*Army vows to get  attackers  for punishment

By SUSAN EDEH

Bauchi -The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Azubike Ihejirika, has described the perpetrators of last Sunday’s bomb attacks in some Army barracks in the North as cowards, pledging that the attackers will be fished out and punished accordingly.

Ihejirika spoke as the Bauchi State  Governor, Malam Isa Yuguda, condemned the bomb attack at the Mammy Market,Shadawanka Barracks of the 33 Field Artillery Brigade in the state,  assuring also that the perpetrators will be arrested and punished accordingly.

Yuguda also sympathised with the military authorities over the unfortunate incident which claimed many lives and left others seriously injured.

Ihejirika promised that the Army authorities will take adequate security measures in all its formations across the country to avoid a repeat of the attack which he described as an act of terrorism.

The governor, who yesterday paid another visit to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Teaching Hospital to console the victims after receiving Gen. Ihejirika at the Government House, described the attack as barbaric and wicked, adding that it should not be tolerated in any society.

Yuguda said his administration would do everything possible to ensure that it protected the life and property of the people of the state, while advising the people, however, to be vigilant and report any suspicious movement around them to the security agencies for prompt action even as he reiterated that all those wounded during the blast would be treated free by the state government.

Earlier, General Ihejirika  had  commended the action taken so far by the Governor since the incident happened, mentioning particularly his prompt visit to the scene and the hospitals to see the victims.

Meanwhile, the Director of Operations at the Bauchi State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Bello, confirmed that the death toll remained 14 as at yesterday, adding that many more victims had been treated and discharged.

He expressed optimism that with the high level of medical attention given to victims, the death toll will not rise.

Bello, who is the state Director of Information, added, “what I confirmed from our officers at the ATBUTH, Bauchi, is that at present there are 14 dead bodies in the mortuary, and of the 29 injured people admitted in ATBUTH, only a few of them  are currently in the hospital receiving free treatment as directed by Governor Yuguda.”