An Improvised Explosive Device, IED, thrown into a lecture hall at the Federal College of Education, Kano, yesterday, claimed the lives of 15 students while 34 others sustained injuries.
According to an eyewitness, lecture was going on when two terrorists walked in and threw two objects that exploded within seconds. The blast was accompanied by sporadic gun shots as some of the gunmen, who were stationed outside the lecture hall, opened fire on some of the students who tried to escape from the scene.
The incident that occurred around 2.00pm at the school’s new site located at Gadon Kaya triggered pandemonium as students, lecturers and visitors to the school scampered for safety.
Also in the neighbourhood, residents locked up their houses, while shop owners in the vicinity hurriedly closed businesses as confusion reigned.
The prompt response of security agents at the nearest check point however saved the day as they engaged the gunmen and shot two of them to death.
Addressing newsmen at the scene of the incident, the Kano Commissioner of Police, Adenrele Shinaba confirmed that “15 died, while 34 were injured”.
Shinaba disclosed that two among the dead were the attackers gunned down by his men in an exchange of fire, explaining that those injured have been taken to a government hospital in the city.
The police boss said: “We have recovered two AK-47 assault rifles from the assailants”, pointing out that the command has launched a massive manhunt to track down other fleeing suspects.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has assured the people of Kano State and all Nigerians that the Federal Government was doing everything possible to increase the capacity of the nation’s security services to prevent attacks on innocent citizens by terrorists.
