The bomb blast in Kaduna, Tuesday afternoon, may have been targeted at a renowned Islamic Scholar and medical doctor, Ahmed Gumi, sources in Kaduna say.
A witness who prefer not to be named said “though the explosion may have been accidental, the Sheikh is clearly the target because the incident occurred just when he was about to leave for the daily Tafsir he delivers at Sultan Bello Mosque.”
It is not clear who the bearers of the explosive were. However, the Islamic cleric has been very critical of the Boko Haram sect as well as the Federal Government in his Ramadan sermons this year.
The cleric is one of the few prominent Islamic clerics, based in Northern Nigeria, who publicly condemn the activities of the sect.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Kaduna State Police Command, Abubakar Balteh, while confirming the incident, said only two bodies, believed to be those of the assailants, were found at the scene of the blast.
But some witnesses say three persons were on the motorcycle on which the attackers rode before the explosion.
Mr. Baltzh said, “two persons on a motorcycle were killed from an IED (improvised explosive device) that accidentally exploded on transit.”
Speaking further, Mr. Balteh said “the incident occurred around 3:45pm around Modibo Adama Junction leading to the residence of Sheikh Dr Ahmed Gumi near NNPC Mega station along Ali Akilu way.”
“However, no other casualty is reported and we have already commenced investigation into the explosion,” he said.
Kaduna, the political capital of old Northern Nigeria, has witnessed several attacks by the Boko Haram group.
Culled:Saharareporters/Premiumtimes
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