National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday said 44 people were killed and 47 others injured in the twin blasts that hit Jos on Sunday night.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), one of the blasts targeted Muslim faithful at a prayer session in a mosque at Delmi area of the city shortly after the breaking of the Ramadan fast.

The second blast went off 15 minutes later at a restaurant along Bauchi Road, killing many people that had gathered to break their fast.

The NEMA’s North Central Coordinator, Mr. Abdulsalami Mohammed, said those injured were initially rushed to Specialist Hospital in Jos for medical attention.

“But we found out that the hospital could not cope with the pressure and decided to move some of the victims to Bingham Hospital and Ola Clinic in Central Jos.

“Most of the victims were left on bare floor of the wards and we did not think that was proper,’’ he said.

Mohammed said the attacks at the mosque recorded more casualties because the suicide bomber fired into the crowd and killed many people before detonating a bomb.

“In fact, most of those hospitalised have gun shot wounds. At the specialist hospital, doctors have been battling to remove bullets from the bodies of the victims,’’ he said.

… JUTH resident doctors suspend strike

Association of Resident Doctors (ARDs) of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) has suspended its strike to attend to the urgent medical needs of victims of the twin bomb blasts in Jos.

Secretary of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Plateau State, Dr. Meshack Daniel, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday that this was to enable the doctors give adequate medical attention to the victims.

Daniel said the NMA was assisting in coordinating the management of casualties recorded from the blasts.

“As you are aware that the resident doctors in the teaching hospital have been on strike; but because of the situation on ground, we have decided to suspend the strike. This is to enable us assist in taking care of the injured victims.

“We are happy that the doctors have obliged, and indeed suspended the strike, for the benefit of humanity,’’ he said.

Daniel said most hospitals in Jos city centre were overwhelmed with patients due to the large number of victims of the blasts.

He also said the NMA was doing everything possible to mobilise drugs and consumables for the patients, and that donations were also coming from some donors.

-Sun