Aminu Alhassan, the state Commissioner of Police, revealed this on Monday at the Palace of the Emir of Katagum, Alhaji Umar Faruk II, and the palace of Galadiman Katagum, Alhaji Usman Mahmood Abdullahi, when he accompanied Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, to commiserate with the victims.
Explosion suspected to be from dynamites has rocked Azare town, headquarters of Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State, destroying a house, mosque and school in the community.
Aminu Alhassan, the state Commissioner of Police, revealed this on Monday at the Palace of the Emir of Katagum, Alhaji Umar Faruk II, and the palace of Galadiman Katagum, Alhaji Usman Mahmood Abdullahi, when he accompanied Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, to commiserate with the victims.
He explained that the explosion was unintentional, and that no lives were lost, adding that three buildings were damaged.
According to the CP, the explosion occurred after some people burned the grasses and garbage in the area.
“We suspected may be the explosives device like dynamite was buried in the area for more than three decades, because the road construction company once lived in that place, and sometimes back when Boko Haram attacked Azare Police Station, they followed through the same route where the device exploded, we are still investigating,” he said.
The CP stated that an anti-bomb disposal unit had cordoned off the area to conduct further investigation, and that two explosives had been discovered in the area.
Governor Mohammed promised to compensate the victims and thanked Allah that no lives were lost as a result of the incident.
He urged the victims to regard the incident as an act of God and reaffirmed the government's commitment to ensuring citizens' safety and well-being.
The governor urged residents in the area to cooperate with security agencies, even if it meant relocating them, in order to clear all suspected explosives in the area, assuring them of government support.
He expressed appreciation to the Emir of Katagum for his exemplary leadership style.
The owner of the house affected by the blast, Alhaji Muhammadu Baba, said the explosion occurred at katagum local government garage.
“We were shocked when we heard the loud sound. No life was lost, but it damaged so many things in my house,” he said.