Bomb explosion at the Tsangagyar Sani Uthman Islamiyya School in Kuchibuyi village, Bwari Area Council, Abuja, has been confirmed by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command to have left two people dead and two others injured.
The explosion, which occurred on Monday, January 6, at approximately 11:00 am, involved an improvised explosive device (IED), according to the police.
The FCT Police Command’s public relations officer, Josephine Adeh, said in a statement that three men from Katsina had visited the school’s proprietor, Adamu Ashimu.
According to her, the men were tampering with the device on the school veranda when it detonated, killing two of them instantly.
The police PRO added that a female trader and a third visitor were critically injured and were receiving treatment under police guard.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that three men from Katsina had visited the owner of the Islamic school, Mallam Adamu Ashimu. The three visitors are suspected of having brought the explosive device with them. Tragically, two of the men died in the explosion while tampering with the improvised explosive device (IED), on the school veranda, while the third man and a female trader sustained severe injuries and are currently receiving treatment under police guard,” the statement read.
“The FCT Bomb Squad has confirmed that it was an IED explosion, as remnants of the device have been recovered,” it further stated.
The statement added that Ashimu has been arrested for questioning, with investigations ongoing to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
Report of the explosion in the media earlier stated that a student died and four others were injured in the explosion.
But police investigations have shown that the fatalities were among the visitors who brought the explosive device to the school.
While the police have since cordoned off the school for safety purposes, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, has called on residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or objects to the authorities. He advised the public to avoid handling any items resembling explosive devices and to prioritise safety.