From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
No less than five persons have been killed and 10 others injured in an explosion that occurred at Yongxing Steel factory located along the Eastern Bypass in Kano metropolis.
The explosion happened yesterday morning when a military mortar bomb, suspected to be on a truck carrying carbine, exploded in the area. The victims were rushed to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), where five persons were confirmed dead by medical doctors on duty, and 10 others were receiving treatment.
The Police authorities said the explosion occurred while the company’s staff workers were offloading a load of scraps from a truck that arrived from Damaturu, Yobe State. The statement signed by the Kano State Command’s Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Adamu Hussaini, DSP, said the explosion happened yesterday morning.
It reads: “The Kano State Police Command received a distress call from the Marketing Manager of Yongxing Steel Company located along Ring Road, Mariri Quarters, Kano, Mr. Ibrahim Udazu, about an explosion that occurred in the factory premises, that seriously injured some people”.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori ,PhD leading the early responders, including the Command’s team of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), Chemical Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Wears Personnel, arrived and secured the scene to avert further damages.
“The scene was immediately cordoned off to restrict access as a precautionary measure, and the police EOD Personnel professionally recovered five suspected devices without hurts.”
“Preliminary investigation reveals that the explosion occurred from a truck loaded with scraps from Damaturu, Yobe State, while offloading at the company’s premises.
“As a result, fifteen people sustained varying degrees of injury and were immediately rushed to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. Regrettably, five of the victims died while receiving treatment. Meanwhile, others are responding to treatment.
“The State Commissioner of Police has directed a detailed investigation, and urges the public to remain calm and be vigilant, while cooperating with the police to get to the root cause of the unfortunate incident.”
The news of the blast initially caused a lot of anxiety among the residents of the metropolis.
