Police arrest suspected Suleja bomber

The Niger State Police Command says it has arrested one suspect as investigation into Sunday’s bomb blast in Suleja continues.

Spokesperson of the command, Richard Oguiche, told Premium Times the suspect was already being interrogated.

He declined to provide further details neither was he willing to comment on the identity of the suspect. He simply said investigations were on.

A baby and five people were among those that suffered various degree of casualties as an Improvised Explosive Device IEDs planted near a pentecostal church, Christ Embassy, located at 22 Morocco Road, Suleja exploded. 

Premium Times saw not less than five vehicles that were badly destroyed as a result of the blast.

The prompt evacuation of worshippers by the church’s leadership prevented the residents and worshippers from serious injuries or death.

According to Premium Times investigation, the church’s security arm, known as holy police,  had earlier discovered that  a device was concealed in a sack and kept near one of the cars parked on the street. 

The area was closed to traffic by soldiers who prevented vehicles and motorcycles from plying the road.

The four victims of the explosion were immediately rushed to the Suleja General Hospital for treatment.

But two of them who were seriously wounded, identified as Chike Emefo and Maureen Kenneth, were later transferred to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital for specialist medical attention. 

Mr. Emefor who suffered cuts in his stomach and wrist was given blood transfusion before he was taken away to the specialist hospital along with Ms. Kenneth who had a sharp object in her neck.   

The third victim, Nasiru Yusuf, suffered injuries to his leg while the injured baby could not be located. 

The pastor in charge of Christ Embassy, Pastor Uyi Dubayi, whose worship centre was close to the blast scene, said the bomb was targeted at his car, adding that three strange men who planted the explosive were sighted by the security team of the church.

He further disclosed that the head of the church security team had called his attention to the sack which contained a cylinder and wires .We were having the service when the head of the security team informed me that he saw three strange men near my car. On getting there, we saw a sack in which there was a cylinder, so we knew that it was a bomb. 

“I think their plan was to detonate the bomb when worshippers would be coming out of the church so they can record maximum casualties, but God helped us and we discovered the bomb before it could be detonated,” Ochayi said. 

An eyewitness, Leo Kenneth, stated that his sister, Maureen, was injured in the neck where she was standing at the passage of their apartment. 

He said, “ We were arguing about the bomb when there was a loud explosion, with a lot of sand and darkness. We all ran, but Chike, who lives in our house, was injured in the stomach and other parts of his body.”