Three students of Kano State Polytechnic were yesterday confirmed
dead as another explosion went off in the metropolis.
The blast, which
occurred at the main campus of the polytechnic, also injured seven
other victims, who have been rushed to the Murtala Mohammed Hospital.
The blast went off a few minutes after 2pm at the gate of the Central
Administration of the school, hitting a number of students who had
gathered to check their postings following the release of the National
Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mobilization list that had just been pasted
on the notice board. The Rector, Prof. Dalhatu Mohammed Galadachi,
confirmed the explosion on the campus located on BUK Road, saying that
the blast was most unfortunate.
Witnesses fingered a young girl wearing a black veil (hijab) as the
agent of death , saying she slipped into the crowd of students unnoticed
and blew herself up. They said that it was the impact of the explosion
that killed as well as injured those immediately around her at the time
of the explosion. The corpses were removed to the morgue.
Speaking to Daily Sun, the Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Adenrele Shinaba, described the suspected bomber “as, a teenage girl wearing black veil (hijab)” while confirming that three persons, which included the suicide bomber herself, died.
The commissioner expressed concern over the fact that recent suicide
bombings in the state were carried out by young girls wearing veils.
He said that despite his concern, the police have no role to play
with regards to the mode of dressing by the public, noting that as a
security organization, the police have been sharing information with
the appropriate authorities regarding the disturbing trend in which
suicide bombers hid their bombs under their veils. “I don’t have the
power to choose the mode of dressing of the society. I can only advise.
That decision is not mine to make. But this is no time for sentiment. We
have to face reality. We have been sharing our information on this with
the government. We don’t know what they would do with it,” he said.
Meanwhile, a state of anxiety has enveloped the state capital as
residents have adopted fresh security measures to beat the deadly ploys
of the insurgents, among which include avoiding places of high human
traffic or vehicles and to limit their movements to only highly
essential needs and callings.
Also, in some quarters in the state capital, residents simply avoid
direct or close contacts with young girls wearing veils even as checks
have also shown that the mode of dressing in a long veil is no longer
fashionable to the ladies given the suspicion it evokes from the public
and security agencies.