Death Toll Rises To 10 In Damaturu Blast

Seven people were killed in blast carried out by a female suicide bomber on Saturday, who attacked the northerm entrance of the Damaturu motor park in the yobe state capital

 North-east Nigeria, detonating an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) that killed people who were entering or exiting the park.

The Medical Director of the Damaturu Specialists Hospital, Dr Garba M. Fika, said three more victims of the blast died while receiving medical attention at the hospital, bringing the death toll from the blast to 10.

He also noted that three of the victims have been referred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Nguru and one had further being referred to the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano.

The Medical Director further revealed that twelve more victims of the blast are currently being treated at the Accident and Emergency Unit of the Damaturu Hospital, stressing that all of them would be given free treatment in line with the free drug exercise of the Yobe State Government.

An eyewitness, Bala Mainasara, confirmed that most of those killed in the blast were children selling sachet water or groundnut cake, calling on parents and guardians to restrict their children from wandering about. He also warned that such children could be used for carrying out suicide missions.

The Chairman of the Damaturu Harmonised Traders Association, Mr Usman Mu’azu, in an interview with Channels Television, called on security agents and the State Government to deploy security officials to man the entrance of the park and urged them to re-open the blocked gates.

He noted that much people were affected in the explosion as a result of the only gate currently opened, for both entrance and of the park.

However, business activities have picked up at the market, as most shops were opened for business, while few others were closed probably in observance of Sunday, being a worship day for Christians.