Kaduna bomb blast: Death toll rises to 70

... As Police corporal narrates how mob seized his rifle

Photo: 

 Sun News Publishing

By: 

 NOAH EBIJE, Kaduna

Date: 

 Tue, 06/19/2012 - 22:33

The death toll of Sunday’s bomb blast reprisal attack in Kaduna had risen to 70 while the number of those injured stood at 130 as at the time of filing this report. This was just when Corporal George Korinya of Kakuri Police Station narrated how hoodlums seized his gun during the reprisal attack  when Daily Sun visited Saint Gerald Catholic Hospital, Kaduna.

Korinya said: “I ran into a crowd of hoodlums in Nassarawa area where I was assigned to carry out my duty on that day, but before I knew what was happening, I was overpowered, they collected my gun, beat me up, you can see injuries on my face. “I thank God for everything because I did not know how I arrived at this hospital, and I pray to God to give me quick recovery.”

Also, narrating his experience, a Photo Journalist with Daily Independent newspaper, Mr. Nathaniel Jibrin said: “My colleague from Thisday newspaper called me that there was bomb blast in Trikania, and that he was going there to take pictures.  “Immediately headed for the place, but on my way, somewhere within the area, some people stopped us.

“I cannot remember what they were saying, all of a sudden I found myself on the ground, with blood flowing all over my body. It was two good Samaritans who brought me to this hospital. Thank God am getting better.”

Hospitals records put the death toll at 70 while the injured were put at 130. Also, the state media spokesman, Reuben Buhari, said government had relaxed the 24-hour curfew from 6am to 6pm daily. According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Saint Gerald Catholic Hospital, Sunday John Ali, 40 corpses had so far being deposited at the Hospital mortuary, adding that 72 injured victims were responding to treatment.

The Matron in charge of Barrau Dikko Specialist Hospital, Mrs Hassana Garba put the casualty figure in the Hospital at 12 and the injured, two. In Zaria, the death toll was put at 18 and the injured 53. In some parts of Kaduna, Red Cross and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) officials had evacuated no fewer than 30 corpses.

Officials of the International Committee of Red Cross, Geneva arrived from Abuja to Kaduna to assist in the treatment of victims, particularly at the Saint Gerald Hospital, but efforts to speak with them failed as the Hospital PRO said they were very busy in the theatres.

In the same vein, security agencies and search and rescue officers had continued to safeguard lives and property as well as attending to the plights of displaced people.

A team of search and rescue officers from National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday received calls from Muslims who harbored and protected some Christians who were displaced during the weekend crisis. The officers also evacuated Christians who took refuge in Muslims homes.

The interfaith cooperation took place at Sabon Tasha, Tirkaniya and Kudenda areas of Kaduna. Normalcy was gradually returning to the trouble cities as distressed people who were moved to Internally Displaced People Camp (IDP) had been reunited with their families.

Meanwhile, other response agencies led by the North-west Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Musa Illala had deposited more corpses to mortuaries and also visited hospitals where victims were receiving treatments.