Bauchi Bomb Blast: four suspects arrested by the police

the blast soccurred at about 9:00 a.m. on Friday at the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) point in the bank premises at a time customers were on queue to withdraw money. An eyewitness stated that eight people lost their lives on the spot, while over 23 people sustained varying degrees of injuries in the blasts, adding that as of the time he was talking with journalists, the death toll had risen to 14...

The Bauchi State Police Command, however, stated that seven people died in the explosions, declaring that four suspects were arrested by the police. According to him, there were only three ATMs in the town, a situation he said, made the banks busy with customers who thronged the town from surrounding towns like Misau, Shira, Giade and even Potiskum in Yobe State to transact various businesses.He added that most of the affected people were civil servants on the payroll of the Bauchi State government who were at the scene to collect their salary, adding that the devices were planted on the bank premises.“There are only three ATMs in three banks that are working in the whole of Azare, so many customers usually gather there,” the source said.Another source, who also would not want to be named, stated that two men walked up to the ATM, pretending to be there to withdraw money and shortly after, dropped the explosives in polythene bags and left the scene.He added as people were rushing to the scene of the explosion after the first blast went off, the second occurred and caught people unawares.He said the death toll might not have been high had it not been that people rushed to the scene after the first explosion.

“As it exploded, killing many people on the ATM, another one exploded as people were running to the scene,” he said.Confirming the blast to Saturday Tribune in a telephone chat, the lawmaker representing Azare/Madagali state constituency in the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Honourable Baba Abubakar Suleiman, stated that 14 people died in the incident.According to the lawmaker, who is the Minority Leader in the assembly, 23 people sustained varying degrees of injuries in the attack, lamenting that, that was the second time bomb explosions occurred in the town, which is the second largest in the state.Suleiman stated that Friday’s blasts were very saddening and traumatic, considering the fact that people were yet to recover from the first one, which occurred about two weeks ago in the town.He called on Nigerians to fervently engage in prayers for God’s intervention, declaring that as it is now, anything could happen anywhere in the country, which could affect anyone.“Indeed, this one is very sad and traumatic. This is the second time within a month that we are experiencing this in Azare. Today’s (Friday’s) explosions came at a time people were yet to recover from the first attack,” the lawmaker said.

The lawmaker called for reinforcement of security in the commercial town, lamenting that Azare used to be secure when a particular Divisional Police Officer (DPO) was in charge at the divisional police headquarter in the town before he was transferred to Alkaleri.Meanwhile, the state police command stated that seven people died in the explosions, which it said occurred at about 10:05 am, while 10 others were injured.

According to a statement made available to the Saturday Tribune by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Haruna Mohammed, on Friday in Bauchi, the bomb attacks were suspected to be carried out by a female suicide bomber.He added that the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Shehu Lawal, had visited the scene to have an on-the-spot assessment of the explosions as well as commiserate with the victims.

“On the 7/11/2014 at about 10:05hrs, there was a bomb explosion suspected to be carried out by a female suicide bomber at a bank’s premises in Azare Town, Bauchi State.“Scene of incident was visited by the Commissioner of Police for on-the-spot assessment and to commiserate with victims.“So far, seven persons were confirmed dead while 10 others who sustained various degrees of injuries have been rushed to Federal Medical Centre, Azare, for medical attention out of which five were treated and discharged,” the police spokesman stated.According to him, the entire surroundings had been cordoned off by Police explosive ordinance disposal unit.Mohammed, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said that four suspects were arrested in connection with the explosions, adding that they were currently assisting the police with useful information which could aid police investigation.