Nigeria Police Recants on “Suicide Bomber” Claim

The Nigerian Police has retracted its claim that last Thursday’s that last Thursday’s bombing of its national headquarters in Abuja was carried out by a suicide bomber.

The bomb which exploded as the driver of the Mercedes Benz in which it was planted was being directed to the general car park of Louis Edet House, Abuja Headquarters of the Nigerian Police claimed the life of the driver of the car.

The blast also claimed the life of the traffic police officer who had allegedly entered the car to direct it away from the car park of the Inspector General where the driver had initially headed on his enterance into the Police headquarters.

Olusola Amore, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Police had told journalists about a hour after the blast which Police confirmed had so far claimed eight lives and resulted into destruction of 70 vehicles that the bombing was carried out by a suicide bomber.

He also said members of the fundamentalist Islamic group, popularly known as Boko Haram are being suspected as brains behind the deadly explosions.

But in a statement distributed to journalists in Abuja “correcting the report about the fact that it is (a) suicide bombing,” the Force Public Relations Officer recanted on the suicide bomb claim. He added that investigations into the attacks are ongoing and that it is only after its conclusion that the Police will be able to speak categorically on the bombing episode.

Even before the turnaround, many prominent Nigerians, including Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos had queried the suicide bomber claim, arguing that the conclusion reached by the Police on the issue was too hasty.

PM NEWS also gathered that a review of the cctv footage of the bombing incident may have further convinced the Police that that the bomb attack was not carried out by a suicide bomber. It was learnt that the new thinking is that the driver of the bomb laden vehicle may have intended to park the car and leave the Police headquarters before setting off the explosive.

Boko Haram, in a statement issued to a couple of international radio stations has already claimed responsibility for the attack.