20 Feared Dead In Fresh Bomb Blast In Nyanya, Abuja
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Seventeen days after a bomb blast rocked Nyanya, a suburb in Abuja killing over 70 persons, a suicide bomber again detonated the killer device killing over 20 persons yesterday.
It exploded few meters away from the scene of the April 14, 2014 incident. It was said to have gone off around 8:00:00 pm.
SavidNews gathered last night that the suicide bomber, who apparently must have packaged the bomb around the Nyanya motor park, drove against traffic before the car conveying it exploded.
We also scooped that early rescue team picked no fewer than 15 dead bodies including the suicide bombers on the spot of the explosion.
Some fruit sellers on the Abuja- Keffi lane of the road were said to have been hit by parts of the chartered car. They died on the spot.
The Abuja-Keffi road was subsequently blocked by security agents while traffic was diverted.
No official report has been issued as at the time of going to the press on the incident.
Several emergency agencies and responders were said to be heading to the scene, some of who said they could not ascertain the cause of the explosion.
Security operatives had taken over the area and had cautioned people living around the area to restrict their movement and allow security personnel access to the area.
Operatives of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nigerian police were seen late night controlling traffic around the area.
Paramedic and ambulances were also seen moving victims and bodies to the General Hospitals around the area.
No group has, however, claimed responsibility for the latest blast.
Many Nigerians are shocked and angry about the explosions which happened in quick succession within weeks.
The spokesperson for the Directorate of State Security (DSS), Ms Marylin Ogah, failed to respond to the media when several calls were made to her phone. She also did not respond to a text message requesting details of the explosion.
President Jonathan had earlier in the day while addressing the May Day rally held at Eagle Square, Abuja assured that government and its security agencies were working round the clock to combat the Boko Haram menace.
He also used the opportunity of the occasion to out rightly condemn the April 14, Nyanyan bombing and the abduction of over 200 girls in Chibok, Borno state.
He revealed that government was presently reviewing its security strategies aimed at checking the activities of the Boko Haram sect.
He maintained that government was not just sitting down and watching innocent people killed as has been suggested in some quarters, saying that protection of lives and properties was uppermost in the agenda of his administration.
Speaking earlier, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Abdullahi Omar lamented the state of insecurity in the country, especially in the North East region of the country.
According to Omar, “In spite of government’s effort, the situation, particularly in the North East, is deteriorating. The initial gains of emergency rule clearly have been lost and the momentum squandered. The Boko Haram elements have matured into a full-blown terror group striking at high-profile targets with devastating effect.
“Indeed, the choice of targets, regularity of strikes, weapons used, co-ordination and sophistication of their operations make them not only the leading terror group but the group to dread. We feel seriously concerned about the state of the nation’s security infrastructure. In spite of the relative huge security votes in the past few years, it is weak and inadequate. We also believe conflicting political interests, ambiguous operational order and primordial sentiments are some of the factors undermining the counter terror war.
The Nigerian government is hosting the World Economic Forum in Abuja from Monday May 12 to Thursday May 15 and yesterday’s explosion is believed to be part of Boko Haram’s game plan to discourage attendance.
