The National Emergency Management Agency
[NEMA] has said 25 persons were killed in
the twin bomb explosions that rocked Jos, the
Plateau State capital, on Thursday evening.
But the spokesperson of the Special Task
Force on Jos crisis [STF], Ikedichi Iweha,
claimed 16 persons died in the incident.
However, a resident of the area told the BBC
Hausa service on Thursday evening that
shortly after the incident, he counted 31
bodies – 11 in one location, and 20 in
another.
Other witnesses said
death toll might rise as some of those injured
suffered “serious and critical injuries”.
The STF spokesperson however said a
detachment of security operatives have taken
over the scene of the incident.
Earlier, the spokesperson for NEMA in the
North-central geopolitical zone, Audu
Yohanna,said that the
emergency agency evacuated several bodies to
the Plateau Specialist Hospital and the
Evangel Teaching Hospital in Jos.
“We could not take victims to the Jos
University Teaching Hospitals because they
are on strike,” he said.
Mr. Yohanna explained that the incident
occurred in front of Mr Biggs, near Tafawa
Belewa roundabout and that it destroyed two
vehicles and injured many people.
The rescue team included NEMA, the Police
and members of the National Security and
Civil Defence Corps [NSCDC], Mr. Yohanna
said.
The Thursday evening explosion occurred
during rush hours, when workers and traders
were heading home from work and business.
Officials said most of those caught in the
explosions were street hawkers roaming
around for patrons.
The Plateau state government had, after the
deadly May 20 explosions in a market, banned
street trading and hawking along designated
areas.
But the traders, who left for a while, recently
resumed their activities around the prohibited
areas.
A witness, Francis Atsa, said
the explosions went off twice, close to the Jos
main market, also known as “Terminus
market”.
“I was on my way from the old site of the Jos
University Teaching Hospital gate when the
explosion occurred,”Mr. Atsa said.
“The first one went off at about 6:30p.m. and
the second one followed almost immediately. I
had to run for safety as objects were flying all
over.”
No comments: