7 Unijos Students Die In Jos Bomb Blast

PEOPLE of Jos, the capital of Plateau State, on Wednesday, continued to lament losses to the twin bomb blasts of Tuesday, as they besieged various health institutions in the state capital to look for their loved ones.

It was gathered that seven students of Medical Laboratory Science of the University of Jos were caught up in the explosion, while returning from a lecture at old Jos University Teaching Hospital, less than a hundred metres to the scene of the incident.

A colleague of the students, Vivian Eke, who escaped by the whiskers, said they finished lecture at about 2.00 p.m and were heading to their hostel when they were caught up in the incident.

It was gathered that their remains were immediately identified by fellow students, while four of them had equally been identified by their relatives.

Also on Wednesday, Pastor Godwin Ejeh of the Kingdom Dominion Chapel, Dadin Kowa, Jos, identified the corpse of his 18-year-old daughter, Shekinnah Ejeh,  at Plateau State Specialist Hospital.

Among the hospitals besieged by the people were Plateau State Specialist Hospital, University of Jos Teaching Hospital and Bingham Teaching Hospital, as they expressed grief and wept as they moved from one hospital to the other.

Findings also revealed that many of them were frustrated and agitated as a result of the large number of people that thronged the hospitals, while a few others who found their ways to the mortuaries could not recognise their loved ones, who were burnt beyond recognition.

A run down of figures by senior medical officer at Plateau State Specialist Hospital depicted that the number of corpses brought to the hospital had risen to 99, while three died in the early hours of Wednesday, with 45 others still recuperating.

At the Jos University Teaching Hospital, the Chief Medical Director, Dr Edmund Banwat, disclosed that 22 corpses were deposited and 45 on admission, adding that many of those on admission were responding to treatment.

When the Nigerian Tribune visited Bingham University Hospital, a senior official, who did not want his name in print, disclosed that 35 people were brought to the hospital from the scene of  the incident, while about 15 bodies were deposited at the mortuary.

The two campuses of the University of Jos were thrown into mourning as academic activities were paralysed, with students discussing the incident in groups.

A senior pastor in the church who spoke on condition of anonymity that the deceased daughter of the pastor was on an errand to pick up some items for the family when she was caught up in the explosion.

Another victim of the explosion now recuperating at Jos University Teaching Hospital, Mrs Hadiza Ajiji, said she was in a commercial tricycle when the bombs exploded, adding that two other occupants of the tricycle, including the driver, died on the spot.

Suleiman Ismail, another survivor, said he was sent on an errand by his mother, adding that he was trekking on the road when he heard a bang and later found himself in the hospital.

Irked by the explosion, the Inspector General of Police, M. D. Abubakar, shortly after visiting the victims at hospital, has vowed to unmask the perpetrators, adding that they would not go unpunished.

Abubakar, , said the police would do everything possible to unmask the perpetrators.