An explosion which rocked Azare town, Headquarters of Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State, reportedly destroyed a school, a mosque and a house in the area.
The state Commissioner of Police, Aminu Alhassan, who confirmed the explosion on Monday, January 30, at the Palace of 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, said the explosion is suspected to be from dynamite.
Alhassan who revealed that no life was lost, said some people cleared the grasses and garbage in the area after the explosion and burnt them.
The commissioner said;
“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.”
Alhassan said the anti-bomb disposal unit had cordoned off the place to carry out further investigation, adding that two explosives were discovered in the area.
Daily Trust reported that Governor Bala Mohammed who pledged to compensate the affected victims, expressed gratitude to Allah that no life was lost as a result of the incident.
He asked the affected victims to take the incident as an act of God, and reiterated government commitment to ensure safety and well being of the citizens.