Touching stories from emab plaza bomb
blast! May God Help us oo .. Some people are
still looking for their loved ones.
Taxi driver cheats death
A taxi driver, who identified himself as
Malachy Odo, said he was caught up in the
midst of the ravaging fire after the bomb
exploded at the car park of Emab Plaza.He
said:
“I had arrived at the plaza in my cab
minutes earlier. After the last
passenger alighted from the cab, I
was reversing when I heard the
explosion. My car went up in
flames, and I struggled to pass
through the window and in the
process my left hand caught fire. As
I was running for my dear life,
broken glasses pierced my feet. I
was later rushed by rescuers to
Maitama General Hospital.”
Another survivor, Mrs Mary Andrew, said
she was lying on the ground beside her
groundnut tray, while waiting for buyers at
the entrance of Emab Plaza, when the blast
occurred. According to her:
“I was lying down when the bomb
exploded, and my baby was also
with me. After the blast, I
discovered that three of my fellow
groundnut sellers were dead. I was
very lucky, I was not hurt, and I
thank God for saving my life.”
I was covered with broken glasses -Samuel
Olasupo, who sells and repairs mobile phones
at Emab plaza had this to say:
“I was about to take step out of my
shop to the gate to buy corn, when
the bomb exploded. I was thrown to
the floor and my body was pierced
by pieces of glass. When I recovered
from the impact of the blast, I gave
glory to God.” He said the bomb-
laden car was said to have been
parked at the entrance of the plaza
for more than 30 minutes with
nobody inside.
Daniel Itodo said he was still searching for
his cousin, 24-year-old Bassey Bassey, who
hails from Cross River State. Bassey, who was
said to be the first child of his parents was
working with a pharmaceutical shop at the
plaza.
“I was at home when I heard about
the bomb blast at Wuse II, and I
remembered that my cousin, Bassey
Bassey was at the shopping plaza. I
rushed to the pharmacy where he
was working at Emab plaza, near
Banex. I was told that about three
minutes before the bomb blast, my
cousin left with a customer that
came to the pharmacy to buy some
drugs. Since then his phone has
been switched off and he is nowhere
to be found. I have gone to
University of Abuja Teaching
Hospital and National Hospital,
where I saw health officials
attending to some injured people
brought to them, and I learnt four
persons were in the intensive care
unit. But I was not allowed to have
access to them. I went to Garki
Hospital and I could not see him
there.”
“I went to Maitama General Hospital
where I saw up to 10 dead bodies.
Four could not be identified because
the bodies were charred. One of the
bodies was without a head, with
intestines packed on one side.
“The parents are yet to be informed
because we have not seen him dead
or alive. We are still searching for
him. I will meet with the manager of
the pharmacy to know whether the
customer was alive or both of them
died and for the management of the
pharmacy to tell us the exact story
about our brother’s whereabouts.
“I want the government to step up
security, because it is very painful
as innocent Nigerians are daily
becoming the objects of attacks. The
security agencies should improve on
their strategies because these
terrorists are spreading fast across
the country.
L-R: Sulaiman Ademola, Donald
My close shave with death
“My name is Ikechuku Iba, aka
Ogbologbo. I am a taxi driver in
Abuja, my park is at Emab plaza and
everybody in the plaza knows that I
always stayed at the exact spot
where the bomb went off yesterday.
That was where I usually parked my
car, waiting for passengers. But
thank God, on Wednesday, 30
minutes before the bomb went off
my sister phoned me to come. I was
reluctant at first because it was the
peak of activities but I later decided
to go. Just 30 minutes after I left
the Plaza, the bomb went off.
Thank God I wasn’t around and
thank God I went to Asokoro to see
my sister. A lot of people were
calling me to ask whether I was
involved because they all know I was
always there.
There was a particular boy I saw
being taken to the hospital and I
knew the mother as a banana seller,
I used to buy banana and groundnut
from her but she was caught up in
the blast and she died. I knew so
many others who died. When I went
to Maitama hospital yesterday to
check people, I recognised about
four people but some people were
badly burnt”.
Ademola
As he(bomber) bent his head
towards his Sienna, I told my friend
that we should get away from there.
Within a few seconds, there was an
explosion …. I saw many corpses on
the ground. Heads, hands and legs
littered everywhere–
– Tyokasi
On that fateful day, I just crossed
over to buy corn …. Within seconds
after I left that point, I heard a big
bang and found myself on the
ground. My right leg was
affected. Presently, I can’t stand
with it
–Olatunji
I thought my head had been
blown off by the blast. I touched my
head while on the ground and
realised that it was there. I stood up
and was looking for help, but help
didn’t come immediately
He said, “I came from Oyo State
yesterday (Wednesday) to hussle
and make some money for my
school fees before the end of the
strike by Polytechnics and colleges
of education workers.
“As a casual staff with Glo, I
normally get Sim cards to sell and
make some money. The incident
happened when we were going to
the mosque to observe the 4pm
prayer. On our way, we saw some
people arguing and they didn’t allow
a car to enter the plaza.
“As the argument continued, I heard
an explosion and immediately, I saw
human flesh and bones littering
everywhere. I was confused and I
din’t know what I was doing again. I
thought my head had been blown
off by the blast. I touched my head
while on the ground and realised
that it was there. I stood up and was
looking for help, but help didn’t
come immediately.
I’m still searching for my husband –Uche
Ojeh
Mrs Ojeh, who is Micheal’s
mother , said she was still
searching for her husband, Rufus.
She said, “My husband left home
around 5 am on Thursday. My son,
Michael helps someone to sell
newspapers by the plaza.
“I have seen my son but I have not
seen my husband. My son told me
he saw his father as he went to pick
a passenger. He gave Michael some
money and said after dropping off
the passenger, he would go and
watch the Nigeria- Argentina World
Cup match at home.
“He wanted Michael to follow him
but the boy said no. Micheal said a
man who came to buy newspaper
was using delay tactics by asking him
questions and immediately he
(bomber) left, the bomb exploded.
The blood of the bomber was all
over my son’s body. As I talk to
you now, I don’t know where my
husband is. We are still searching
for him.
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