About 20 people have been confirmed dead in
Potiskum, the commercial city of Yobe State after
a mid-day suicide bomb attack on Muslim
brotherhood who were on a procession in
observance of the 10th Day of Muharram 1436
celebration.
A suicide bomber detonated an explosive device
killing scores of Muslim worshipers.
Witnesses said that the Muslim brotherhood, the
Shia, were on procession in Potiskum metropolis
in observance of the 10th Day of Muharram 1436
celebration when the explosion went off among
the worshipers killing scores of those in the
procession.
It was also gathered that the bomber was among
the worshipers when the explosion went off
around 11:15 on Monday morning.
Although Residents said that several followers of
the group, particularly women and children, were
killed by the explosion, the State Commissioner of
Police, Mr Markus Danladi, told Channels
Television that four had died, while five people
were injured in the blast.
The blast killed three members of the Muslim
brotherhood plus the bomber given a casualty
figure of four, “but before we got to the scene,
the group has evacuated the bodies of those
effected by the blast,” the CP confirmed.
However, the leader of the Muslim brotherhood in
Potiskum, Mustapha Lawan, who also spoke to
Channels Television on phone, said 13 people
were killed on the spot during the blast but the
figure had risen to 26.
He noted that the figure was still rising because
so many people were affected by the explosion.
According to Danladi, the suicide bomber took
advantage of the procession to carry out his
dastardly act but casualty figure was yet to be
known.
“Yes a suicide bomber was among the Shia group
and detonated his explosive device, killing
members of the group,” the CP said.
In the meantime, the Yobe State Governor, Mr
Ibrahim Gaidam, has condemned the attack in
which many lives were lost and injuries sustained
describing it as heinous, barbaric and
unwarranted.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on
Press Affairs, Abdullahi Bego, the Governor
expressed regret that the attack came at a time
that peace was generally returning to the state.
While describing those behind the attack as
criminals, the Governor called on the people of
the state to remain prayerful, calm and vigilant
and directed the hospitals in the state to provide
free medical treatment to all the victims of the
attack
The entire area had been condoned off by
security men as residents remained in their
various locations to avoid being victims of any
attack.
Potiskum has been experiencing several bomb
attacks with the last one before this occurring
two days after the Eid-el Fitr Sallah celebration
where worshipers were killed in two separate
mosque attacks.
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