonathan further assures the people of Nigeria that the gallant, courageous and patriotic officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces, supported with new platforms, equipment and logistics provided by the Federal Government will carry the ongoing operations against the terrorists through to a successful conclusion in the shortest possible time.
“He affirms that his administration will continue to take all necessary action to guarantee the success of ongoing military operations against the terrorist group and drastically reduce its ability to take and hold territory or recruit, groom and brainwash young persons to undertake suicide bombing attacks on soft targets.”
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