Emma Amaize
& Godwin Oghre
28 December 2011, Sweetcrude, SAPELE – TEN children were critically injured in another bomb explosion that hit a Muslim school at Sapele in Delta State, Tuesday night. It is the second time in three weeks.
It was reliably learnt that the bomb blast was a retaliatory attack by a group of Muslims in the town against the faction that detonated an explosive in the main mosque, Sapele, last month.
Delta State Police Spokesman, Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, Charles Muka, however, confirmed that only seven children were injured and it was a insignificant explosion from a contrived device.
He said the incident occurred before 10.00 pm on Tuesday while the pupils were reportedly being taught Arabic Studies and the police were investigating the incident
One of the affected children was, nevertheless, learnt to be gasping for life at the University of Benin Teaching Hosptial, UBTH, Benin City.
An eye witness account said the recent bomb blast occurred at exactly 9.00pm on Tuesday, three hours after the commencement of the day’s lessons, and one hour ahead of the close of the school for the day.
The ever busy Sapele General Hospital could neither receive nor treat most of the victims, who were later rushed to Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, where facilities and personnel for the treatment of the victims abound, for urgent medical attention.
Chief Medical Director of the Sapele General Hospital, Dr Mrs Omo Aghoja confirmed that three of the bomb victims were receiving treatment in the hospital, but newsmen were not allowed to see them, ostensibly on orders from superior quarters.
A number of the victims were also admitted for treatment at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.
The Head of State Security Service, SSS, in Sapele, Mr M. Kazim disclosed that the Tuesday night explosion was dynamite, but, the Divisional Police officer of Sapele, Mr Emmanuel Ighodalo declined to comment on the blast.
He, however, said all necessary information about the incident had been conveyed by him to the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Chalres Muka, whose duty it was to address the press on the incident.
The Chief Iman of Sapele Central Mosque, Alhaji Mohammed Usman said, “The blast was targeted to exterminate the Muslim pupils and called on the government to increase security alert around the Muslim community in Sapele”.
A Muslim faithful who sought anonymity told Vanguard that the Tuesday night blast was a retaliatory attack on the Muslim sect that bombed the Central Mosque, three weeks ago.
According to him, “The Muslim children school attacked on Tuesday night is mainly attended by children of the rival Muslim worshippers and mosque situated about 300 yards away from the Central Mosque, Sapele”.
