Dynamite-like explosives rocked Azare town in Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State, destroying a house, mosque and school.
According to Daily Trust, Aminu Alhassan, Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, disclosed this earlier today at the Palace of Emir of Katagum, Alhaji Umar Faruk II and the Palace of Galadiman Katagum Alhaji Usman Mahmood Abdullahi, when he accompanied Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, to commiserate with the victims.
The police boss said no live was lost in the explosion, adding that it occurred after some people cleared the grasses and garbage in the area and burnt them.
Alhassan suspected that explosives were planted by Boko Haram insurgents about three decades ago when they attacked Azara Police Station.
“We suspected may be the explosives device like dynamite was buried in the area for more than three decades, because the road construction company once lived in that place, and sometimes back when Boko Haram attacked Azare Police Station, they followed through the same route where the device exploded, we are still investigating,” he said, adding that anti-bomb disposal unit while carrying out investigation at the site discovered two explosives.
On his part, Governor Bala pledged to compensate the affected victims and expressed gratitude to God that no life was lost to the explosion.
He asked the affected victims to take the incident as an act of God and reiterated the government’s commitment to ensure the safety and well-being of the citizens.
Governor Bala urged the resident in the area to cooperate with the security agencies, even if it means relocating them from the area in order to clear all the suspected explosives that might have been planted in the area.
Extolling the monarch, Bala said: “He is the Emir who leaves his palace in the night and goes round his domain to encourage security operatives in their effort to protect lives and properties of citizens.”
The Emir, Alhaji Umar Faruk II, however, thanked the governor for the visit and assured him of cooperation in his effort to provide security to lives and property of his subjects.
He commended the governor for his concern and commitment to providing adequate security to the people of the state.
“We were shocked when we heard the loud sound. No life was lost, but it damaged so many things in my house,” said Alhaji Muhammadu Baba, the owner of the house destroyed by the explosion,
