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The death toll from the second Nyanya bomb blast rose to 20 yesterday,
after one of the victims at Asokoro District Hospital died. As at
Friday, the official figure was 19 persons dead.
Though there were no other records of dead persons, hospitals visited included Asokoro, Maitama, National Hospital, Wuse, Nyanya General Hospital and a private facility, Pan-Raf Hospital in Nyanya.
Speaking to journalists at the end of the visit, Minister of State for Health, Dr. Khaliru Alhassan, said everything has been put in place to ensure that victims are given adequate and efficient treatment.
Asked to estimate the funds being expended by government in the treatment of the bomb blast victims, Alhassan said “it is virtually impossible at this moment to quantify the amount of money that has been expended on them because it is an ongoing thing. You need to know that the first cases are still here, we cannot say now how much has been spent, but it is going to run into millions, unfortunately.”
Though there were no other records of dead persons, hospitals visited included Asokoro, Maitama, National Hospital, Wuse, Nyanya General Hospital and a private facility, Pan-Raf Hospital in Nyanya.
Speaking to journalists at the end of the visit, Minister of State for Health, Dr. Khaliru Alhassan, said everything has been put in place to ensure that victims are given adequate and efficient treatment.
Asked to estimate the funds being expended by government in the treatment of the bomb blast victims, Alhassan said “it is virtually impossible at this moment to quantify the amount of money that has been expended on them because it is an ongoing thing. You need to know that the first cases are still here, we cannot say now how much has been spent, but it is going to run into millions, unfortunately.”
He told journalists that all payments of expenses incurred by patients
from bomb explosion are to be borne by the Federal Capital Authority
(FCT). He also assured of collaboration with other partners to bring
succour to the victims.
On security, the minister of state contended that security has gone beyond being the sole responsibility of
government, stressing that it
has become the duty of all and sundry to be vigilant.On security, the minister of state contended that security has gone beyond being the sole responsibility of
Meanwhile, as the nation takes stock of last Thursday’s bombing at the Nyanya park, families are yet to identify dead bodies brought to the National Hospital, Abuja.
The six bodies in the mortuary, according to officials of the hospital have not been identified, neither has any family member approached the hospital to recover their loved ones.
The Head of Information Services, National Hospital, Dr. Tayo Haastrup,
said, “initially when the second Nyanya bomb blast happened, we had
nine victims that were brought into the National Hospital and we had six
corpses that were brought to the morgue.
The second Nyanya bombing has also stretched the hospital services regarding emergencies and Intensive Care Unit of the hospital. According to Haastrup, the number of victims had increased, given that patients from the previous bomb explosion were still in the hospital. “Don’t also forget that we still have about 15 to 20 victims of the previous bomb blast in the ward. So, because of insufficient space to accommodate all of them, we quickly sent two to the Federal Staff Hospital.
The second Nyanya bombing has also stretched the hospital services regarding emergencies and Intensive Care Unit of the hospital. According to Haastrup, the number of victims had increased, given that patients from the previous bomb explosion were still in the hospital. “Don’t also forget that we still have about 15 to 20 victims of the previous bomb blast in the ward. So, because of insufficient space to accommodate all of them, we quickly sent two to the Federal Staff Hospital.
“As I am talking to you now, we have about nine of them in the National
Hospital and the six corpses are still there and they are yet to be
identified and we are still looking forward to the relations of the
corpses to please come and identify them,” he said.
He told journalists that “we don’t just release corpses to the relations; it has to involve the police and other law enforcement agents.”
Haastrup further explained that “the corpses are not burnt beyond recognition; one can see them and recognise them. On the corpses, we have four males and two females.”
Furthermore, indications have emerged that the Nyanya motor-parks, which FCT authorities has clarified as ‘temporary’, could be closed to motorists and converted to its designated purpose in the Abuja Master Plan as a green area.
This is coming as the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), in their ongoing efforts to prevent further terrorist attacks in the nation’s capital following the devastating bomb blast, has designated boundary towns within Maraba-Masaka axis of Nasarawa state and as well as the Suleija area of Niger state as breeders of terrorism.
He told journalists that “we don’t just release corpses to the relations; it has to involve the police and other law enforcement agents.”
Haastrup further explained that “the corpses are not burnt beyond recognition; one can see them and recognise them. On the corpses, we have four males and two females.”
Furthermore, indications have emerged that the Nyanya motor-parks, which FCT authorities has clarified as ‘temporary’, could be closed to motorists and converted to its designated purpose in the Abuja Master Plan as a green area.
This is coming as the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), in their ongoing efforts to prevent further terrorist attacks in the nation’s capital following the devastating bomb blast, has designated boundary towns within Maraba-Masaka axis of Nasarawa state and as well as the Suleija area of Niger state as breeders of terrorism.
The Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Micah Jibah,
was quoted in a media interview to have said that the troubled park
would be relocated to a more permanent site.
However, the Chief Press Secretary, AMAC, Mr. Ephraim Audu, has clarified that contrary to the statement attributed to Jibah that what he meant is that motorists would be directed to a designated motor-park, located on the right side immediately after Karu bridge.
According to Audu, there is an existing motor park located at the right side immediately after Karu Flyover. He explained that the original motor-park (which is currently not up to standard) “is only located 100 metres to the Nyanya flyover, through which people going to the City Centre can follow”.
Meanwhile, top officials of the Bala Mohammed-led FCTA have disclosed to THISDAY that intelligence report indicated that the boundary settlements like Maraba-Nyanya serve as natural hideouts, entry and escape routes of the terrorists.
According to the source, this has in addition to Abubakar Shekau’s threat necessitated the concentration of security personnel in different entry and exits routes of the FCT.
However, the Chief Press Secretary, AMAC, Mr. Ephraim Audu, has clarified that contrary to the statement attributed to Jibah that what he meant is that motorists would be directed to a designated motor-park, located on the right side immediately after Karu bridge.
According to Audu, there is an existing motor park located at the right side immediately after Karu Flyover. He explained that the original motor-park (which is currently not up to standard) “is only located 100 metres to the Nyanya flyover, through which people going to the City Centre can follow”.
Meanwhile, top officials of the Bala Mohammed-led FCTA have disclosed to THISDAY that intelligence report indicated that the boundary settlements like Maraba-Nyanya serve as natural hideouts, entry and escape routes of the terrorists.
According to the source, this has in addition to Abubakar Shekau’s threat necessitated the concentration of security personnel in different entry and exits routes of the FCT.
“You can notice that security check points, stop and search operation
has been intensified despite the gridlock and associated sufferings the
people in this axis is facing since the first bombing”, he said.
Continuing, the source insisted that the blacklisted areas and its adjourning settlements are unplanned and constitute serious security threat to the peace and stability of the Nation’s Capital.
To this end, the quarterly security meeting amongst six states of the North Central Zone and FCT otherwise known as “D-7”, which discusses security issues affecting their states would be expanded to including all the state CPs and Chief Security Officers.
The source noted since these “dangerous and security risky” towns are beyond the control of the FCT, measures are on the way to cooperate with neighbouring states to plan them for easy security checks and surveillance.
The source listed “Madalla, Suleija, Mararaba, and Masaka among the identified potential flashpoints that require extraordinary pin down, surveillance and urgent urban sanitisation and renewal”.
Continuing, the source insisted that the blacklisted areas and its adjourning settlements are unplanned and constitute serious security threat to the peace and stability of the Nation’s Capital.
To this end, the quarterly security meeting amongst six states of the North Central Zone and FCT otherwise known as “D-7”, which discusses security issues affecting their states would be expanded to including all the state CPs and Chief Security Officers.
The source noted since these “dangerous and security risky” towns are beyond the control of the FCT, measures are on the way to cooperate with neighbouring states to plan them for easy security checks and surveillance.
The source listed “Madalla, Suleija, Mararaba, and Masaka among the identified potential flashpoints that require extraordinary pin down, surveillance and urgent urban sanitisation and renewal”.
Mohammed, after visiting the scene of the Nyanya blast and the Asokoro
District Hospital where some of the survivors are receiving treatment,
had assured that FCTA, in collaboration with the National Security
Adviser (NSA) and other security agencies would soon be rolling out
comprehensive strategy to secure lives and properties in and around the
nation’s capital.
The minister went further to say that part of the new strategy would look to install special mechanisms to detect metal or explosive devices on FCT motor parks, and high-capacity buses to preserve human lives.
Findings have however, revealed that no security measures are yet in place in all the parks in the FCT, which was confirmed by the Commissioner of Police (CP) Mbu Joseph Mbu.
Mbu, who is also the chairman of the FCT Enforcement Task Force, in a terse response to THISDAY enquiries said, “not yet”.
The minister went further to say that part of the new strategy would look to install special mechanisms to detect metal or explosive devices on FCT motor parks, and high-capacity buses to preserve human lives.
Findings have however, revealed that no security measures are yet in place in all the parks in the FCT, which was confirmed by the Commissioner of Police (CP) Mbu Joseph Mbu.
Mbu, who is also the chairman of the FCT Enforcement Task Force, in a terse response to THISDAY enquiries said, “not yet”.
