A bomb explosion Friday morning rocked the Malkohi camp of the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs killing no fewer than nine persons, while nine others were injured, most of them in critical situation.
Among the injured were four members of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA and other humanitarian bodies overseeing the camp.
Malkohi is about 30 kilometers from Yola, the state capital and close to the 23rd Brigade of the Nigerian Army Yola.
The loud bang from the blast which occurred at exactly 10:15am shook the Adamawa state capital and its environs.
The dead and the injured where hurriedly evacuated to the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, even as the military immediately cordoned off the blast venue.
When vanguard visited the scene of the blast, pieces of human flesh and blood stained clothes still littered the area.
Hundreds of the IDPs in the camp clustered around while many others were ordered out of the camp for rescreening before going back into the camp.
The blast shattered three tents and the NEMA stores housing relief materials for the IDPs.
Speaking to newsmen at the blast venue, NEMA camp coordinator in Adamawa state, Sa’ad Bello suspected that the blast might have originated from the over 300 IDPs brought into the camp earlier Thursday morning from Madagali and 70 others from Sambisa forest.
The coordinator confirmed that the number of dead might be higher because of the seriousness of those injured.
In another development,President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the Friday bombing of the Internally Displaced Persons, IDP camp in Yola, Adamawa State, ordering tighter security around the camps
He has also directed security agencies and other relevant authorities security measures to be proactive to forestall such occurrence.
Similarly, President Buhari condemned and described as heinous and cowardly the bomb blast in the Malkohi camp that resulted in loss of lives.
The President while noting that the terrorists were bent on causing fear and panic among the populace by detonating bombs within soft spots where hapless citizens reside also urged the public not be deterred but rise in unison to completely stamp out what was left of the insurgents.
“We must not let the desperate and evil-minded criminals have any respite. There’s now an urgent need for all to be, by paying utmost attention to security issues at all levels – home, work, market, places of worship, schools, etc.
“To defeat terrorism, all hands round the clock vigilence is called for. country’s security agents with vital information to preempt and prevent crimes and to forestall further insurgent activities”, he said.
In another development, President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the Friday bombing of the Internally Displaced Persons, IDP camp in Yola, Adamawa State, ordering tighter security around the camps.
He has also directed security agencies and other relevant authorities security measures to be proactive to forestall such occurrence.
Similarly, President Buhari condemned and described as heinous and cowardly the bomb blast in the Malkohi camp that resulted in loss of lives.
The President while noting that the terrorists were bent on causing fear and panic among the populace by detonating bombs within soft spots where hapless citizens reside also urged the public not be deterred but rise in unison to completely stamp out what was left of the insurgents.
“We must not let the desperate and evil-minded criminals have any respite. There’s now an urgent need for all to be, by paying utmost attention to security issues at all levels – home, work, market, places of worship, schools, etc.
“To defeat terrorism, all hands round the clock vigilence is called for. country’s security agents with vital information to preempt and prevent crimes and
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has also expressed deep sadness at the bombing of the Yola Internally Displaced Persons, IDP Camp that claimed several lives and injured many persons.
In a press statement released by his Media Office in Abuja on Friday, the former Vice President said that the bombing could only have been planned and executed by persons with hearts of evil, saying that the perpetrators will know no peace.
Atiku said it was pathetic for these agents of evil to target the thousands of already traumatised and vulnerable people mainly from Borno and Yobe who were seeking refuge in the Camp.
“Many people I know were working as volunteers in the camp, including staff and students of AUN, who are being nurtured and mentored in the best tradition of service to humanity by giving of their time, energy and at times resources to their fellow human beings.
“Today’s attack is an attempt to break the spirits of the people who came to seek refuge.
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