…Bombs churches, kills 41, suicide-bombs SSS HQ
It was everything but a merry Christmas for the Christian faithful at the St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Suleja Local Government Area, Niger State, yesterday.
Bombings carried out by Boko Haram effectively turned the festive season into a mesh of sorrow, tears and blood, leaving at least 41 persons dead – possibly the worst Christmas Day killings in the history of Nigeria.
All the attacks appeared coordinated barely a week after bombs being prepared by the terrorists went off prematurely in Kaduna, Damaturu and Maiduguri.
Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the Christmas day bombings, saying it was avenging the deaths of Muslims in Jos during the last Eid-el-Fitri celebrations.
In Damaturu, Yobe State, three security operatives were killed by a suicide bomber, while another attack on a church in Jos, Plateau State, left a policeman seriously injured.
Another church was targeted in Gadaka, Yobe State, leading to six deaths which were yet to be confirmed last night.
There were conflicting figures on the number of worshipers killed or injured by the bomb that exploded in the premises of St. Theresa’s Catholic Church shortly after the 6am Mass of Nativity.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) put the figure of the dead at 25, while a security officer who was at the scene when evacuation was going on gave a figure of 41.
However, Rev. Fr. Isaac Achi, a native of Madalla, who pastors the church, pointed to 17 burnt vehicles, the wreckage of the explosion.
Achi, who looked thoroughly harassed and downcast, said: "The owners of these vehicles queued up to drive home after the early morning mass where the message of love, peace and joy was delivered to herald the Feast of Nativity. Sadly, what we met was this ugly situation resulting in ugly casualties. A victim was found on the roof of the church. Dead bodies were picked in gutters and many families were burnt beyond recognition inside these vehicles. I do not have the exact number of those recorded dead or injured.
“The victims have been moved to different hospitals, but at St. Lucas Hospital, nine of my parishioners were recorded dead, while at Gwagwalada, six people from this church have been identified dead and at Diamond Hospital, a little baby who was injured could not have his parents located.
Among the victims could have been okada and kabu kabu cab drivers, who come here to pick passengers every Sunday. I don’t usually cry, but today, I wept with my household of 5000 worshippers seeing some of our brethren bombed out of existence. Nigeria must intensify its efforts in the area of security and guaranty freedom of movement and security.”
NEMA spokesman, Yushau Shuaibu, told Reuters news agency: “We are presently evacuating the dead and the injured, but unfortunately we don't have enough ambulances. Most of our ambulances have gone to operate on the major highways of the country.”
Businessman Munir Nasidi was in a hotel opposite the church when the blast occurred.
He told the BBC: “When I came out of the hotel, people were running around. Everyone was crying. They were bringing out casualties. Nobody was getting near the building as there was a fire.”
State Security Service (SSS) spokesperson Marilyn Ogar said in a press release that the Yobe State Command Headquarters of the Department of State Services, Damaturu, was attacked by a lone suicide bomber.
The incident occurred as the convoy of the Commanding Officer of the 241 Recce Battalion, Nguru, Yobe State, Col. Dahiru Abdulsallam, was driving into the headquarters complex for a security meeting.
According to Ogar, the suicide bomber attempted to force his way into the convoy but was stopped by vigilant guards.
However, upon collusion with the gate, the impact resulted in an explosion.
She continued: “Consequently, the following casualties were recorded: three Service personnel died; the suicide bomber was killed; one person was injured; and an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) stationed at the gate was destroyed.
“These attacks, no doubt are reactions to the on-going operations by the security agencies to contain the excesses of terrorists who continue to wreak havoc on the public. The attacks will in no way deter security agencies from securing the lives and property of Nigerians and ridding the society of criminals.”
She added that members of the public were hereby implored to report suspicious movements within their localities to the nearest law enforcement agency in the overall effort to rid the country of these undesirable elements.
That marked the fourth day running when Boko Haram engaged the security agencies led by men of the Nigeria Army in battle in Damaturu.
The battle spot moved from the Pompomari area which had been levelled after three days of intensive battle to the Yobe State headquarters of the SSS.
THISDAY investigations revealed that a detachment of the Nigeria Army deployed to return peace in the state were moving some items recovered from the hot spots to the office of the SSS at about 10am yesterday when they were trailed by a vehicle driven by the sect members.
They were halted but instead of stopping their vehicle, they increased the top speed and rammed into the rear vehicle, an armoured vehicle.
There was instant explosion which left the armoured vehicle totally destroyed and its occupants as well as the suicide bombers burnt.
The impact of the explosion also left some vehicles destroyed and the gate of the SSS building in flame.
THISDAY gathered that apart from the soldiers and the three suicide bombers who lost their lives to the explosion, also some officials of the SSS were killed.
A reliable security source disclosed to THISDAY that about 10 soldiers were killed and two officials of the SSS also lost their lives.
The source also revealed that the fire engulfed the SSS office and that it took the intervention of the state Fire Service to put out the inferno which raged for about an hour.
According to him, several men both of the Nigeria Army and the SSS were left injured and several vehicles damaged.
When contacted, the spokesman of the military Joint Task Force (JTF) with headquarters in Maiduguri, Lt. Col. Hassan Mohammed, confirmed the attack on the building but denied any death on the side of the security agencies.
Compiled By: Silverboy & Friends
