Boko haram insurgency spreads to north-west 200 Killed in Kano

At least, 200 persons were killed in the multiple explosions that rocked Kano metropolis last Friday from attacks by suspected Boko Haram fighters, Sunday Trust findings have revealed. Many more were injured and are receiving medical attention at various hospitals.   Our correspondent reports that the mortuary of the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital kept the […]

At least, 200 persons were killed in the multiple explosions that rocked Kano metropolis last Friday from attacks by suspected Boko Haram fighters, Sunday Trust findings have revealed. Many more were injured and are receiving medical attention at various hospitals.

 

Our correspondent reports that the mortuary of the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital kept the highest number of dead bodies.  A hospital official told The Associated Press, that the remains of, at least, 143 killed in the attack were deposited at the hospital. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to release the death toll to journalists. The toll is much more, since other bodies are held at other clinics and hospitals in the sprawling city.

Another hospital where corpses have been deposited are the Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Specialist in Kano metropolis, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and Sir Muhammadu Sanusi Hospital.

The evacuation of corpses was carried out by men of Kano State Relief Emergency Agency, NEMA, police, army, Hisbah and other humanitarian organizations based in the state.

Apart from the several dead bodies of civilians deposited at mortuaries, many corpses of security personnel were also seen lying in hospitals’ morgues. Three dead bodies of Indian nationals, who were killed on their way back home after work, were kept at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital’s mortuary. Alhaji Garba Iyali, a staff of Real Camp Limited, where the Indian nationals worked, said they were trapped and killed during the gun duel between the police and Boko Haram members.

Our correspondent was allowed access into the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital’s mortuary and reports that the morgue was overcrowded with dead bodies.

Nwakpa O. Nwakpa, a spokesman for the Nigerian Red Cross, said volunteers offered first aid to the wounded, and evacuated those seriously injured to local hospitals. A survey of two hospitals by the Red Cross showed at least 50 people were injured in Friday’s attack, he said.

Kano police command refused to speak on the casualties. But the Executive Secretary of the state Hospital Management Board, Dr Bello Umar Dikko, only confirmed the death of 20 persons with 40 injured.

“We have recorded 40 injured and up till now we can’t ascertain the actual number of those died as we are still conducting body count. We have 20 dead bodies so far.

“Due to the 24-hour curfew, there is panic and pandemonium and so people are afraid to collect dead bodies from the streets. It is, therefore, premature to say how many people have died. The victims died of gunshot, burns and stampedes”, he said.

Bombai area, which houses the headquarters of the state police command, police barracks and official residence of AIG Zone One of the Nigeria Police Force, recorded the highest casualties because of the intense encounter between the police and Boko Haram members who had claimed responsibility for the Friday’s deadly onslaught on the metropolis.

A female police source said she saw many corpses being evacuated from the Bompai police barracks to various hospitals. She said the entire barracks was thrown into confusion, as almost every person was mourning the loss of his or her loved ones.

It was learnt that the high casualties inside the barracks followed another onslaught on the police personnel and their families in the night by Boko Haram members who were said to have worn police uniforms to gain easy access into the huge compound.

A resident of Tudun Wada area that shares boundary with the barracks said the death toll recorded as at yesterday morning rose to more than 50, saying most of those killed were passersby.

The attack on Giginyu SSS office left, at least, more than seven civilians dead. It was also learnt that the deaths during the Farm Centre attack, where a police station and a passport office were razed, was on the high side as more than 10 persons were said to have been killed.

Dozens were also said to have been killed in Sabon Gari area where a police station was equally attacked. A resident of the area told Sunday Trust that he saw corpses lying on a street in addition to many others he watched being taken in police vans to the hospitals.

The president of Igbo community in Kano, Chief Bonaface Ibekwe said the killing in the name of Boko Haram, should be a source of concern to all well-meaning Nigerians, saying there should be practical measures by the authorities concerned to tackle the situation.

BRITAIN SHOCKED, APPALLED

The British Foreign Secretary William Hague said yesterday that he was “shocked and appalled” by the attacks in the former colony.

“The full horror of last night’s events is still unfolding, but we know that a great many people have died and many more have been injured,” Hague said in a statement. “The nature of these attacks has sickened people around the world and I send my deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of those killed and to those injured.”

The U.S. Embassy said it had canceled all staff travel to northern Nigeria after Friday’s attacks.