- Police confirm report, say investigation ongoing
BY OUR CORRESPONDENT – Facts have emerged that the explosion which rocked the Sani Uthman Islamiyya School in Kuchibuyi Village, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) brought to the school compound by one of the male students.
According to an eyewitness account, the affected student, who reportedly came with the bomb to school on Monday, arrived from Katsina State a day before the tragic incident which claimed two lives with two other persons sustaining varying degree of injuries.
The eyewitness said; “The explosive detonated at the point the boy from Katsina was excitingly showing the object to another boy (his friend) in the school”.
Confirmed reports said in the process, the explosive went off and instantly killed the boy who was holding it, while the second boy, who was rushed to the hospital, later died in the course of being attended to by medical personnel.
The reports further indicated that there were two survivors from the tragic incident in the school which is a three-classroom block, erected for nomadic education, popularly called Almajiri school.
Also, it was gathered that survivors are a little girl currently receiving treatment at the Kubwa General Hospital, and a boy referred to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH) in Gwagwalada for further medical attention.
As pictures of the incident emerged on social media late Monday and Tuesday morning, revealing the aftermath of the blast, the FCT Police Command have since sealed of the school premises for its ongoing investigation.
Commenting on the incident, Police Public Relations Officer, FCT Command, Josephine Adeh, said a team of operatives, including the Command’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team has been mobilised to the scene.
In a statement issued on Monday, Adeh confirmed that; “The area was immediately cordoned off to protect residents and facilitate a thorough investigation.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that three men from Katsina had visited the owner of the Islamic school, Mallam Adamu Ashimu. The three visitors are suspected of having brought the explosive device with them.
“Tragically, two of the men died in the explosion while tampering with the Improvised Explosive Device (IED), on the school Veranda, while the third man and a female trader sustained severe injuries and are currently receiving treatment under police guard.
“The FCT Bomb Squad has confirmed that it was an IED explosion, as remnants of the device have been recovered.”
Furthermore, Adeh said the School’s Proprietor in currently in custody for questioning, and further findings would be communicated in due course to the public.
Meanwhile, the FCT Commissioner of Police Olatunji Disu urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious activity, behaviour, or items that may resemble IEDs to the police for immediate action.
