Nigeria
CNN
–
The death toll from an explosion in the northwestern Nigerian city of Kano has risen to nine, authorities say.
Earlier, Kano Police Commissioner Samaila Shuaibu Dico told CNN that the explosion occurred from a gas cylinder near a school in the Sabon Gari area of Kano.
“It simply came to our notice then. There was a welder in the vicinity of the area and his gas cylinder exploded very close to a private school. We rescued four injured people, including a welder and a woman. Deco told CNN from the scene of the blast that no children were injured.
Witnesses told local media that they saw a suicide bomber detonate his explosives at the scene. Uncertain Video The blast, which spread on social media on Tuesday, also saw some schoolgirls wearing bloody uniforms being evacuated from the scene of the blast.
The local police chief said an unknown number of people were injured but did not give further details about the situation due to the blast.
Kano’s information commissioner, Mohammad Garba, also told CNN that no children’s school infrastructure was damaged in the blast.
“The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a store where animal feed was being sold. The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a nursery and a primary school. No school building was damaged.
An eyewitness account of a suicide bomber has been leaked.
Kano police chief Deco, however, insisted the incident was a gas cylinder explosion and described the suicide bombing report as “malicious information”.
“There is no coverup. We were on the scene with our experts. We recovered a lot of chemicals inside the welding workshop. It was a gas cylinder explosion, “the police commissioner told CNN.
Human rights lawyer Chidi Odinakalu argued that the authorities did not have enough time to determine the cause of the explosion and that the state did not have adequate laboratory facilities to analyze hours after the explosion.
“Even if they determine that it was a gas explosion, they must deny that the gas was used as a weapon to attack,” he added. “It simply came to our notice then. They did not issue a statement saying there were no allegations of criminal activity in the gas explosion situation. Obviously they couldn’t do it in the time available. ”
The use of substandard cooking and welding gas cylinders, as well as direct contact with fires in densely populated areas, has caused explosions in the past.
A welded gas cylinder is a common sight in many temporary welding stores in Nigeria due to its relevance to craftsmanship.
In the northwestern state of Ogun, at least seven people were killed in a series of gas explosions that shook the city last year. State officials have blamed some explosions on the welding gas while announcing a ban on its use.
