Posted by By KENNY ASHAKA, Kaduna on
At least nine military bombs believed to have been abandoned by unknown persons were yesterday fished out from a river near Zonkwa, in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
At least nine military bombs believed to have been abandoned by unknown persons were yesterday fished out from a river near Zonkwa, in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The detonation of the bombs which were said to have been secretly buried by unknown persons in River Tunga, a thick forest in Fadan Kaje caused pandemonium as motorists and residents scampered for their lives.
The bombs came out with thunderous vibrations which uprooted trees.
The bombs were discovered at the weekend by a teenager, Mamman Bukar during a fishing expedition at River Tunga.
His fishing gear had caught the bomb and young Mamman was about to disengage his net from one of the explosives when he discovered the shocking find.
Mamman told newsmen in Kaduna yesterday that he did not understand the object that hooked his gear and had to rush home to inform his father who immediately called a former staff of the Zangon Kataf Council, Alhaji Abdullahi Jibril.
He said the matter was subsequently reported to the traditional ruler of Bajju Land who in turn directed them to contact the Deputy Governor.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Aminu Lawan confirmed the discovery of the nine bombs, saying there was nothing unusual about it.
'On October 16, 2007 at 08.15, we got information from our Zonkwa station that some bombs were found at River Tunga near Bajju.
'On receipt of this information, we quickly dispatched a team of bomb experts from our Bomb Disposal Unit led by the officer in charge Superintendent of Police Michael Mbahon to the scene. They set their equipment with which they combed the river. In the process, they recovered two additional bombs bringing the total number of bombs recovered to nine.
'Some were corroded and were very dangerous to lives and property. The bombs were removed to a safe place and successfully detonated," he said.
The police spokesman appealed to members of the public to go about their lawful businesses and to report any suspicious or strange objects to the police as no foul play is being suspected, pointing out that investigations were on.
A bomb disposal expert who was among the team of police officers who visited the scene told newsmen that 'a bomb, when not properly detonated remains powerful," adding that 'we went to the river and screened it and we discovered two more bombs and bombs don't expire as they could be in that river for 20 years."
As a result, the state governor, Mohammed Namadi Sambo has directed the state Police Command to ensure that the entire state 'is combed in case some of the bombs are still buried elsewhere," just as the state House of Assembly has directed its Committee on Security to investigate the matter and report back to it.