Blasts hit northern Nigerian city
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E-mail Xinhua, February 8, 2012
The Nigerian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Tuesday said a series of explosions have been reported in different part of northern city of Kaduna.
Spokesperson for the agency Shuaibu confirmed to Xinhua in a text message that they have been alerted to explosion at a military formation in Kaduna, adding that it is yet to confirm the nature of explosion or casualty.
A Xinhua reporter in the state said multiple explosions hit the vicinity of two military formations in the Kaduna metropolis and the popular Kawo Flyover, leaving unspecified number of persons dead and several others injured.
The explosions which went off one after the other at about 15 minutes interval caused panic and chaos as residents ran helter- skelter for safety, he added.
The bombs allegedly planted by suspected members of the militant sect Boko Haram began to go off from about 11:45 a.m. at the One Division of the Nigerian Army Headquarters, Kaduna and allegedly left heavy casualties while the alleged suicide bomber was shot dead by soldiers.
The alleged suicide bomber riding in a Sienna car forced his bomb-laden vehicle through the gates into the premises of the One Division of the Nigerian Army Headquarters but was promptly shot dead by vigilant soldiers.
The explosion which followed the shooting of the alleged suicide also resulted in the killing of four other yet-to-be- identified persons.
Many of the injured in the explosion at the One Division were said to be military officers and soldiers.
The injured military personnel whose uniforms were soaked in blood, according to eye witnesses, were later seen being evacuated from the Division to undisclosed hospitals for treatment.
Security sources told Xinhua that the impact of the explosion also destroyed part of the Administrative Building of the One Division of the Nigerian Army.
The multiple explosions caused commotion in several parts of the metropolis as residents ran helter-skelter to take refuge from the explosions. Traders at the weekly Kawo market abruptly closed their shops.
Schools within the vicinity of the multiple explosions were also forced to close for the day as parents and guardians besieged the schools to withdraw their children and wards.
Heavily armed soldiers however cordoned off the scenes of the explosions, preventing journalists and other residents from getting closer.
Soldiers at the One Division of the Army seized cameras belonging to the reporters of the African Independent Television and Kaduna State Government-owned Capital TV for attempting to take shots from the scenes of the blasts.
Also, the roads leading to the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House office of the state governor was also cordoned off.
Officials of the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency, volunteers of the Red Cross and other agencies were observed hurrying to the scenes of the explosions.
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