An eyewitness account of the explosion that rocked the Islamic school in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday, has said the bomb was brought to school by one of the students.
The blast at the Sani Uthman Islamiyya School, Kuchibuyi Village, Bwari area council had claimed two lives and injured two persons.
Our correspondent who visited the school on Tuesday said the school is a three-classroom block, built for nomadic education (Almajiri school)
Findings revealed that the student who brought the explosive to school came in from Katsina State a day before the tragic incident.
“The explosive detonated at the point the boy from Katsina was showing the object to another child in the school,” the eyewitness said.
The boy who was holding the explosive died instantly, while the second boy died later at the hospital.
The incident recorded two survivors- a little girl who is receiving treatment at the Kubwa General Hospital, and another boy who has been referred to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital.
Gory photos of the incident emerged on Tuesday, revealing the aftermath of the blast on the school.
The school premises have since been sealed by the FCT police.
A Monday statement by the FCT Police Spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, had said the explosives were brought into the school premises by three men, contradicting eyewitness accounts.
Adeh had said a team of police operatives, including the Command’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team was mobilised to the scene after the incident.
She said, “The area was immediately cordoned off to protect residents and facilitate a thorough investigation.
“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 police spokesperson said the owner of the school has been taken into custody for questioning, and further findings would be communicated in due course.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity, behaviour, or items that may resemble improvised explosive devices to the police.
