August 24th, 2012
Abuja — Renowned Kaduna-based Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Gumi Sheikh Ahmad Gumi yesterday explained how he survived the recent suicide bomb attack along Ali Akilu Road near his house in Kaduna, saying the attack was hatched by elements trying to spark war between Muslims and non Muslims.
Speaking at a media chat organized by Desert Herald newspaper in Kaduna, Gumi said, “That same morning I was contacted by an army officer from the Nigerian Army Headquarters who told me that in today’s security meeting; my name was top on the list of names of people who are going to be eliminated by the so called Boko Haram.
“When that happened, I was having a chat with the people of Jamhuriya Hausa newspaper because they met me a little bit late; so when we finished, we saw a convoy of two motorbikes and they stopped by the road. So when they saw the first car coming out, they quickly went a few meters to the road to plant the explosives so that they can go further away to detonate it when my car was coming.
“Unfortunately for them, I was going to make a projection, so the car came out but it did not take that road where they were stationed; so in trying to quickly put the bomb, it took off and killed them instead; if you go to the scene, you will see the hole by the road side where it uprooted.
“Immediately, I sent my security to take pictures of the scene and one of them was even still alive when he got there but there were a lot of honey bees in the areas so nobody could help him, even my security the bees stung him too but he was able to take the pictures and come back.
“One of them was even carrying a pistol because you cannot guarantee bomb explosion; so they intended to come back and finish whoever they intended to kill, and I learnt from the police that the bodies of the bombers were not handed over to them by the military and they are in the military hospital”.
He said if such a thing happened, it was the responsibility of security agents to have the pictures of the people in the newspapers so that Nigerians could know who they were and who was supporting them “but no investigation is going on about the issue”.
“A source in the 44 Army Reference Hospital mortuary said the bombers are not even Muslims; so this Boko Haram is a creation of the Western powers but they got cover from the government because the government is insensitive to the extent of irresponsibility; and that is why I called for the resignation of the Nigerian President.
Contacted on Gumi’s remarks, acting police spokesman for Kaduna police command DSP Abubakar Balteh said the police had not made any arrest so far in connection with the recent bomb attack along Ali Akilu Road, saying that the two bomb carriers died in the incident.
On the whereabouts of the dead bodies, he said the bodies were mutilated and taken to the hospital.
“The bodies were mutilated; so they are not something anybody could keep. They have been transferred to the mortuary, though I am not sure of the hospital where they are. If they were to be alive, information could be got from them but they are dead,” he said.
On the allegation by Sheikh Gumi that the military had bodies of the attackers, Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 1Mechanized Army Division Kaduna, Col. Sani K. Usman, said he has no idea where the bodies are kept. “I don’t know where the bodies are; if I know, I will tell you; but I don’t know,” he said.
Also, Director of Army Public Relations Brigadier General Mobolaji Koleoso said he was not aware of the claims made by Sheikh Gumi.
Link: http://allafrica.com/stories/201208240716.html
