Hycent Nwafor sells vehicle spare parts in one of the shops in Oriakpata in the heart of Kaduna, which was devastated by a mysterious explosion yesterday. Nwafor recalled how the explosion occurred.<\/span><\/p>\n He said:\u201dMy shop is adjacent the place that the explosion took place, I sell spare parts. We just heard a loud noise and all of a sudden, we started seeing fire and smoke everywhere. I know that so many people died. Some of the victims have been evacuated to the hospital.\u201d<\/span> Okafor\u00a0 said: \u201cWe were standing this morning discussing, until we heard a sound, I had to crawl for escape just to discover that they four other people died instantly.\u00a0 There are still some people trapped inside. Some people came on a motorcycle and started asking questions, they were holding something and all of a sudden what they were holding exploded with their machine, the two of them scattered immediately.\u201d<\/span> \u201cFrom my shop, I saw somebody running and burning and people started pouring water on the man, so, we ran to discover that some shops were in flames and shortly after, we heard a sound of explosion,\u201d Oyewunmi recalled.<\/span><\/p>\n It was a loud sound that made Emeka Udoji, an auto parts seller, realised he was not going to be able to carry on with the business of the day.\u00a0<\/span> Anyigbobu said: \u201cI entered the shop and the guy gave me N1,000 and we were discussing Sam Loco\u2019s death, and I went outside and before I knew what was happening a just heard a sound, and I kept my hands on my head and the whole ceiling fell on me and I managed to escape but the guy I was talking to before I was going out, I am not sure he is alive because he was still inside as I was making my way outside. He is my brother who I went to give change. The explosion was outside the shop. I did not see anybody apart from the small boys that I saw burnt. I have been calling the guy\u2019s number but his number is not going. I can confirm the death of three people, one Igbo and two Hausa people living inside the compound. The Igbo\u2019s name is Ebuka. Inside the shop there is no battery, I sell Peugeot parts and he sells truck parts. There is nothing explosive in the shops. This occurred in front of my shop though I cannot say precisely the exact time but it was in the morning. About three people died.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n But Police Commissioner Ballah Nasarawa believes there is no need to suspect any foul play. He said the incident occurred in a shop where they sell batteries and gas. Nasarawa said: \u201cIt is a sad incident. As at now, we are not suspecting any foul play, you can see that the fire is still burning, but if you observe, it is from where they sell batteries and gas; so, we are suspecting that it is an explosion from within not sabotage from outside. As at now, there are casualties but I cannot give you certain numbers until after investigations.\u201d<\/span> Mamman said: \u201cWe need to be very careful ourselves; we must make sure that we comb our environment personally. Like what has happened now, it is from somebody\u2019s shop. He came in the morning, opened his shop and this thing happened; I cannot imagine that somebody threw something. The allegation that people came on a bike is still an allegation yet to be confirmed. This thing was inside the shop, the explosion came from the shop. It is an explosion I can confirm.\u201d<\/span> Oke said: \u201cThe boys came on a motor cycle with something; it was burning and they threw the substance away. They both scattered immediately and their machine got burnt. I don\u2019t know how many people are dead now. I can\u2019t remember any name now. I sell motor spare parts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
Sunday Okafor, a spare parts seller,\u00a0 said he was with four other colleagues when the incident occurred, but\u00a0 he was the only one who came out alive.<\/span><\/p>\n
Another eyewitness, Abdulwaheed Oyewumi, who works as a mechanic in the area, said he became aware of the explosion when he saw somebody burning and running.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Udoji debunked claims that the explosion was, perhaps, caused by\u00a0 a gas cylinder. He said: \u201cThe blast occurred at the back of my shop. There are people living at the back of my shop; no one sells batteries or gas cylinder around here. From my experience and what I saw, there is nothing like explosion of gas or battery. This is bomb explosion.\u201d<\/span>
For Sunday Anyigbobu, he was discussing the death of veteran actor Sam Loco when he realised the area was on siege. He kept his hands on his head and the ceiling of his shop caved in on him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
Special Adviser to the Governor on Security and Coordinator, Operation Yaki Col. Dangana Mamman, stressed there is need for proper investigation before jumping into conclusion.<\/span><\/p>\n
But two eyewitnesses insisted it was a hand grenade that was thrown. Oke Oke and Fabian Ozochukwu told The Nation they saw the boys who perpetrated the act.<\/span><\/p>\n