The Federal Government on Saturday said it would seek foreign assistance to arrest the perpetrators of last Friday‘s bombings that allegedly claimed 11 lives and injured 13 others at the Mogadishu Military Barracks, Abuja.


The Minister of Defence, Adetokunmbo Kayode(SAN),who stated this when he visited victims of the blast at Asokoro District Hospital, however, put the official death figure at four.


He said, ”We must arrest those behind the blast even if it requires seeking foreign assistance. The perpetrators are here and they did not come from the moon and we will get them no matter where they hide. We will not spare any effort to arrest the perpetrators of this heinous crime.


”It is a security challenge but we must be on top of the situation. We are not suspecting anybody. We have the wherewithal to investigate the incident and we can get experts from anywhere in the world to assist us because issues like this involves partners.”


The Minister, who explained that among the dead were three males and a pregnant woman, added that 26 other persons were wounded.


He said that a military officer and his five-year-old daughter were among the wounded.


The military officer who lost his leg, he said, went to buy roasted fish with her daughter when the blast happened.


He continued, ”It is not an indictment or assault at the military because it happened at a civilian relaxation spot.


”All the security agencies have to be mobilised and rejuvenated as the Federal Government will take full responsibility of the medical treatment of the blast victims.


”Some people want to create the impression that there is no security in the country but we will prove that the nation is well secured.


”It is a deliberate attempt to create an atmosphere of insecurity in the country. The perpetrators want to create problems between soldiers and civilians, Christians and Muslims but we will not allow that to happen.


”We have cordoned off the blast place and have deployed our forensic experts to comb the place for evidence. It is going to be a thorough and deep investigation. We will investigate the blast and get those behind it even if it takes time.”


Also the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, who visited the hospital to condole with victims, said the House would confer with the executive arm before it investigates the incident.


He said, ”Before I make any response, the constituency which I represent which is the House of Representatives, will look at it with some executives in order to stop this mayhem from recurring. We need to know exactly what happened beyond what we can see now.


The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed, who came in the company of Bankole, said the blast was an act of cowardice and terrorism.


The Minister said, ”First of all I want to express my deepest regrets and remorse to this despicable and condemnable act of cowardice and terrorism against our good people. This is a very unfortunate situation, it is something we must all condemn. The act as I said is evil. It is an act of cowardice.


Meanwhile, security operatives have deployed bomb scanners in some selected churches in Abuja following the bombings.


This was as security was beefed up in the FCT in the wake of the explosions which occurred exactly 90 days after the October 1 twin blasts that killed 14 people and injured 66 others.


Authorities at the Living Faith Church (Winners‘ Chapel), Durumi, Garki Area 1 approved the use of explosive detectors by security operatives who scanned worshippers who attended the New Year service in the church.


Church members were taken aback when they saw security men using hand-held explosive detectors on men and women as security heightened in the city.


Vehicles entering the expansive church premises were also subjected to searches and drivers asked to open their boots for inspection.


The same arrangement was observed at Our Lady Queen of Pro-Cathedral Catholic Church, Garki, Area 3.


The latest incident caused panic among residents as most people stayed indoors unlike at the Christmas when the parks and other relaxation centres in the city were filled with fun-lovers.


Meanwhile, medical personnel were still battling to save the lives of victims that were admitted for treatment.


The acting Chief Medical Director, Asokoro District Hospital, Dr. Amos Adebayo, who told one of our correspondents that many of the patients were being prepared for surgeries, however noted that the hospital‘s blood bank was exhausted.


He added that the 18 victims on admission in the hospital were in stable condition, noting that those with fractures would soon be operated upon.


Adebayo explained that the hospital‘s capacity was stretched to the limit, as it had to recall some of the workers on vacation.


In a related development, security operatives on Saturday closed down the mammy market at the Mogadishu Barracks, Abuja where, at least, 11 persons lost their lives following explosions that rocked the marketplace.


This is coming as shop owners in the market have decried the huge losses that they incurred as a result of the bombings.


When our correspondent visited the place on Saturday, a red tape was used to cordon off the market even as some security operatives were seen watching over the place.


Some of the traders were seen hanging around pedestrian bridge when our correspondent visited the market, bemoaning their woes.


A trader, Mrs. Dorothy Muntua, who spoke to our correspondent on behalf of her colleagues, said though they sympathised with those who lost their lives, many of them borrowed money in anticipation of brisk business during the New Year celebrations.


Meanwhile, a presidential aspirant of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has condoled with the victims of the blasts, and called on President Goodluck Jonathan to guarantee the security of Nigerians from random acts of terrorism.


Ribadu, in a statement on Saturday, described the perpetrators of the action as ”cowards and cruel people who deserved no place in a civilised community”.


He added that the basic minimum expectation from the government was to ensure that the perpetrators were brought to justice.


He also implored political parties ”to urgently engage with their members to promote tolerance and policies that would further enhance peace and social unity in the country.

Whatever technology it takes to scan and get the faces of the bomb planters shld be employed