Islamic school bombed in Sapele

By EMMA AMAIZE & GODWIN OGHRE
SAPELE— TEN children were critically injured in another bomb explosion that hit an Islamic school in Sapele, Delta State, on Tuesday. It was the second of such attack in three weeks.

It was learnt that the bomb blast was a retaliatory attack by a group of Muslims in the town against the faction that detonated an explosive at the main mosque, Sapele, last month.

Delta State Police spokesman, Mr Charles Muka, confirmed that only seven children were injured and that it was an insignificant explosion from a contrived device.

He said the incident occurred while the pupils were reportedly being taught Arabic studies and the police was investigating the incident.

One of the affected children, it was learnt, was fighting for his life at the University of Benin Teaching Hosptial, Benin City.

The busy Sapele General Hospital could neither receive nor treat most of the victims, who were later rushed to Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, where they were attended to.

Chief Medical Director of the Sapele General Hospital, Dr Omo Aghoja confirmed that three of the bomb victims were receiving treatment in the hospital, though newsmen were not allowed to see them.

A number of the victims were also admitted at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

A security source in the state told Vanguard that the explosion was dynamite, though the Divisional Police Officer of Sapele, Mr Emmanuel Ighodalo declined to comment on the blast.

He, however, said all necessary information about the incident had been conveyed by him to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Charles Muka, whose duty it was to address the press on the matter.

The Chief Iman of Sapele Central Mosque, Alhaji Mohammed Usman, said, “The blast was to exterminate the Muslim pupils.” He  called on the government to increase security around the Muslim community in Sapele.