Six of my children are injured, but I had a premonition —Kyauta Auta, mother of 8-year old Elvis Auta, who lay critically hurt:
“I was away in Abuja worshiping in a Church. Somehow tears started flowing from my eyes. There was no reason for it. After a while, the tears would flow again. Then when I turned, I noticed that my husband had slipped away.
I went for my phone and discovered that I had over twenty calls. It was when I went outside and placed some calls that I discovered what happened. So we had to rush down to Kaduna. My six children were attending the Church with my relations.
VICTIMS OF THE BOMB EXPLOSION AT ST. RITA’S CATHOLIC CHURCH, ANGWAN YERO, MALALI VILLAGE AT GARKUWAN HOSPITAL, IN KADUNA, ON SUNDAY.PHOTO; OLU AJAYI.
Six of them were injured. Three were not so injured. But they were very hurt. That is Elvis. You can see how he is doing. But by the grace of God, he will be alright. Oh! God help us!
8 killed, 145 injured, says NEMA
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), yesterday, in Kaduna said eight persons lost their lives at the St. Rita’s Catholic Church suicide bomb attack.
A statement signed by NEMA’s Kaduna Zonal Public Relations Officer, Aliyu Muhammed, said that 145 others were injured in the attack.
It said that the corpses of the victims had been deposited at various hospitals in the city.
According to the statement, four of the corpses have been deposited at Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital; three at 44 Military Hospital, while one has been deposited at the Garkuwa Specialist Hospital.
The statement said that 81 injured persons were receiving treatment at Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital, while 35 others were being treated at 44 Military Hospital.
It said that 15 injured persons were also receiving treatment at St. Gerard’s Hospital with five among them under critical condition.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Adenaike had in a telephone interview with NAN earlier said that only three persons were killed with seven others injured.
Adenaike said that the victims included the lone bomber and two worshippers “a man and a woman’’.
He said that seven others were receiving medical attention at various facilities within the city, with two under critical condition.
KDSG calls for calm
The Kaduna State Government has called for calm and urged the people to ignore rumours of reprisal attacks for the church bombing earlier in the day.
In a statement in Kaduna, Mr Reuben Buhari, Senior Special Assistant (Media) to Governor Patrick Yakowa, said that anyone caught spreading such false information would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
He, however, condoled with those who lost their loved ones and property in the blast.
Buhari stressed that the security agencies were on top of the situation and assured residents of adequate security.
Jonathan, Mark, Tambuwal condemn attack
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, yesterday, condemned the attack, describing the act as “barbaric, cruel and uncalled for.”
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati quoted the president as saying that “it is obvious that these people do not mean well for Nigeria and its unity and development,”
The statement added: “President Jonathan noted that the apparent objective of the criminal and unpatriotic elements and forces behind the attack is to set back the progress the Administration has made in the fight against terrorism in the country.
“The President however, expressed confidence that the war against terrorism would become more unrelenting as the nation would never give in to the forces of terror and retardation.”
Give peace a chance—David Mark
The President of the Senate, Senator David Mark has condemned yesterday’s bombing in Kaduna saying the perpetrators of violence must stop the senseless killings.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Paul Mumeh, Mark said that the “Kaduna bombing is disheartening, embarrassing and condemnable. We don’t deserve this. This is inhuman and alien to us.”
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has strongly condemned the attack on St. Rita’s Catholic Church, in Kaduna.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said that the attack on innocent worshippers and other bystanders was both callous and senseless.
Kaduna Govt to settle victims’ medical bill
The Kaduna State Government on Sunday pledged to settle the medical bills of all the 145 victims of St. Rita’s Catholic Church attack in Kaduna.
The State Deputy Gov., Alhaji Mukhtar Yero made the pledge, when he visited some of the victims currently on admission in four hospitals in the city.
Yero condemned the attack and assured that the government was committed to the protection of lives and property of residents.
He called for continuous peaceful coexistence among the residents to ensure the restoration of peace in the state.
The deputy governor said that the state government would continue to support security agencies in the effective discharge of their duties.
He therefore urged the people to contribute to the effort to ensure peace and tranquillity by shunning rumour mongering and all acts capable of creating disharmony.
Yero assured that the government was not contemplating imposing curfew in Kaduna because of the incident.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) the deputy governor had commiserated with the Parish Priest of the Church, Rev. Fr. Mathew Goni, who is on admission at Multi-Clinic.
The priest had sustained injuries on his legs, forehead and fingers during the attack.
The deputy governor also visited other victims on admission at 44 Military Hospital, Garkuwa Specialist Hospital and Barau Dikko Hospital in Kaduna.
