Police avert fresh bomb attack in Kaduna

The Kaduna State Police Command on Friday averted a major bomb blast in Kaduna by defusing an Improvised Explosive Device planted near an Assemblies of God Church. Eyewitnesses said the bomb was planted in a brand new laptop at Jama’ah by Junction Road on the way to the Ahmadu Bello Stadium by unknown persons.

The discovery was communicated to the state police command, which swiftly deployed anti-bomb policemen in the area.

The development triggered fears that Boko Haram extremists may have infiltrated the city, which was rocked by several bomb attacks and failed attempts last year.

The church and another, ECWA Church on Gwari Road, were badly hit by suicide bomb attacks on Easter Sunday last year, in which 36 people died.

Friday’s bomb was discovered around 4.30 pm, a few hours after the meeting of the Northern State Governors’ Forum in Kaduna.

As soon as news of the discovery filtered into town, it was learnt that fear gripped many residents of the state.

The development led to the blocking of the roads adjoining Jama’ah Road.

But the bomb was defused by the police anti-bomb squad.

Confirming the development, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Olufemi Adenaike, said the anti-bomb squad “professionally defused” the bomb.

Adenaike thanked residents for being vigilant and offering the police useful information that led to the discovery of the bomb.

He confirmed the report that the bomb was sealed in a laptop to attract attention.

He said, “The news of the bomb is correct. The bomb was sealed in a new laptop. It was neatly wrapped to attract people. If somebody had picked it up, probably it would have exploded.

“But my men from the anti-bomb unit were able to defuse it professionally. It was well defused in such a way that the sound was controlled without attracting too much attention from the public. So, there was no casualty.

“The bomb was dumped along Jama’ah by Junction Road on the way to the Ahmadu Bello Stadium.”