AllAfrica.com is reporting 48 people were injured and 44 people died in multiple explosions in Jos on Sunday. Popularly referred to as J-town, Jos is a city located in the middle belt of Nigeria with nearly 1 million residents. The explosions were the work of suicide bombers targeting the Yantana Mosque area of the city. The timing of the blast is particularly concerning because it happened during Ramadan.
Another explosion happened near a restaurant known as “Hajiya Talatu Mai Abinchi”, a popular eating spot in the area, on Bauchi road. It is believed that 13 people were killed at that location. The article states:
“The Director in charge of the North-Central zone of the National Emergency Management Agency, Mohammed Abdulsalam, has put the number of deaths in Sunday night’s bomb attacks on Jos at 44.”
The injured are hospitalized in hospitals throughout the Plateau state capital. Government officials are refuting the number insisting that 18 people died and 18 people were injured. Although no one has claimed responsibility for the blasts as of yet, many news outlets are speculating that Boko Haram is the culprit.
A statement by the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Governor, Emmanuel Nanle, quoted the state government as condemning the attack, and calling for calm. The statement also urged security agents to intensify checks and patrol across the state to avert recurrence. The spokesperson for the Plateau State Command of the police, Abuh Emmanuel, confirmed the explosions Monday, but declined to disclose casualty figure. Nanle said the data on victims is still being compiled, and no arrest has been made thus far.
Whatever the final count of those dead, it’s one too many.
Read more at AllAfrica.com.
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