The number of casualties in the last Sunday’s bomb blast at St Andrew’s Anglican Church of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, AFCSC, Jaji, Kaduna State continues to rise as it has been disclosed that death toll now stands at 15 while the number of injured persons cannot be ascertained.
However unconfirmed sources have revealed that over 40 people are presently receiving treatment in the hospital. Jaji is only 40 kilometres north of the city of Kaduna.
The official figure of 15 who were reportedly killed in the blast has been disputed by unofficial report which claimed that about 30 people were killed in the blast while over 50 people were said to have been seriously injured.
But on the contrary, the Commandant of the College, Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Abdullahi Kure, told newsmen that only 15 people were killed in the blast. He made this statement while taking the state Governor, Patrick Yakowa round the church during the governor’s visit to the scene of the bomb blast at the military barrack church in Jaji yesterday.
NAF, in the college, Air Commodore Alechenu Ekagbo, and some children were said to be part of those who suffered serious injuries.
The state Governor, Patrick Yakowa had described the incident as ‘’a devastating event that calls for sober reflection.”
He said: “The bombing of a church within a premier institution like AFCSC is a wake-up call to all security agencies within the country to continue to sit up so as to fashion out a solution on how to curb the incidents of bombing or terrorism. The biggest project now in Nigeria should be the search for peace so that the enormous potentials ofNigeriacan be fully harnessed. Religious bigotry or terrorism will only destroyNigeriainstead of building it.”
The Governor in a sober mood had promised to take care of the medical bills of the injured victims who are currently in the hospital.
DailyPost could not confirm the actual casualty figure as the military had condoned off the hospital for about 1kilometre, making it difficult for journalists to have access to the hospital.
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