Nyanya Explosion Update: Nigeria Police confirms 19 dead

The police also said 66 injured victims of Thursday’s explosion were taken to hospitals.

The Nigerian Police has now confirmed the death of 19 persons from the bomb explosion in Nyanya, Abuja, on Thursday evening.

The bomb exploded at about 8:30 p.m. in Nyanya, few metres from the motor park were a similar explosion on April 14 killed at least 75 people.

The police, on its twitter handle, @PoliceNG, also said 66 injured victims of Thursday’s explosion were taken to hospitals with six of those treated and discharged.

Read our earlier stories on the explosion below

The Nigerian police said on Wednesday night that 12 persons died following an explosion that rocked Nyanya, on the outskirt of Abuja, on Thursday.

The spokesman of the police, Frank Mba, told journalists at the scene of the incident that 19 others were injured and were now receiving treatment at the various hospitals in the city.

Mr. Mba, who described the casualty figure as “provisional” said that investigation into the explosion had already commenced.

Already, top security officials had visited the scene of the explosion to assess the situation.

Among those who visited scene were the Commander-General of Nigeria Civil Defence Corps, Olu Abolurin, the Police DIG Operations, Mike Zoukumor, Commander Guards Brigade and the FCT Director, State Security Service.

Witnesses said that the incident occurred from a Volkswagen golf car which drove from the Keffi end of the road and exploded just about 50 metres away from the scene of the April 14 blast.

Two additional security check-points have been set up between Mararaba and Nyanya.

Vehicles passing through the area are now being subjected to stop and search, thus leading to heavy traffic build up in the area.

Meanwhile, authorities of the National Hospital have confirmed that six dead bodies, victims of the explosion, have been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary.

The hospital’s spokesman, Tayo Haastrup, said that another nine were receiving treatment.

He said medical personnel have been mobilised to attend to the injured and many of them have been stabilised.

He, however, said the hospital was finding it difficult to cope with the number since it has still some victims of the last explosion on admission.

Mr. Haastrup said as a result, two victims of the Thursday blast would be moved to Federal Staff Hospital.

(NAN)