Bomb blasts kill 200 in Kano Central Mosque
I don’t know how I survived — Chief
Imam of Masalacin
The orgy of violence in the Northern
part of the country by gunmen, suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents, continued
yesterday, with the killing of over 200 Muslim worshippers, who were sent to
their grave by a triple blast that rocked Kano Central Mosque, where the Emir
of Kano normally leads prayers.
Saturday Vanguard gathered from
eyewitness account that the two Improvised Explosive Device inside the mosque
and one outside the mosque exploded simultaneously at the point worshippers had
congregated for the Friday Jumat prayers.
A man speaks on his hospital bed on
November 25, 2014 about injuries sustained following double female suicide bomb
attacks that killed 45 people in Maiduguri, northeastern Nigeria. More than 45
people were killed when two female suicide bombers blew themselves up in a
crowded market in northeast Maiduguri
According to the source, who was
close to the Mosque, the deafening sound triggered pandemonium and stampede
within and around the mosque.
“I personally counted 70 lifeless
bodies inside the mosque and over 150 bodies were recovered from outside. The
most painful aspect of the development was that most of the victims were
children,” the eyewitness, who did not give his name told Saturday Vanguard.
Another source familiar with the
history of the Mosque, said that there had been two previous attempts on the
life of the former Emir near another Mosque that is about six kilometres away
from the scene of yesterday’s attack but wondered why nothing was done by the
security agents to address the threat.
The eyewitness said that many
children who accompanied their guardians to the mosque were trampled during the
ensuing confusion.
It was learned that there was
sporadic gunshots after the blast, while several worshippers fleeing the scene
were felled by stray bullets.
The Friday blasts triggered riot in
the city as people in major markets hurriedly locked their shops to ward off
looting in the volatile city that has enjoyed peace after it came under attack
by Boko Haram on January 20, 2012.
Ambulances were seen conveying
bodies and the injured to the three major hospitals in the city, while most of
the mortuaries were filled to capacity at press time.
The cases of the injured rushed to
hospitals were complicated by the strike embarked upon by health workers in the
city over unpaid allowances and sundry issues with Federal Government.
However, a security officer
who preferred anonymity told Saturday Vanguard that, “The morgues are filled to
capacity and we have counted many bodies so far.”
The security officer who claimed to
have participated in the rescue operation, added that most of the victims were
children.
It could not be ascertained at press
time whether the attacks were aimed at the Emir of Kano, who had recently
called on the people to take steps to defend themselves against Boko Haram.
A source close to the Emir, said
that the influential Muslim and traditional ruler had travelled to Saudi Arabia
via Paris for undisclosed reasons and was not at the Mosque at the time of the
attack.
The acting state Police Public
Relations Officer, Mr Mustapha Abubakar could not confirm the casualty figure,
when contacted, but said “We are still taking stock and official figure will be
made available soon as it is ready.”
He added, “We have restored order in
the city.”
The Kano blasts, which were one in a
series to hit the ancient city came barely two days after two female suicide
bombers hit Maiduguri killing more than 70 people and injuring others.
Boko Haram, which is trying to
Islamise Nigeria, has so far killed no fewer than 2000 since it launched its
murderous campaign in 2009.
I don’t know how I survived — Chief
Imam of Masalacin
The Chief Imam of Masalacin Nakuka
of Naibawa quarters, Alarama Muhammadu Inuwa, yesterday, shortly after the
blasts, narrated how he survived the triple explosions that ripped through the
Kano central mosque.
Inuwa who survived the blast
alongside his 32 – year old son, Ahmad Inuwa, said “Allah is alive. What I
witnessed today (yesterday) was a journey through the valley of hell.”.
The septuagenarian added “For two
years I have not set my foot on this mosque. I was compelled by certain
exigencies bothering on Islamic knowledge to come here, which brought me closer
to death.
“We were set for the prayers when we
had the first, it was accompanied with sporadic gunshot and the ensuing
confusion triggered wailing among worshipers, who ran in different directions
for safety.
“I saw lifeless bodies as I fled the
scene. I saw blind beggars running for safety. I saw the old and the young
being trampled, and I saw people crying as if the end of the world has
come. Indeed, it was an unpleasant experience. “How I escaped is still a
mystery to me as my son I were involved in the race for life.”
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