AN explosion has killed five persons at the Alhaji Atiku Abubakar sponsored American University in Nigeria, Yola. Among the victims were a man and his son.

All the five were casual workers hired by the university to weld a water tanker at one of the institution’s official quarters on Lekki Taba Street.


Vanguard gathered that moments after the victims commenced work on the leaking tanker, there was an explosion, which threw them far and wide.

They were all badly burnt and subsequently rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Yola where they died one after the other.


The institution’s Vice President (University Relations), Dr. Elspeth Smith, confirmed the incident and said the university was still monitoring the situation and would probe it.


Mr. Abubakar Abba Tahir, the Director, Public Affairs of the university in a telephone interview said the victims were not staff of the university but working at one of the institution’s contractors.


According to him, the university was in touch with the victims’ relations.



This is sad, and my heart goes out to the families of the victims.