Hindi Livinus, Yola
Mohammed Ramalan Ismail, 35 years old male, selling fruits by the section of the market where second hand clothes are sold in Mubi market, is a victim of the blast that rocked the town recently.
When the first blast occurred at the mosque, Ismail said he made to rush to the scene because of cries for help. He started for the mosque but a man in the crowd warned against this, saying it was dangerous to go to the scene of the blast because there could be another blast.
According to him, everyone he knew around the place before the bomb blast died including the man who forewarned the crowd from hastening to the scene of the blast.
“There was a surge in the crowd after the first bomb blast and I was running with my cart containing my wares. I was heading towards a getaway exit from the lines where traders sell second hand clothes, there was pushing and shoving and a general hysteria. Then some voices started to call out for help. They were saying in hausa, “ an na nai mo taimako aluma” (help the faithful). A lot of people who heeded the call were heading in the direction of the blast, I also turned, after safely keeping my cart with the fruits in the custody of one meat seller. I started heading towards the mosque. But a man in front of me whom I recognised in the market, was also warning on top of his voice against going to the scene of the blast. “This thing is not over,” he said “Don’t go near there. Usually when there’s a blast like this, the suicide bombers often wait for a crowd to build up around the scene, so that they can let off another (second) blast”. I agreed with him. I was retreating when I heard a deafening sound which raised me up, only to find myself in the hospital. All the people surrounding me including the man whose warning to people not to rush to the blast scene I learnt died. I don’t know how I survived this because all the people in front of me died; a lot of them were traders in the market that I know. I might have been among the dead had I not heeded the voice of that man who warned against going close to the site of the blast. I pray for his gentle soul to rest in peace.”
Ibrahim Abubakar, another victim of the Mubi twin suicide bomb blast said he’s still alive because he heeded the advice not to go to the scene of the first blast. “We were sitting close to the stalls where they sell second hand clothes. I heard the first blast, but we ran into our homes. After a while, we came out and I made to go to the scene of the blast but my friend advised me against going, which I heeded. I will say I am alive today because I took his advice. The first blast did not affect me. It was the second blast which caught me. More people were killed in the second blast, this occurred very close to the meat sellers’ stalls and the stalls where second hand clothes are sold. The second blast was more devastating, because there was a crowd around where it went off. I did not know anything after the explosion.”
Mohammed Tukur, a loader at the market was unloading goods from a truck when the second explosion rocked the market. Speaking in the presence of his wife, Tukur, said all he could recall is that he heard a blast and found himself in the hospital. He was first taken to a nearby clinic, where he received first aid before he was transferred to the Mubi General Hospital.
Although authorities put the death toll from the twin suicide bombings which rocked a mosque and market in Mubi at 29, most residents say the deaths resulting from the blast were more than the figures quoted by the authorities.
Bamanga Port Harcourt, a relative of one of the victims of the bomb blast told our correspondent that over 70 persons were buried after the blast. “Grave diggers buried over 70 corpses, we learnt. Some of the corpses at the scene were gathered into bags because the bodies were shredded in the blast. In some of the graves, as much as three bodies were buried together. Some of these corpses never got to the hospital because they were evacuated by relations who identified their corpses and took them for burial.”
He also said the military had apprehended another suicide bomber in Uba, adding that Boko Haram had infiltrated the city waiting to unleash mayhem.
Our correspondent who visited the town reports that residents of the commercial border town are worried that dreaded members of the Boko Haram sect who have gone under following the recapture of the town may be regrouping to unleash more mayhem on the city given the recent strings of suicide bombings in the city.
However, Dr. Ezra Sakawa, Principal Medical Officer Mubi General hospital, corroborating the official figures of deaths given by the authorities also said 56 injured persons were being treated at the Mubi General Hospital.
He also agreed that the deaths from the bomb blast could have exceeded the official figures given by authorities.
“Our claim of twenty nine deaths is based on the dead bodies that were brought to this hospital and those who died in the hospital while being treated. There were people who died at the scene of the blast but were taken straight to the grave yard. So we don’t know of those ones. We attended to 65 injured persons initially and we referred 11 to the Federal Medical Centre, Yola.”
The Commissioner of Police, Adamawa State Mr. Abdullahi Yarima, in his remarks, when he accompanied the state government delegation led by the Adamawa State Deputy Governor, Martins Babale, to condole with victims of the bomb blast, promised to bring to an end the strings of bombings within the city.
“It is unfortunate that this happened. But I can assure that all security operatives are working hard to avoid a repeat.”
Some of the victims who spoke with our reporter also expressed worries that the members of the Boko Haram sect who captured the city and renamed it Madinatul Islam, may have regrouped in the town ahead of plans to destabilise the town.
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