Kaduna’s many bombs and explosions
On December 11, 2011 · In News

By: Luka Binniyat
STORY IN BRIEF
This is a look at the many incidents of bombings that have occurred in Kaduna this year alone, leaving security personnel wondering about the level of sophistication

There seemed to have been a lull in bomb actions in Kaduna State in the past few months. Residents of Kaduna have all agreed that in the history of the several ethnic and religious crises that the town had been witnessing since the 1987 spill over Kafanchan riots, the last post election skirmishes had introduced a novel dimension to the macabre game – Bombs.

Here is a chronology of bomb incidents in the town from last April. These all started shortly before the last Presidential election.

April 8

Police uncover massive bombing plots in

Kaduna after bomb kills one

On this day, three hours after the Kaduna State Police Command said it was aware of plans for massive violence to disrupt the Presidential polls, a bomb exploded in Mahuta, a dusty, rusty overcrowded suburb, killing the handler and maiming one Mohammed, a suspected accomplice, who was rushed to St. Gerald Hospital Kaduna under police cover.

The police said it found over 100 strands of dynamites loaded in three sacks in the home of the arrested bomber.

A second massive explosion that was heard in most areas of Kaduna the previous night was later confirmed as a bomb detonated by the Police Bomb Squad, to decommission one of Mohammed’s bombs.

“The content in each bag can bring down any building in Kaduna, no matter how well built”, said Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Haruna John, to newsmen with Mohammed critically hurt and taking treatment nearby.

Few hours to the incident, the Police had said it had become aware of plans to inflict violence on Kaduna during that day’s elections, and warned the plotters that the police was watching them.

But, three hours later, a bomb went off, to prove that the Police were not watching after all.

17th April.

Police arrest 4 foreigners after two bomb blasts

The Kaduna State Police Command this day paraded four arrested foreigners and a suspected Nigerian accomplice after two bombs exploded the previous night at an interval of two hours injuring eight and destroying some structures

According to the Kaduna State Police Commissioner, Mr. John Haruna, the second explosion which took place near the high profile public gathering place around 10:30 pm that night at Magajin Gari Sharia Court, was a powerful bomb that could have killed hundreds if it had been detonated at a busy hour.

He said the bomb uprooted two big trees and damaged some structures within its vicinity.

He said that eight persons were wounded, but that only five were rushed to the hospitals for medical attention, while the other three said they could take care of themselves. No life was lostd.

One Abubakar Adbulazeez, from Niger Republic, a principal suspect, was promptly arrested.

Another Mallam Alhasan, also from Niger Republic, was paraded as the suspect mastermind of the plot, alongside two more suspects.

22 April

Bomb making factory uncovered after blast killed one.

The Kaduna State Police Command on this day took newsmen to a bomb making shop it had uncovered at the Rafin Guza Area of Kaduna metropolis. The Police also displayed recovered arms from the shop.

The Police Commissioner in Charge of election duties in Kaduna, Haruna John, said eight persons have been arrested three of whom were critically injured during the blast which occurred at about 6.00pm the previous day.

According to him, “at about 18:00 hours, the sound of an explosion was heard somewhere at Rafin Guza. Police and Air force patrol teams raced to the scene and arrested three suspects at No 5, Matazu Road, Rafin Guza Kawo, Kaduna where the blast occurred inside the property of one Alhaji Idris Abdullahi of Dan Ama Road, Rigachikwu.

“All three suspects had sustained serious injuries from the blast and were rushed to various hospitals for medical attention. The corpse of one Ismail Ibrahim from Kano State who was killed by the bomb blast was recovered and deposited at the mortuary.

“With information provided by well meaning Nigerians, we traced another victim who had escaped from the scene with the aid of a Honda Civic car was traced to where he had gone to seek medical attention and was arrested.

11th June

Police found bomb at Gonin Gora market

Police Anti Bomb Disposal squad on this day discovered and detonated a live bomb in a market place in Gonin Gora area of Kaduna metropolis at about 11 am.

Kaduna State Police Spokesperson, DSP Aminu Lawan, said, “it is an explosive object discovered by the people and they quickly alerted us and we were able to move to the scene, recovered and detonated the object immediately”.

13th June

Bomb found at NNPC quarters

The Police on this day recovered an explosive leading into the NNPC staff quarters at Narayi, Kaduna.

“Our men were alerted to the presence of an explosive around 4am by a security man”, said Kaduna State Police Command spokesman, DSP Amuni Lawal.

“We quickly mobilised our team and decommissioned the bomb. We are investigating the matter”, he said.

14th June

Strategically placed bomb found near school.

On this day, a bomb, strategically placed under a bridge near a high profile private secondary school which, if it had exploded, could have cut off Southern part of Kaduna metropolises from its Northern part, was discovered by the Police.

The bomb was planted on a rail track near an overhead bridge behind Dambo International School around Barnawa GRA in the heart of Kaduna city.

The Police Officer in charge of the police anti_bomb squad, DSP Patrick David Effiong, who spoke at the scene of the discovery, said, “the explosives are capable of causing massive destruction of the rails into fragments and buildings and cutting off the bridge”

A man who claimed knowledge of bombs, but asked not to be named, said had the bombed been detonated as placed, “it would have been the worst bomb attack ever in the state, considering the location, the targets and also the higher magnitude of the explosives”.

6th December

Bomb explosion kills 8

A shattering explosion in the heart of Kaduna metropolis in the morning rush hours of this day brought down a block of shops and apartments, which promptly went under smouldering flames leading to the agonising death of eight.

The number of those injured was estimated to be six

Who cares?
Let them continue to bomb their own arzzzes and those stoopid Southerners who choose to go and practice 'Christianity' there.
They deserve each other!