Our Ordeal - Victims

As relations of the dead scout around morgues in Nigeria’s Kano hospitals in search of their own, survivors of Monday’s suicide bomb attack which triggered multiple explosions at the New Road Luxury Bus Terminal in Sabon Gari, have relayed their experiences to journalists.

Those who were able to speak Tuesday evening described the attack as gory, tragic and devastating.

According to Ahmed Abubakar Warawa, 58, who sells cap within the multi-million Naira luxury park, the attack came to him as a huge surprise.

Bomb Victim: Abdulaziz Baban-Lamma

Ahmed suffered second-degree burns and is currently taking treatment at Murtala Mohammed Specialist hospital.

But for his third wife who fell ill on that, Ahmed never planned to hawk at the Park. He had elected to locate his business at the Park so as to get some money to buy drugs for the wife. “Now, my situation is pathetic. I have no money to take care of myself and my sick wife; I have three wives and eight children. How do I cope with feeding them? I am serious agony which these heartless people have put me into.

Abdulazeez Rimin Kebe, whose means of livelihood was through menial jobs at the Luxury Park is gnashing his teeth in pains at the same hospital where he is being treated, “the people that put me in this agony I am passing through, without offending or knowing them would surely get the wrath of God because for now, I cannot explain my present condition.

“I have lost my nose, as well as a deep gorge in my stomach, I am placed under drip. I am severely feeling the pain. I may die any moment from now, only God will avenge what these people have done to me, I will never forgive them.

Bomb victim emmanuel Bassey: we saw a Golf car speeding towards us

Emmanuel Bassey, 27, attached to Ezenwata Transport Limited suffered multiple fractures on his left leg, with a ruptured intestine said.

In pains, he faintly narrated all he could remember before the blast, “our luxury bus was beside a Lagos-bound bus, suddenly I saw a Golf car on top speed heading towards our direction, promptly applied his brake, all I heard was an explosion and found myself in the hospital but all I could remember is that four of my friends I was standing with are now dead.

Another young man who identified himself as Emeka works with the ill-fated Gobison Luxury bus, but now in admission at Dala Orthopedic hospital.

Emeka was cracking jokes with friends when the effects of the blast threw him up, and disfigured his legs and hand, “to be realistic, we saw a White Golf car, and we thought that the occupants were attempting to deliver some parcels for courier, within a twinkle of an eye, the car parked beside our bus and all what we heard was a loud sound, which took us off our feet and everywhere was engulfed in fire.”

Our Correspondent counted no fewer than 25 victims of the Luxury Park incident at Dala Orthopedic hospital alone. Dozens of other wounded persons are on admission at government-owned hospitals across the state.

Witnesses described hearing multiple blasts and seeing wounded victims in bloodied clothes flee the area as authorities cordoned off the scene.

“I was boarding the bus to Lagos when I heard a huge explosion,” Abdulaziz Baban-Lamma, a 47-year-old trader, told AFP from his hospital bed.

The blast left him with severe injuries to his abdomen and other survivors ran to assist him when they saw his condition, he said. He later underwent emergency surgery.

“May Allah curse whoever was behind the act,” he said.

Magawata Goje, 45, was selling dried meat at the station when the bomb went off.

“Something sharp hit me under my right ear,” he said.

“Blood gushed out and I was drenched in my blood.”

When he regained consciousness, “I could see many people burnt to death,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kano state Deputy Governor, Umar Abdullahi Ganduje visited the scene of the incident on behalf of his boss, Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso.

He condemned the attack in strong terms.

In his words during the visit, “we have been working round the clock to ensure that those injured victims were saved and we were also doing our best to make safe and alive by the grace of God.

“We have been going round to assess the situation and condition of those in the Hospitals and Medical Doctors have been given adequate instruction to safe the live of the survivors by putting their best in this situation for quicker recovery.

Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, deputy governor of Kano visits the injured

“Government is determined to ensure that these victims were safe. This incident is unfortunate, you can see that it is a calamity those who committed this crime are barbaric and criminals and it’s a condemnable act. They are not representing any religion , they are just on their own. Islam doesn’t allow this kind of act and it is condemned by the Holy Quran.

“This kind of attack exposes disadvantage of having a motor park in the heart of the city, you are aware we were creating a Mega Motor park, and it would be modern Motor Park with necessary facilities and security arrangements.”

Ganduje promised that the state government will foot the hospital bills of the wounded.

Source: PM News

UPDATE: More Victims Ordeal

As Nigerians continued to express outrage over Monday’s suicide bombing at a bus park in Kano which claimed over 60 lives, survivours of the bomb attack, yesterday on their hospital beds, recounted their harrowing experiences and agony, saying they saw death.

Abdullahi Maiagogo Gayawa, a 70 year-old wrist watch seller who was affected by the blast said: “I was at the motor park as usual for a routine business when in a middle of the transaction, I heard a loud bang that sent me sprawling on the ground.

Initially, I could not comprehend what happened but rose  and took to my heels only to notice that my stomach was ripped open,with my intestines gorging out.

I quickly packed my intestines with my cloth and was trying to escape from the scene when suddenly I woke up in the hospital surrounded by a team of medical doctors”.

We saw death — Survivors

The Septuagenarian,  looking frail and worn out told Vanguard on his sick bed: “I saw death at a close range and I had almost given up hope of living but all praises to Allah for His intervention.

Gayawa further explained that “as you can see I am still active and I struggle hard to feed my family and this particular motor park where the incident occurred is my place of business and I had been getting serious patronage from the travelers.”

In the stretch of my life spanning seven decades, I have never seen this kind of trouble, the bang was so loud that I saw many going down, covered with their blood and the wailing that followed was such that I thought the end of time has come”.

Another lucky survivor, Magawata Goje, 45, told Vanguard on his sick bed thus: “I was inside the Lagos-bound luxury bus when the blast occurred. I was seated at the back seat, and it was Allah that understands how I survived the blast.

“I heard people saying that I was dead because I was covered with blood and I could see a lot of people in comatose position and I had to raise my hand to draw the attention of the rescuers before they attended to me. Goje who sustained second degree burns then appealed for quick intervention of government to save his life.

In pains, he struggled to raise his burnt neck and hand and looked through the window pointing at where his children and members of his family were anxiously waiting and monitoring his health from the sideline. “Look at my wife and children watching from outside and you can imagine what will become of their lives if adequate measure is not taken to save my life”.

Also speaking to Vanguard in the same vein, Hamisu Usman, another survivor, told Vanguard that “I was in a Port Harcourt-bound bus when a blast ripped through, and the rest I knew was that I found myself in the hospital where the doctor was telling me to remain calm”.

I spoke with the suicide bomber before he struck —Emmanuel Bassey, 40 years old tout.

In his account, Emmanuel Bassey, a 40-year-old bus park tout who survived the blast revealed to Vanguard his encounter with the suicide bomber before he struck.

Bassey who claimed to work for Ezewanta Group of Motors stated that “the guy came in a blue Golf car, I could recall that he was dark in complexion and appeared to be in his mid 30’s. He was calm during my brief interaction with him and did not look harmful. I asked him where he was going, and he said, ‘I have not decided’, and in no time some of my colleagues at the park  were rushing towards him and suddenly he sped off, applied brake close to a loaded vehicle and in a twinkle of an eye, I heard a loud bang that sent me sprawling on the ground”, Bassey explained.

He revealed that four of his colleagues who were running after him to ascertain which part of the southern part of the country he wanted to go all died on the spot due to the impact of the blast.

Bassey who suffered second degree burns cried out: “Men, I saw hell and believed that I was going to die before some good Samaritan brought me to the hospital.

Bassey lost his skin and his stomach was ripped open by the blast but has undergone several procedures and appeared to be in a stable condition. Bassey who complained of excessive heat on his sick bed displayed a deep hole on his stomach  saying: “I was simply not lucky on the day of carnage but all the same I give glory to God that I am alive but I hope government will do their best to bring the perpetrators to book”.

In the meantime, Kano State Government has offered to foot the medical expenses of those affected by the blast.

Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the Acting Governor gave the assurance in Kano shortly after paying a visit to the injured victims at the MurtalaMuhammadSpecialistHospital, Kano.

“The carnage perpetrated by whoever is behind this is totally condemnable, this is not religion, and definitely this is not the teaching of Islam. It is there for everyone to see and it remains the basic truth”, Ganduje stressed.

Source: Vanguard