3rd October, 2015
Malam Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari and David Babachir Lawal, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on Saturday briefly visited the scene of Friday’s evening twin bomb blasts which so far had claimed three lives with 18 others injured.
Though the two top government officials did not go to the actual scene of the blasts in their visits which lasted barely 15 minutes, they however requested to be briefed on the actual number of casualties from the bomb attack, which according was carried out by a male and female suicide bomber.
Shuaib Gambo, Commissioner of Police, Counterterrorism Squad told the two men that the three lives lost to the blasts include that of the two suspected suicide bombers.
Lawal and Kyari later left immediately after receiving the briefinbgs to visit the victims of the blast on admission at National Hospital without speaking to journalists.
It was gathered that the CoS and the SGF have also visited the scene of the two explosions in Kuje which was deadlier as it claimed more lives.
Lawal told journalists after visiting some of the victims being treated at the National Trauma Centre of the National Hospital that the President had directed him and the Chief of Staff, accompanied by other top government officials to visit the three Nyanya motor park, the Kuje Police Station and the Kuje market, the three locations where the bombers operated to commiserate with some of those who have lost their loved ones.
He added that from briefings received by his team at the different locations, there a total of 17 deaths resulted from the simultaneous blasts.
“At the Nyanya motor park, there were three deaths that included two of the suicide bombers. At the two Kuje scenes, we recorded 14 deaths including one suicide bomber. Scores of people were injured at all three sites. Some were with minor injuries and were treated and discharged at the several hospitals. Those with serious injuries were brought to this Trauma Centre and they are receiving treatment. Of course, the level of treatment will be diverse because the injuries are different,” said Lawal who described the figures as tentative.
Shehu Garba, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to President Buhari later confirmed that the President has received briefings from the team in a statement.
The Presidential spokesperson added that members of the presidential delegation visited the scenes of the blasts in Kuje and Nyanya and the victims of the incidents at the National Hospital and the Maitama General Hospital.
He added that they also inspected the wards and mortuaries and consoled grieving family members on behalf of the President.
According to Garba, while receiving briefing from the team, the President had emphasized that for terrorism to be uprooted from the country, the society must be rid of violent extremism. He added that the President insisted that the end of insurgency was in sight despite the latest attacks.
“The defeat of Boko Haram insurgency is in sight but to remove violence and make the country safe, we must tackle the prevalence of violent extremism. In doing this, we will learn from the experience of the international community,” the President said.
Garba also added that the President directed security agencies to raise their surveillance activities to meet the challenges of what he called “a retreating, desperate terrorist army.”
He added that while the President asked members of the public to remain aware of security in and around them, he sympathized with the families of the victims of the blasts as well as the families of the more than a hundred others who were killed in similar incidents
a few days ago in Borno State.
But the National Emergency Management Agency said later that the number of deaths from the blasts have risen to 18.
Sani Datti, Senior Information Officer of the agency, told reporters that two victims of the blasts, which occurred in Kuje, lost their lives on Saturday, while one of those involved in the Nyanya explosion died at one of the hospitals. The number of casualty was put at 15 yesterday by the agency.