THE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has confirmed a bomb explosion at the Tsangagyar Sani Uthman Islamiyya School in Kuchibuyi village, Bwari Area Council, Abuja, which left two people dead and two others injured.
The explosion, which occurred on January 6, at approximately 11:00 am, involved an improvised explosive device (IED).
According to a statement by the FCT Police Command’s public relations officer, Josephine Adeh, three men from Katsina had visited the school’s proprietor, Adamu Ashimu.
She noted that the men were tampering with the device on the school veranda when it detonated, killing two of them instantly.
Adeh further stated that a female trader and a third visitor were critically injured and were receiving treatment under police guard.
“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,” the statement read.
The command added that Ashimu has been taken into police custody for questioning, with investigations ongoing to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
Earlier, The ICIR reported the explosion, noting initial accounts, according to a media report, that a student died and four others were injured in the explosion.
However, the police preliminary investigation revealed that the fatalities were among the visitors who brought the explosive device to the school.
The police noted that while responding to a distress call from the Sarki of Kuchibuyi, they deployed operatives, including the explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team, to secure the area and commence investigations.
The school has since been cordoned off for safety purposes.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, has called on residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or objects to the authorities. He also advised the public to avoid handling any items resembling explosive devices and to prioritise safety.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M