n explosion rocked the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp at Malkohi, Yola, Adamawa State yesterday, leaving no fewer than eight people dead.
Thirteen other people were also injured in the blast, according to the Adamawa State Government.
The Commissioner for Information, Mallam Ahmad Sajoh, who confirmed the incident to newsmen after a visit to the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, where the injured persons were receiving treatment, said four officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were among the injured persons.
He also said another blast was reported in Madagali, but the casualty figure was still unknown.
“I just got the report of another blast in Madagali, but as I speak to you, I am still trying to get the actual picture of the situation. I got the report from officials of the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency, ” he said, adding that the state government would foot the bill of all those injured in the Malkohi incident.
Security operatives comprising the Army, Air Force, Civil Defence Corps and police, have swooped on the camp to commence fresh screening of all the IDPs
All the IDPs where gathered in one section of the camp as policemen, soldiers and other officials of the camp embarked on the screening.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Gabriel Adaji, said security had been beefed up at the camp to forestall a reoccurrence.
Adaji said it was possible that the persons that came with the explosive that rocked the camp joined the IDPs that were brought to the camp from Madagali on Thursday night.
He said: “We suspect one of those IDPs that came newly. They possibly beat the security checks to cause this tragedy.
“It is unfortunate. We are now trying our best to see that such incident does not happen again.”
The NEMA Camp Coordinator in Adamawa State, Mr. Saad Bello, confirmed that a total of 498 IDPs from Madagali and 17 from Sambisa Forest were brought to the camp on Thursday night, and it was suspected that one of them hid a bomb in his cloths and detonated it on arrival.
Reacting to the development, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said only persons with hearts of evil could have perpetrated the act.
In a press statement released by his Media Office in Abuja, the former Vice President said it was pathetic for “agents of evil” to target the thousands of already traumatised and vulnerable people mainly from Borno and Yobe states, who were seeking refuge in the camp.
“Many people I know were working as volunteers in the camp, including staff and students of AUN, who are being nurtured and mentored in the best tradition of service to humanity by giving off their time, energy and at times resources to their fellow human beings,” the Turaki Adamawa said.
“Today’s attack is an attempt to break the spirits of the people who came to seek refuge. The perpetrators will know no peace.
“We refuse to be broken. We will win the war against terrorism. We shall overcome!”
