Nigerians of different backgrounds have continued to pour condemnation on whoever was responsible for the early morning bomb blast that swept through the popular Nyanya, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory [FCT], killing yet to be identified number of innocent commuters who had trooped into the park for their journey to the city centre in Abuja.
One of those who had reacted to the dastardly act is a governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Grand Alliance [APGA] in the November 16, 2013 governorship election in Anambra State, Dr Chike Obidigbo.
In a press release, Obidigbo said “I strongly condemn the bomb blasts that killed dozens of people and wounded many others today at Nyanya near Abuja. It is outrageous.”
He added that “I commiserate with the families of the deceased and pray for speedy recovery for those injured in the blasts. I urge the perpetrators of this heinous crime to give peace a chance and use the opportunity provided by President Goodluck Jonathan to channel their grievances through their representatives at the on-going national conference.”
Also reacting, the Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council [AMAC], Hon. Micha Jiba, told TheNiche that he lacked words to express his shock.
Hon. Jiba who was one of the government functionaries to accompany President Goodluck Jonathan to the scene of the bomb blast, lamented in a telephone interview, that “this is the worst calamity I have seen in recent times.”
He could not give the exact casualty figure of the incident, but said there were more than 50 dead bodies that he saw.
“For a very long time we have not experienced this type of horror in the FCT. I am too shocked to say anything now. May God come to rescue us. This is just terrible,” he kept lamenting.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwai, has also condemned the incident which he described as barbaric. He also asked the security agents to do everything possible to fish out the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, reports have it that security agencies have been placed on red alert throughout the Federal Capital Territory following the explosion that occurred in Nyanya on Monday.
There are conflicting reports with regards to how the blast happened. The police said the explosion affected 16 high capacity buses as well as smaller commercial vehicles, some of which had loaded and were ready to leave. Another source said that three persons who boarded three different FCT high capacity buses may have been the ones behind the blasts.
A NAN correspondent, who got to the scene shortly after the blast, reported counting about 70 bodies at the scene.
More than 100 victims of the blast, made up of the dead and the injured, had been deposited at the National Hospital, Mrs Rabia Labaran, an assistant information officer, at the hospital said.
The Chief Medical Director of Maitama General Hospital, Abuja, Dr Sotimehin Adetohun, confirmed that 14 dead bodies and 37 injured persons were brought to the hospital, while two persons in critical conditions were transferred to the National Hospital.
Men of the Anti-bomb Squad of the Nigeria Police, fire service, Federal Road Safety Commission, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the National Emergency Management Agency personnel arrived at the scene 20 minutes after the attack.
Rescue workers battled to take the dead and injured to nearby hospitals, including Nyanya General Hospital.
Security agencies are still trying to piece together clues as to what really happened and there are varying accounts of the origin of the explosives by witnesses.
Police spokesman, Frank Mba, told newsmen in Abuja at the scene of the incident that the blast occurred at about 6.55 a.m.
“The FCT police are already on red alert; security in and around Abuja is being strengthened; we are paying very close attention to all vulnerable points,” he said.
“We are also paying close attention to motor parks. We advise the public to avoid unnecessary huge crowd. We are also paying close attention to government buildings. We want to appeal for calm, cooperation and patience.’’
Mba confirmed that 16 high capacity buses, some cars and motorcycles were affected in the explosion.
“At this stage, we may not be able to give the casualty figure; the reasons are obvious; a lot of people are in the hospital; our detectives are visiting hospitals and taking count. We want to give you figures that we can back up with facts,’’ he said.
A survivor, Prince Igwe, said a vehicle was driven into the park and parked in front of the already loaded high capacity buses.
“The driver hurriedly parked and disappeared shortly after the explosion went off. I was inside one of the buses; I struggled to come out. Many people died,’’ he said.
A commercial motorcycle rider, who gave his name as Wahid, told NAN that a man threw a bag containing the bomb into the congested park.
“I was conveying a passenger to the park this morning when I saw a man throw a big black bag into the park; the next thing I saw was explosion,’’ Wahid said.
Another witness, David Lukman, however, said that the bomb was planted in a car at the park.
“I am very sure the bomb was either planted at the park last night or a suicide bomber posing as passenger entered one of the cars with it,’’ he said.
A stockbroker, Abbas Adamu, said four of his friends died in the explosion.
“I have never seen something like this in my entire life. My friends told me this morning that they were going to Kaduna and because I was also going to Kaduna in my car I told them to wait for me at the park so that we go together.
“But I asked them to enter the park and not wait under the bridge because road safety and VIO (Vehicle Inspection Officers) officials usually disturb along the road under the bridge.
“Seconds later, I heard a loud explosion; in fact, I can’t explain because I felt something like electric shock inside the car, and as I speak to you now, my friends are all dead,” Adamu said.
Those affected were passengers, mostly people leaving the park to the city centre, petty traders and vehicles conveying passengers to other locations within and outside the FCT.
Police and other security agencies as well as para-military agencies carrying out rescue operation had hectic time controlling crowd at the scene.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar and the Commander, Guards Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Anthony Omozoje and other senior security personnel visited the scene.