Tragedy averted as police defuse bomb in Kaduna

The police in Kaduna State said they successfully defused an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Rigasa area Thursday afternoon.

This is as the state government told residents to disregard news that suspected bandits attacked passengers travelling along the Abuja – Kaduna highway.

Mohammed Jalige, the command’s spokesperson, said residents of the area spotted the IED and a police ordinance team defused the explosive.

“It was sighted by residents of the area at about 07:50 hours, who promptly reported to the police.

“In a swift response, the Command’s Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD) swung into action and successfully diffused (defused) IED, without loss of lives or property,” he said.

While commending residents who spotted the explosive, Mr Jalige said normalcy had returned to the area.

Armed assailants attacked a Kaduna-bound train just before Rigasa on Monday.

The attackers detonated explosives planted on the train track, which forced the train to stop.

For over two hours, they repeatedly shot at passengers, killing at least eight people and injuring several others. The gunmen also abducted a yet-to-be-determined number of passengers from the train.

‘No attack’

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State government has dismissed as false, a rumour making the rounds that bandits attacked some travellers along Abuja-Kaduna Road.

“The buzz in circulation is false and was presented by a group of social media enthusiasts who celebrate negative news,” said the state commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan.

He said security personnel spotted some ‘criminals’ and gave chase.

“The preliminary operational feedback showed that fleeing bandits escaping military onslaught attempted to pass through a narrow corridor around Kasarami general area of Abuja – Kaduna road.

“The troops, on receiving this intelligence, hurriedly moved to the location and engaged them in the adjoining forest.”

Mr Aruwan also said the state government does not deny there are security challenges in the state, but it is working with security agencies to bring them under control.