Bomb Blast: Pregnant woman, 3 others confirmed dead;24 others injured

Posted by admin Latest Politics, Plateau, State News Saturday, January 1st, 2011

Of the four persons officially confirmed dead in the Mogadishu Barracks, Abuja, blast on new year eve, was a pregnant woman.

A soldier who had his leg amputated and a five-year old daughter, left with a fracture, were among the 26 injured during the incident.

The dead pregnant woman had travelled from Jos to Abuja to celebrate the new year with her sister-in-law and both were at the army facility’s Mammy Market when the blast occurred on Friday night.

The pregnant woman died but the in-law survived with injuries.

As at yesterday, the news of the death of the pregnant woman was still being kept away from the in-law so that the news does not depress her and affect her recovery.

The in-law who was one of the victims of the Abuja blast that spoke to Sunday Vanguard on their hospital beds yesterday, said the blast occurred around 7 pm and that the impact of the blast, which came from shop 18, lifted them to as high as 15 ft high before they fell on the ground.

“I had gone to buy fish and entertain my sister in- law who came from Jos to visit us for the New Year. She was feeling downcast and I wanted to cheer her up. We were waiting for the fish to be properly roasted when the blast went off, two shops from where we sat. I saw death with my two naked eyes but I thank God I am alive”, the surviving in-law said.

See photos of victims here

It was gathered that a soldier attached to the Nigerian Army Headquarters had his legs amputated while his five-year old daughter had fracture as a result of the blast.wp_posts