- Title: NIGERIA: Islamists suspected after Nigeria blasts kill 25
- Date: 19th March 2013
- Summary: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL KANO, NIGERIA (MARCH 19, 2013) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DESTROYED BUSES PEOPLE STANDING NEAR BURNT CLOTHES AND DEBRIS ON THE GROUND (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNNAMED MAN, SAYING: "Actually, gratitude to God, I have to thank God for everything about what happened because we were about travelling yesterday with these, my sisters, I was about going back to Calabar. Suddenly, we said we should go and buy goods. On coming back, we heard a bomb blast, we were about coming in, the thing exploded, so they had to send us back home. The next thing, we started hearing gun shots. Actually, we thank God for our lives, but it's not our happiness seeing our own brothers are lost. Maybe we are thinking, some people are saying more than 60, when two cars are loaded. There are more than 60." VARIOUS OF CARS ON ROAD (SOUNDBITE) (English) TRADITIONAL LEADER OF THE OHANAEZE NDIGBO TRIBE, MICHAEL IDIKA, SAYING: "This is not the first time there has been a bomb attack in that garage. We expect that security should be beefed to the high brim to forestall any re-occurrence. Presently, what is going on is a shame and we have lost more than 60 souls presently, I must confirm to you." SIGN READING (English) "WELCOME TO LUXURY BUS MOTOR PARK, KANO" DESTROYED BUSES (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNNAMED WOMAN, SAYING: "It's my first time going to Kano, I came to buy goods and it was unfortunate we met this incident. But it's not too okay that strangers should be treated this way because we come in to buy goods and we load in a coastal bus, and we never experienced there was a bomb blast inside the bus that they loaded. If they don't want strangers in their state, then they should not bring us to come and buy goods. We feel because we are strangers, that's why a bomb should be loaded in the coastal bus when we about to leave." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT BLAST SCENE POLICE OFFICERS AT A NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) POLICE COMMISSIONER OF KANO STATE, MUSA DAURA, SAYING: "In the course of this incident, we were fully confirmed, 22 people lost their lives, 65 people sustained different degrees of injury at the same time, the five buses were badly burnt beyond repairs." VARIOUS OF DAMAGED BUSES
- Embargoed: 3rd April 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nigeria
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: Crime,Conflict
- Reuters ID: LVAA0YC7QBQF5YSKJH9W624EJ15V
- Story Text: Five explosions at a bus park in Nigeria have killed at least 25 people and wounded 65, in an area where Islamist sect Boko Haram is waging an insurgency against the government.
Five explosions at a bus park in northern Nigeria's main city of Kano on Monday (March 18) killed at least 25 people and wounded 65, police said on Tuesday (March 19), in an area where Islamist sect Boko Haram is waging an insurgency against the government.
The blasts destroyed several buses in the Sabon Gari area of Kano, an area mostly inhabited by immigrants from Nigeria's largely Christian south, a Reuters witness said. Military and police cordoned off the area after the blasts.
Several witnesses said one of the 60-seater buses targeted was full and completely destroyed. Charred bodies fell from it.
"Actually, gratitude to God, I have to thank God for everything about what happened because we were about travelling yesterday with these, my sisters, I was about going back to Calabar. Suddenly, we said we should go and buy goods. On coming back, we heard a bomb blast, we were about coming in, the thing exploded, so they had to send us back home. The next thing, we started hearing gun shots. Actually, we thank God for our lives, but it's not our happiness seeing our own brothers are lost. Maybe we are thinking, some people are saying more than 60, when two cars are loaded. There are more than 60," said one man.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Boko Haram, which frequently has attacked the city, is a prime suspect.
The attacks came as an audio tape emerged of a man saying he was the father of a family of seven French tourists kidnapped by Boko Haram militants.
Michael Idika, traditional leader of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a southern Igo tribe, said more effort was needed to improve the level of security in the state.
"This is not the first time there has been a bomb attack in that garage. We expect that security should be beefed to the high brim to forestall any re-occurrence. Presently, what is going on is a shame and we have lost more than 60 souls presently, I must confirm to you," he said.
Those visiting the state said they were shocked by what had happened.
"It's my first time going to Kano, I came to buy goods and it was unfortunate we met this incident. But it's not too okay that strangers should be treated this way because we come in to buy goods and we load in a coastal bus, and we never experienced there was a bomb blast inside the bus that they loaded. If they don't want strangers in their state, then they should not bring us to come and buy goods. We feel because we are strangers, that's why a bomb should be loaded in the coastal bus when we about to leave," said one survivor.
Boko Haram, which wants to carve an Islamic state out of Nigeria, has killed hundreds in gun and bomb attacks since it intensified its insurgency two years ago, including 186 people killed in a co-ordinated strike on Kano in January 2012.
Boko Haram often targets Christians. President Goodluck Jonathan, himself a southern Christian, condemned the blasts. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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