Woman bombed in Jos 24 hours after escaping Boko Haram in Yobe

Posted by admin Boko Haram, Headlines, Plateau, State News, Yobe Sunday, March 11th, 2012

When 23-year-old Hajara Saidu left Potiskum in Yobe State for Jos, Plateau State, she thought she had escaped the onslaught of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, which since late last year had unleashed a spate of bombings on the state. She, however, did not know a crude fate awaited her less than 24 hours after arriving Jos.

Hajara had left Potiskum with her uncle to stay with him and his family in Jos where they have been taking refuge. Her uncle, Dr Garba Saidu, had gone to Yobe on a condolence visit when it was decided that she returned with him because of the constant attack in the state.

They arrived Jos about 6pm on Saturday, February 25. The next day, she decided to attend the early morning service at the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) headquarters in Jos. But less than 30 minutes into the service, a suicide bomber struck. A car bomb detonated by a Boko Haram suicide bomber within the vicinity of the church consumed some of the worshippers, including Hajara.

Her uncle identified Hajara as rescuers brought her out of the rubble. She was gasping for breath at the time. As a medical practitioner he knew her case was serious. He tried to revive her but his effort was fruitless.
According to Dr Saidu, he saw the suicide bomber arrive and how he drove in to claim his victims, including his sister who had been under his custody since she was two years old.

He told Sunday Sun how the merchants of death took away his sister at her prime.
“We went for a condolence visit at home and decided to bring her to Jos. We came on Saturday and arrived at 6pm. The following day, we prepared to go to the COCIN headquarters. We went to the early morning service from 7am to 9am. We were many and we decided to go in two cars. I have a Peugeot 406 and my brother has a Toyota Hilux. I asked them to go with my car while I fixed the Toyota because it had a flat tyre. When they got there they parked in the parking space and entered.

“When I got there, there was no parking space left, so I parked by the bridge. With my Bible in my hand, as I was approaching the gate, I met a man with a motorcycle being checked by the gate. As I was waiting with some others for him to be allowed in before we go, I saw the Golf wagon, blue in colour, coming. The driver just came and smashed the motorbike by the gate. The way he started, it was like a learner handling a vehicle but when he continued moving in, it dawned on me that this was going to be terrible. The security man at the gate asked all of us to go back because he is a suicide bomber. As we crossed to the other side of the road, the car just burst into flames and we saw nothing but dust. It was the machine that was the saving grace. He crushed the machine. This was what alerted the people in the church and the security man that was shouting bomb! bomb! Hajara must have been running towards the church. She was within the perimeter of the bomb blast.

“My family, including my sister, wife and children were all in the church. So I did not have option but to go in. I was able to see everybody except my sister, Hajara. I was worried because that was her first day at that service. I did not know what to do but I said first of all they should all return to the camp with the 406. Even though the windscreen had been shattered, it could still be managed while I stay behind to see what happens.
“As I was going round, I saw the man that got out of the car before the car burst into flames. I saw that they caught him and were interrogating him. But the guy did not answer; he just kept mute. That was when they started slapping him. One commissioner was trying to protect him but people resisted.

“All this time, I was still worried that I had not seen my sister. I went round the church and in one place, I saw one leg and a part of a wrapper. As I was coming back, I saw two brothers carrying a body from inside the church. I looked at the body and saw it was my sister. I saw that she was trying to give up. As a medical practitioner, there are cases we see and we know there is no hope. I saw a burn on one of her legs and wound on the head. I tried massaging it but I knew she would not make it. That was how I left. It is really sad.
“When I told my people, they did not believe I saw her. I told them that the blood stain on my hand was that of my sister.
One thing that kept encouraging me was that I know we serve a living God. I know God has the power to stop that car but God allowed it to happen. I just gathered myself and said Jesus I know whatever you do is perfect. My wife still finds it difficult to adjust because she was like a sister to her. She stayed with us and we trained her.
“We can never forget Hajara. She was always smiling. Even when she did something wrong and you are scolding her, she will be smiling. Before her death, she was a dedicated member of the youth fellowship in ECWA Goodnews Church in Damaturu. She was so dear and so lovely to us.

“She was born in 1990 by my uncle, Malam Hashimu Shehu, but had been with us since she was two years. She had both her primary school and secondary education in Yobe State and finished in 2007. She decided to study fashion and design. She is very good in the arts and was in the school when the unfortunate Boko Haram incident started in Yobe on November 4, 2011.

Died in God’s service
For Namban, another victim, her determination to survive kept her alive despite being born a premature. She grew up to be a healthy child. When she completed her secondary school education, she was became ill again but that determination to survive pulled her through even when her parents were almost giving up. Little did she know that what would take her away will not give her chance to struggle.

Namban died on the spot that fateful February 26 when the suicide bomber struck the COCIN headquarters. She was an usher in the church, waiting at the entrance during the service to welcome worshippers.
Her mother, Mrs Naomi Wambutda, said though she had a small stature, Namban was always very active. She put in her best in whatever she did, which saw her playing active role in the church. With a diploma in Social Welfare, she had fruitlessness searched for a job before her untimely demise.
“The last time I sat with her, she said she will go back to school for her HND programme. She said by April she would need money to buy the admission form to enable her apply.
Recounting how she died while receiving those who had came pay them condolence visit, Mrs Wambutda said she was very quiet that morning.

“I took my bath before her and left her at home while she was dressing. She came later and sat outside and that was where the blast caught up with her,” she said.
Mrs Naomi however waxed philosophical as she said she would not allow her faith in God to waver because of what had happened. She added that she had forgiven those who caused her family pain and sorrow as they were relying on God for strength.

The church reacts – Govt can’t protect us
I’m really not sure the government has the capacity to protect the people. Everyone has to be security conscious and protect himself. Even though it was alleged that one of the reasons COCIN was targeted was because it has been hosting Yobe refugees, even before the refugees arrived, the church had been receiving text messages that it would be attacked. That was why we made every effort to protect the place of worship. We do not really know what happened that Sunday because every security arrangement was put in place.

“Since European countries have said they can assist us, Nigeria could learn a lot from them if it accepts their invitation. Nigeria cannot continue like this. Before the government can gain the confidence of the people, something concrete must be done. We always hear that government is on top of the situation but we do not see anything,” Rev. John Haruna Daylop said.

-Sunwp_posts