No fewer than seven people were killed and 26 others injured on Saturday when a female suicide bomber detonated an Improvised Explosive Device at the entrance of the Damaturu Central Motor Park in Yobe.
Dr Garba Fika, Medical Director, Sani Abacha General Hospital, Damaturu gave the figure while briefing Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam about the condition of the victims on Saturday in Damaturu.
” We received a total of 33 victims of bomb blast that occurred an hour ago; all of them sustained various degree of injuries, out of which seven are dead, while seven are under a very critical condition.
” We might refer those under critical condition to the Federal Medical Centre, Nguru and Federal Medical Centre Azare in Bauchi State respectively.
” Already, the Yobe State government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with these health institutions, in case of emergency of this nature, ” Fika said.
The medical director, however, said that the victims with mild injuries, were responding to treatment and would be discharge soon..
He assured the governor that the management of the hospital had mobilised all medical personnel needed to ensure that the victims received proper medical attention.
Fika called on the resident of Damaturu to donate blood in order to save the lives of the victims, stressing that they were in dire need of blood .
Responding, Gaidam condemned the incident , describing it as “very unfortunate.”
He commiserated with the families of the victims and prayed for the repose of the souls of those who died as a result of the incident.
The governor, who promised to settle the medical bills of all the victims, expressed optimism that insurgency would soon be a thing of the past in the country.
Gaidam advised people to be security conscious, report any suspicious movement around them, and cooperate with the security agents to enable them discharge their duties effectively.
As at the time of filing the report, the police are yet to issue any statement on the incident.
Contacted on telephone for his comments , the Yobe Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Toyin Gbadageshan, said he was out of town, whereas the telephone lines of the Police Commissioner, were not going through.(NAN)
