The bomb that exploded on the Assembly ground of the
Government Senior Science Secondary School, Potiskum that claimed the lives of
at least 48 students and injured scores of others on Monday was detonated by an
unknown suicide bomber who sneaked into the school dressed like a student,
witnesses said.
An obviously traumatised teacher who managed to speak with LEADERSHIP on phone, but wished not to be named
because of his safety, said the bomb went off from the bag of a young boy who
walked up to the assembly ground after an unidentified car dropped him off at
the gate of the school at about 7:30am.
The sources said the suicide bomber was dressed in white shirt and black
trousers which is the
“Many of us sighted him as he was dropped off by the car and
watched how he confidently walked up to the assembly ground pretending to be
one of the students”, said the teacher. “But unfortunately, he was immediately
spotted by one of the duty teachers who noticed his odd appearance amongst
other students, by carrying a bag to the assembly ground, even though the
school is a boarding school.
The teacher on duty called his attention, asking him why he
had to bring his bag to the assembly ground, but the bomber remained silent,
ignoring the teacher. His attitude towards the teacher drew the attention of
other students who milled around him to find out who he was. The teacher then
moved closer to him, thinking he might be a new student on transfer since most
of the students could not recognise him”.
The source said the teacher and some of the senior prefects
who were not pleased with the rudeness of the fake student who continued to
ignore the teacher, decided to force him to kneel down.
“It was during the process of asking him to observe the
punishment of kneeling down that the explosive in the bag went off and
unfortunately killed many of the students including the teacher who had inched
closer to the scene to see what was happening”. The source added that he
survived because he did not go closer to the scene, thinking it was one of
those usually rude students that the teacher was dealing with.
“I thank God that I am alive; but the deafening sound of the
bomb affected my auditory system for several hours”, added the source. “Even
from the distance that I stood before the blast, I found myself sprawling on
the ground after the blast; that made me believe that the blast might have come
from a huge explosive device”.
LEADERSHIP had also been informed that all the 72 injured
students had since been referred to the Federal Medical Centre in Azare, Bauchi
State, where the state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam promised to foot all
their medical bills. All schools within and around Potiskum town have been
closed by the state government indefinitely.
RIP to the dead
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