From NOAH EBIJE and ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE, Kaduna
A senior Air Force officer, Air Commodore Alechenu Ekagbo is one of the survivors of Sunday’s bombing at Saint Andrews Protestant Military Church in Jaji cantonment in Kaduna State.
Daily Sun learnt that the military officer, whose official residence is about 15 metres away from the scene of the bomb blast is however, in a critical condition at the 44 Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna. A close family member of the officer said Ekagbo was at his Brigadier quarters, relaxing when the bomb exploded and hit his house.
The family member said: “We thought he was dead until we got the news this morning that he was still alive but in a critical condition,” adding that the military authority has concluded plans to fly him abroad for better medical attention.
Though, as at the time of filing this report, the military authority was yet to give update on the number of death, but a source said the death toll had risen to about 40, even as military authorities barred journalists from visiting and interviewing survivors receiving treatment at various military hospitals in Kaduna metropolis. When some journalists made attempt at the 44 Army Reference Hospital to visit the wards where some of the survivors were receiving medical attention, there was resistance from the soldiers guarding the gate, saying, “My friends, go and get clearance from the Headquarters, 1 Mechanized Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna.”
When the 1 Mechanized Division leadership was contacted, it directed the journalists to go to Armed Forces and Command Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji to get permission to talk with the survivors. Similarly, when the AFCSC was contacted, its spokesman, Colonel Mohammed Dole said the press would be briefed as soon as the college was ready with facts and figures of the incident.
The Executive Secretary, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and Abuja, Professor Daniel Babayi told Daily Sun in a reaction to the bomb blast that Christianity had come to stay in the North no matter the level of bombing of churches in the region. “We Christians in the North will not retreat or surrender to Boko Haram, no matter the number of churches they bombed in the North. Christianity has come to stay in the region, nobody can chase Christians away.
This is our home, this is our country and we must remain here.” Former minister of Defence, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed condemned the bombings and described the attacks on innocent worshippers as sad, wicked, dastardly and a crime against humanity.
A statement issued by Emeka Nwankpa, Special Assistant on Media to the former defence minister, expressed deep sympathy to families of the victims, the Catholic Church and the authorities of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji over the loss of the precious lives in the blasts. “I Pray to God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss and I urge members of the Armed Forces not to despair in the face of the current security challenges but should continue to keep faith in the unity, peace and stability of the country.
“I hope that the current challenges will soon end, all men of goodwill to continue to join hands with the Federal Government in finding effective means of guaranteeing the peace, security and prosperity of the nation.
The statement said. Feelers from the military hospital at the Nigerian Air force (NAF) Base, Mando, Kaduna indicated that the medical personnel had to work all night to give full medication to the survivors that were brought to the hospital, even as they were said to have battled with erratic power supply all night long. Again, at the scene of the incident, it was learnt that furious soldiers smashed mobile phones of those who took pictures of the affected church with their camera phones, a day after the incident.
Meanwhile, security has been beefed up at all military and paramilitary establishments, just as check points have been increased along major streets in the city with Army checking boots and bonnets of every vehicle plying the streets. All roads leading to the Headquarters of the State Police Command have been reinforced, using several disused vehicle tyres to block the roads the more.
It was also noted that in many places, the Okada Riders (Commercial motorcyclists) have to roll their motorcycles through the check points for a long distance, away from the security point before riding them. END
May God Help this country called Nigeria , for the wiched amoung us want to oppress us but God higher than them all and we will surely win evil by the grace of God in the name of our dear lord Jesus Christ Amen.
was there no security at entrance gate?
@chinonyerem, who will watch the watchman. we hear them say boko haram is faceless, that is an assertion of a coward . they are all around us, they are within us and we know both them and their agenda. boko haram is not faceless,it is blind because it is not seeing beyond these bombing and killing.
Does it mean that boko harams are more stronger and heavier than army? Is government waiting until these evil people finish xtians in this country. Pls mr president invite UN Forces to help cos they are even ready to kill Pope if he is here in naija
Shame on Nigeria Christians and i wonder when they will wake up and fight back……. who died is died and nothing can be done to bring him/her back to life…. but is the duty of those alive to protect themselves and fight back…. Nigeria army warn Journalist not to interview people in hospital so that the issue will not go beyond or people coming to the truth of the matter….. Christians in Nigeria should learn how to fight back and forget about the issue of christian and Jesus teaching us to love….. Jesus teach you to love and not to protect yourself…. those evil men will continue killing the christian until the day christian will wake up and fight back
Were is nigeria heading to why is military preventing people from seeing the victim of the bomb blast are they hiding there failure to save guard life and property . i think is high time federal government mount automatic bomb dictator and camera in every check points in every state in the north . let us wake up to our responsibility esses crude money can do this things am saying is human life they are westing every day
The furiosities against people taking pictures of the damaged church by these soldiers is mark indisciplene, i hope those that allowed the bombers to pass the gate are been interogated under detention
Nigerian security agencies are never proactive! When the deed is already done they begin to unleash havoc on hapless citizens. Just wondering if Nigeria can ever put an end to this endless show of shame and cruelty
The so called Amnesty International have not condemed the bombing but will rush to press any time this bastered boko haram are killed.We should emulate what Isreal is doing to Hammars.
Who told them that protestant church is catholic church. It seems they are happy whenever they get catholics bombed. Get ur facts right bf misleading ppl.
@ onyii Are u annoyed dat bokoharam bombed and killed innocent christan worshipers or that catholics were mentioned? Whats ur own?
Prayers! Prayers !! Prayers !!! “PRAYERS” is what the country and everybody in Nigeria needs, may almighty GOD save this country and its people from these inhuman and brutal unbelievers. Both Christian and Muslim faithful should declare 7 days fasting and prayers.
Alhaji Dan-azumi Gana. Prayer is good but when the foundation is wrong there is nothing prayer can do. It is thesame story in Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Somali, Mali, etc, thesame story among people with one belief system. The world will continue to beat around the bush until we tell ourselves the truth. Is it not time we stop deceiving ourselves and call a spade, spade? Why is it thesame people and thesame story over and over again? you can pray from now till whenever, yet it won’t change anything because when the foundation is wrong nothing can be done.
Enough of prayers. It is time for action. God has already done his own part. It is now up to us to do something (fight back) in order to have peace! If you fast for 7 days, you will just be hungry, and nothing will happen.
funny as heck, bro!
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Not all attacks should be attributed to Boko Haram. Let Nigerians not be deceived. Some unscrupulous elements hide under the umbrella of Boko Haram to carry out their nefarious acts. Eg; what happen to the christians arrested when attempting to bomb a church in Miya Barkate in Bauchi State; are they BH too? In fact, more than 80% of the attacks are by non-Boko Harams. It is even believed and proved that JTF are responsible for some but the Government doesn’t want the public to know. REASON: If they go back to the Barracks, no more allowances, only salaries. I want everybody reading this to reason well. Why is it that the attacks are rampant and more devastating in places where the JTF are operating? The answer is what they (JTF) don’t want to hear. PERIOD.
Engineer CDH, u are simply a bokoharam. U tried to diguise urself but itz so obvious. But you know whart? God Almighty, God of vegeance will visit u and your members sooner than later. Amen!
ChinnyC, you are a beast. Why should I disguise myself? The fact is that we Nigerians don’t want the truth. Bloody pig.
Islamic sects to snicked into military barrack through security water tight gate. Hahaha we are not fools to adhered to that blatant lies. Brother allowed his brothers to launch attacks on their enemies (christians). This country didnt contain christians again, lets starts thinking of returning home n develop home to our taste than hausas killing n slaughtering us in a cool blood everyday.
I QUOTE FROM ASIWAJU TINUBU…MY BROTHER FULANI’S/NORTH RIDON WE ARE ONE….NO AMMOUNT OF IGBO’S KILLED WILL DIVIDE NIGERIA.
Angel ar u sure he said so? Cn u quote wher he made his statement?
Angel ar u sure he said so? Cn u quote wher he made such statement?
Really? But Yorubas, other tribes are killed too. Thatz the problem with Nigerians. When they feel they’re not affected, thry dont care; without knowing that they’re affected too. If such speech actually came from respected Tinubu, then itz very disappointing. Maybe he was under drug or something close.
No. That is the problem with Igbos. When other tribes are killed by terrorists, they gloated over it, and would say it was a pay back because of what they suffered in Biafra. But when they are killed, they want the rest of Nigeria to sympathize with them! And yet, they want Biafra. And yet the want to be president; and yet they cry marginalization. Now you can see how confused and useless these people (Igbos) are.
LMAO…Gideon you don kill me here with laughter ohhh!!!
You igbo hater,youve stupidly left the topic of discussion to attack the igbos because their names are mentioned.You can go to hell with your presidency,what have you gained from been there.OBJ was president for 8 years, we saw how the yorubas like you benefited from it.Go to hell with your comments.Boko Haram does not descriminate in their killings.If you think it is only the Igbos that are been killed, you must be joking.Stupid Idiot.
@gideon, your family is useless.i cannot abuse the yorubas because all of them cannot be as stupid, useless and foolish as you are.Are you better than the igbos?despite your been in power, what is the scale of measurement? You represent a generation of nigerians that will die before this country will move forward.your comments are tribal in nature and smacks of illiteracy.i will be surprise if you ever attended any secondary school Stupid ass hole.
I cannot understand why in third world especially africa when ever there is any out-break of voilence, tragedy, or accident the men in milatry also like to proved to be thin gods, or denied the facts, what are we hidding. It is this hidding thats leads to speculation that 50 people were killed. when there is no transparentcy there is bound to be rumours. In other advance world every body is free to come, talk to the survivors, and the relatives of the victicms, but in the africa it is a secrets. At the end of the so called investigation, bunch of lies, distortion of the truths, and conspiracy would be announce as the cause or their findings which has never lead us to no where. A enough of this mancho show, and deception.
Oooh, fellow nigerians, now that all hope seem to be lost, pls were’re we heading to, even in military formation?
They saw d country as a conquerd teritory especialy against d east nd 4 d 40ty years they ruled nig they only achieved reducing the igbos to a defeated pple instead of puting tins in place to move on like other developed nations tday. Lootin nd counter coup of military became d other of d day while dea is oficial coruption in every ofice just to prove they ar parasites in d opinion of asari dokubo. Dia patner in progres dough cowards nd noise makin tribe ar d laziest pple any were on earth nd dats why they sit in dia house nd d ibos with only 20naira given to dem by d den finance minister rose up in prosperity nd single handedly bot over lagos makin them tenants in dia own state
Bomb in Jaji? In a military barrack? Then JTF are useless. They should all return to the barrack to protect themselves. They are no longer useful outside.
BK, you are absolutely right. They should all go back to the Barracks, and if they do, I believe peace will reign.
I sympathies with the families of those that lost their loved ones and Nigeria security should involve so many people in intelligence gathering.
Time is running out, friends. Pray, just pray u would not die suddenly, unpreparedly, in sin. May u understand before its too late, I pray in Jesus name.
Where is those Amnesty Int’l that accused,criticised and condemned the Military for shooting and killing Boko Harams,i hope they heard wat Boko Haram did in the Military Protestant church.I dont know why the busy body Amnesty Int’l cant mind their business,fools
@Engr. no christian true or fales christian will go and bomb a church ok, so stop those things u re talking ok.
There is reason why Achabe said there was a country. There was a country called Nigeria. Nigeria is dead what we are waiting is the burial of the the nation called Nigeria.
There was a reason World 1 and World 2 were fought. My fellow Christian brothers and sisters, let us stand up and fight back for we have got nothing to lose. These mass extermination of christians will not stop unless we take the battle to them. Heaven help those who help themselves. Prayers does not stop war – expecially again terrorists moslems. Their Koran tells them to kill the infidels – the unbelievers of Islam. We gotta fight back.
ORDINARY JOURNALIST U ARE ASKING TO GET CLEARANCE FIRST B4 SPEAKING TO SURVIVORS. THIS IS MADNESS!! ON SUNDAY U DID NOT ASK BOKO HARAM TO GET CLEARANCE BEFORE BOMBING THAT CHURCH. THEY TOLD U THEY ARE IN A HASTE AND U GAVE THEM ENTRANCE. HABA, 9JA UNA NEVER TELL US THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS BOKO HARAM. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, PLEASE SPEAK OUT OOOO! AT LEAST THE SAVE THE POOR MASSES.
SO CALLED CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS IN NIGERIA ARE ALL THE SAME. THEY BOTH STOLE THE COUNTRY DRY AND CREATED ALL THE SOCIAL CRISIS NIGERIA IS EXPERIENCING TODAY. RELIGION IS A TOGA WORN LIKE A CLOTH BY NIGERIANS WITHOUT TRUE DEPT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. POINT OF CORRECTION I A BELIEVER IN GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST MY LORD AND SAVIOUR DOES NOT SERVE THE SAME GOD WITH A MUSLIM. THE FACTS ARE THERE TO PROVE IT. TO THE CHRISTIANS JESUS AT A TIME ASKED HIS FOLLOWERS TO SELL WHAT THEY HAD AND BUY SWORD. MY QUESTION IS WHAT IS SWORD MEANT FOR “WAR”. TO NDIGBO HEAR YE THE WORD OF GOD OF YOUR ANCIENT HEBREW ANCESTORS YOU SHALL REMAIN ENDANGERED SPECIE UNTIL YOU RETURN TO GOD AS A NATION IN PRAYER AS GOD STATED IN 2CHRONICLES7:14. THOSE WHO ARE KILLING YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE BUT IGBO NEVER CARED TO KNOW THEIR ORIGIN.
Gush! jst dawned on me dt its nt jst a road side church, bt a CHURCH INSIDE A MILITARY BARRACKS. Shame to nigerian security. Were there no military pple @ d gate? Didn’t d securities @ d gate ve explosive detecting gadget? This is North dt we r talking abt. Is this d first time of Boko haram bombing barracks? Did they need to be told dt they shld ve been @ alert? In a barracks hw many stop&search or check points do they normally mount/ have? Pls FG these pple ve a case 2 answer. JTF i dnt tink u r needful any longer. Olee way Nigeria & Nigerian security Agents? Which way?
A country wt excess oil money has no security, no power, no good road, no job 4 d teaming jobless yuth, no empowerment of any kind. God 4give & Save us pls evn as we pray dt u give us a better country. Pls CAN if possible u can study & fashion out som new intelligent ways of guiding & securing worship places in d North.
As for d so-called ENGINEER or watever u call ursef, if u dnt ve a better or a sensible thing to say just closed ur stinking mouth shut. U shld ve jst told u r one of the Boko haram insugents than lurking beneath & disguising urself. No any true (or evn false) christain can carry and bomb a church. Do u evn kno wat u r talking abt or r u drunk? Ur wickedness wil cut up wt u if u dnt repent and embrace JESUS jst as som of ur wise ALFAS r doing.
Ehmm. As for d so-called ENGINEER or watever u call ursef, if u dnt ve a better or a sensible thing to say just closed ur stinking mouth shut. U shld ve jst told u r one of the Boko haram insugents than lurking beneath & disguising urself. No any true (or evn false) christain can carry and bomb a church. Do u evn kno wat u r talking abt or r u drunk? Ur wickedness wil cut up wt u if u dnt repent and embrace JESUS jst as som of ur wise ALFAS r doing.
Why was journalists bar from entering? There are hidden TRUTH that they don’t want them unveil to the public,they should be INTERROGATED accordingly for concealing the Truth.
Nigerian security agency is a failure.
boko haram is not heartless,the only problem we have is bad government,does it mean that goood luck will not give other for united nations to come and help wipe terrorist away in naija…….i dont blame boko bcos our government is weak.i had jonathan beliveing to negotiate with boko haram,since we know there sponsors why cant jonathan give other to kill their sponsors nd get ready for them.he wil be waiting until they get to aso rock and kill him,,,,nonsense
I am % diference from housas. I cant accept been one with them. They are Evil minded poeple,they worship a man all known as humanizer,a killer,destroyer,sturbon an so many bad bad thins we know of him.A snake must give baith a snake or pyton.
Gideon wat is ur problem here? Igbos? or wat? I wonder Y u shld keep running ur mouth on Igbo evn wen they said nothing. Wat has what u jst said got to do with what ChinnyZ said nor does it ve anything to do with wat d oda guy quoted abt Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Or is Tinubu an Igboman? Beware not to untimely kill urself with d jealousing spirit dt satan has put in you against d Igbos. U wil kill ursef bcos of an igbo man and dt same Igboman wl stl be there prospering more dan you and being creative to himsef like he has eva been. Hw am i evn sure its nt d same igboman dt is directly or indirectly feeding u. We r talking a very serious sensitive matter here and u r here talking reckless wild sentiment. Go drink ur garri jo, Zombie.
Aftermath of this incidence, is the suffering of the poor masses in the hands of the force men.
Jaji bombing was planned and executed by the B.H. within the camp not from outside. The heavy explosive devise was manufactured in the camp ,neatly loaded in the car within the campand parked near the Protestant church. That car didn’t pass through the gate with explosives. For maximum carnage,destruction and genocide to achieve successful Jihad, another vehicle loaded with lighter explosive was driven and rammed close near the parked explosive loaded car to attract more victims. When unfortunate worshipers rushed outside from the protestant church and crowded around exploded vehicle to thank God for saving them, the heartless killer detonated the explosives in the car in the name of Allah. This is a new development in a war against terror, now turning into a war within & the military is not making things easy by chasing away journalists and blocking possible evidence. I fear whether the nation may survive this.
Y can’t any body get better medical care in his country so ppl who can’t afford to fly out for medical care should rot na abi? God help His ppl and what has gone up must come down one day.
It is now becoming clearer dat Nigeria military, Nigeria police ar full of Boko Haram, so also oda govt parastatals.
” A NATION THAT CAN NOT BE TRUTHFUL WITH HERSELF WILL NEVER KNOW PEACE NON PROSPERITY”
Who heads the AFSC Jaji? It’s a B.H member incase you dont know. I believe it cant happen in NDA where anti B.H is the commandant. Very soon it wil b Chindit barack. Anyway it is a price for one Nigeria. Up one Nigeria
For me o, it is better a man dies while fighting then Die in his sleep. Let us fight this fight once and for all. A group from a particular region will not just continue to unleash terror on people. You get peace from war.