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Bomb blast rocks Suleja...6 feared dead

By BALA B. BITRUS, MINNA
Posted: Saturday, April 9, 2011

Massive explosions yesterday rocked the local government office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) in Kwamba area of the council killing six persons and injuring over two dozen others. Only last March, (2nd March, 2011) a similar explosion in Suleja had rocked a campaign rally of the Peoples Democratic Party killing no fewer than 20 persons and injured scores of others.
Initial reports said the bomb went off late afternoon yesterday making substantial damage to the office and leading to the death of several persons who are believed to be NYSC members on assignment for the elections.
An informed source from Suleja said several corpses were littered at the INEC's office and in the mortuary of the Suleja General hospital while other victims who escaped the blast were seen at the OPD unit of the hospital as pandemonium reigned even in the hospital environment.
About a hundred corp members were gathered at the INEC's office at the time of the blast. The explosions, according to our sources, caught all the people that were gathered at the INEC's office unawares.
Our sources said the situation was compounded as the blast came after a heavy wind storm which was followed by a down pour.
Rescue operations was not forthcoming as fear gripped those who were far off from the scene of the blast while passersby took to their heels. Not even the wailings of those injured by the blast could attract the attention of passer byes as everybody scampered into distant safer places.
INEC's spokesman, Mr. Kayode Idowu confirmed the incidence but was silent on the actual number of casualties. He said the commission was liaising with security agencies to unravel the brains behind the bomb blast.
Idowu said the Commission was studying the situation to decide if election could still go ahead.
In his immediate reaction, Governor Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger state condemned the bomb blast and described the brains behind it as cowards and enemies of democracy. He condoled with the families of victims and casualties of the blast.