Three students of Kano State Polytechnic were yesterday confirmed dead as another explosion went off in the metropolis.
The blast, which occurred at the main campus of the polytechnic, also injured seven other victims, who have been rushed to the Murtala Mohammed Hospital.
The blast went off a few minutes after 2pm at the gate of the Central Administration of the school, hitting a number of students who had gathered to check their postings following the release of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mobilization list that had just been pasted on the notice board. The Rector, Prof. Dalhatu Mohammed Galadachi, confirmed the explosion on the campus located on BUK Road, saying that the blast was most unfortunate.
Witnesses fingered a young girl wearing a black veil (hijab) as the agent of death , saying she slipped into the crowd of students unnoticed and blew herself up. They said that it was the impact of the explosion that killed as well as injured those immediately around her at the time of the explosion. The corpses were removed to the morgue.
Speaking to Daily Sun, the Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Adenrele Shinaba, described the suspected bomber “as, a teenage girl wearing black veil (hijab)” while confirming that three persons, which included the suicide bomber herself, died.
The commissioner expressed concern over the fact that recent suicide bombings in the state were carried out by young girls wearing veils.
He said that despite his concern, the police have no role to play with regards to the mode of dressing by the public, noting that as a security organization, the police have been sharing information with the appropriate authorities regarding the disturbing trend in which suicide bombers hid their bombs under their veils. “I don’t have the power to choose the mode of dressing of the society. I can only advise. That decision is not mine to make. But this is no time for sentiment. We have to face reality. We have been sharing our information on this with the government. We don’t know what they would do with it,” he said.
Meanwhile, a state of anxiety has enveloped the state capital as residents have adopted fresh security measures to beat the deadly ploys of the insurgents, among which include avoiding places of high human traffic or vehicles and to limit their movements to only highly essential needs and callings.
Also, in some quarters in the state capital, residents simply avoid direct or close contacts with young girls wearing veils even as checks have also shown that the mode of dressing in a long veil is no longer fashionable to the ladies given the suspicion it evokes from the public and security agencies.