Residents of Sabon Gari, a hub of commercial activities in Kano State, have disagreed with the State’s Police Command over the cause of the explosion that occurred at the Winners Primary/Secondary School, Aba Road, Sabon Gari, Kano which has so far killed nine persons.
The Sabon Gari area in Kano is a neighbourhood populated by “non-indigenes,” mainly Christians and Southerners.
The Kano State Police Commissioner, Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, had said the explosion was caused by a gas explosion at a welder shop close to the school.
But a former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Professor Chidi Odinkalu, had rejected the claim by the Police and instead published a forwarded First Police Report of the incident which blamed the explosion on a suicide bomber that tried to forcefully gain access to the School.
In addition, Premium Times collaborated the Police initial report as it quoted some residents close to the scene of the explosion claiming that it was the handiwork of a suicide bomber.
The report quoted a welder around the vicinity who dismissed the claim of a gas explosion, saying there was no gas shop in the area that could result in such destruction.
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, in announcing the the visit of the Director-General of the National Emergency Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Habib Ahmed, at the scene of the incident, confirmed that the casualty is now nine.
“Nine dead bodies have been recovered so far from the rubble of a collapsed building beside a primary school following an explosion from a gas cylinder at Aba Road in Sabon Gari area of Kano State.
“DG @nemanigeria Mustapha Habib Ahmed was at the site of the incident and coordinated the rescue operations. NEMA is presently coordinating the rescue operations with sister agencies,” it tweeted.
Meanwhile, the Kano State Government has joined in the fray, contradicting the Police who said gas cylinder explosion from a welder workshop caused the incident as it said the morning explosion did not occur in a school but at an animal feed store opposite the School along Aba Road, Sabon Gari area of Fagge Local Government Area of the State.
The State Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba, who stated the government’s stance said while the cause of the explosion and the damage had yet to be officially ascertained, an investigation has since commenced to determine the cause, impact and measures to be taken.
Garba called on the people in the state, particularly those living in the area where the incident occurred, to remain calm while the government in collaboration with relevant agencies are working on the matter.
The commissioner assured residents that government would keep the public abreast of any development.
