MADUABUCHI NMERIBEH/Kano
It would have been another gory day, a Friday when Muslims always go for Jumat prayers. That a bomb exploded, killing people who have come to worship would have made the headlines. But the intervention of a 10-year old boy prevented another explosion that would have sent hundreds to their mass grave in , Kano, northwest Nigeria Friday afternoon.
After the boy was able to tip off the Police, they discovered a rickety Toyota car primed with 13 high caliber Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs near a Juma’at Mosque.
It would have been the second attack in two weeks when, last Monday when a suicide bomber drove into School of Hygiene, killing about eight people and wounding 20.
The primed rickety car was parked near a Mosque at Sauna Fafunga in Dakata area of Nasarawa Local Government Area and was targeted at Muslim worshippers.
The IEDs which was primed to blow off at about 2 P.M. would have been remote controlled by the terrorists, but for the prompt response of the police.
The 10-year old boy had notified the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Dakata, Superintendent Sani Ahmed that he suspected a rickety car parked by the side of the Mosque.
The DPO immediately contacted the Bompai police headquarters for prompt response by the Anti-bomb squad which came on time to save the situation.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adenrele Shinaba while speaking to journalists at the Bompai Headquarters of the police Command said the attack would have been devastating if they had succeeded.
He described the IEDs as high profile caliber ones and noted that, “if the had succeeded the whole area would have gone down and the sound alone would have shook the foundation of Kano.”
“Today, being Friday, at a place called Sauna Fafunga in Dakata area; we got information that we should come and see a vehicle that was parked within the vicinity of a Juma’at Mosque. Our anti-bomb team responded promptly. On searching the vehicle, we discovered high caliber IEDs, about 13 in number which can rein a whole village.
“We asked people to leave the area and when we detonated one of them, it shook the majority of the buildings around the area; and in fact, one of the buildings had a big crack as a result of that. The IEDs had the capacity to pull down all the structures around that area. We also discovered ammunition; and their intention was to stay around and shoot people who could escape the explosion.
“I am an advocate of community policing; and I appreciate the support we have been receiving from members of the public. We appreciate the people of Kano and we urge them to continue to support us with useful information. We promise never to disclose the identity of anyone who bring information to us and we also urge residents to remain security conscious at all times,” he advised.