Buhari in narrow escape as Kaduna blasts kill 70

Two explosions ripped through parts of Kaduna in Kaduna State on Wednesday, killing at least 70 people.

The first explosion targeted a popular Islamic cleric, Dahiru Bauchi, while the second targeted a former Head of State, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).

Both men escaped unhurt in the blasts that forced the state government to impose a 24-hour curfew on the city.

Scores of people were injured and over 50 cars damaged in the incidents. The state police command put the death toll at 40 while the Federal Government, through the National Information Centre, said 14 people were injured.

Two of Buhari’s bodyguards and an aide were among the wounded. His Toyota Prado jeep was also hit by a suspected bomber near the 1 Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army in the Kawo area of Kaduna.

There were two accounts of how the bomber attacked the motorcade of Buhari, who is also one of the national leaders of the All Progressives Congress.

While one had it that the bomber, on sighting Buhari’s convoy hauled explosives at it, the second claimed that the bomber rammed his Toyota Sienna into the motorcade.

An eyewitness, who gave his name simply as Idris said, “The suicide bomber hauled explosives at the convoy of the former Head of State but one of the cars in the convoy and a Toyota Prado conveying Buhari were hit.

“He was shielded into a Toyota Sienna that took him away from the scene.”

Another witness, who did not want his name in print, said the bomber rammed his vehicle into the convoy of the general, hitting his jeep and others cars.

“In fact, a car in the convoy was badly damaged. Buhari escaped narrowly. We doubt if his security operatives escaped unhurt”.

On the busy Alkali Road in the city centre where the first bomb targeting Bauchi exploded, one of our correspondents saw body parts and damaged cars littering the area.

Bauchi had delivered a Ramadan lecture (Tafsir) at the Murtala Square and was driving through the area in an open-roofed vehicle, greeting well-wishers when his attacker struck.

Eyewitness said the lone bomber, who   rode on a motorbike followed the convoy of the cleric after the lecture. He was said to have been blocked by security operatives who suspected him but he forced his way through the crowd and detonated his   explosive.

Security operatives were seen conveying the wounded to a nearby hospital and the Nigerian Army Reference Hospital for treatment.

Efforts by one of our correspondents to contact Bauchi failed as he was said to have been moved to an unknown location.

Followers of the renowned cleric reacted angrily, throwing stones at security operatives and accusing them of failing to protect Nigerians.

The security forces retaliated by firing tear gas canisters.

However, state Police Commissioner, Shehu Umar,   put the death toll in the first blast at 25 and 14 in the second.

Umar said,   “For now, we have recorded 25 dead bodies. People had just closed from the Ramadan Tsafir led Sheik Bauchi, and we provided enough security at the Murtala Square, the venue of the Tafsir, but the bomb was planted far away from the venue, to target him through the route he was taking home.

“We are doing our best to safeguard the country, so we are appealing to the perpetrators to lay down the arms.”