10 feared dead in Suleja bomb blast

Suleja – No fewer than 10 persons were feared dead in a bomb explosion in Suleja in Niger, minutes after Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger addressed his party faithful.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the bomb exploded from a parked bus by the roadside close to Government Secondary School, Suleja, killing and maiming passersby.

An eyewitness, Sani Mohammed, told NAN that they heard a loud explosion as the PEP Niger East Senatorial rally was drawing to a close inside the school compound.

“We saw a lot of dead bodies around the scene, with many people injured, including security agents,” he said.

Wreckage of the Abuja Independence bomb blast last year.

He said the injured persons were evacuated to the General Hospital, Suleja and the Gwagwalada Teaching Hospital in FCT for treatment.

Another witness, Malam Dikko Bissala, described the incident as a very sad event in the history of Suleja.

“We have never seen this kind of thing before in Suleja. See the number of people who are now suffering in the hospital.

“It is a sorry picture. Some people have been taken to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital for treatment,” he said.

When contacted, the Director-General (Publicity) to the governor, Malam Bala Abdulkadir, confirmed the incident, stressing that the police were on top of the situation.

He said a loud noise was heard after Gov. Babangida Aliyu and his entourage had left the venue of the rally in Suleja.

Abdulkadir said the governor and his entourage were not affected by the explosion but decline further comments.

Also the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Niger Command, Mr Richard Oguche, confirmed the story but decline further comments.