Bomb Explosion Kills 16 In Bauchi, 20 Injured

An early morning bomb blast in Azare, Bauchi State has killed 16 people and 20 critically injured.

The blast occurred at a branch of the First Bank Plc in the town. The victims are said to have been at the bank to do transaction using the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) when the explosion occurred.

Azare headquarters of Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State not far from the Bauchi town, the capital of Bauchi state.
A security source in Bauchi State confirmed the incident to Daily Trust.

He said: “the incident was a fall out from the Potiskum incident. An eye witness account said someone came with the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and when people suspected that he had something hidden, they tried to stop him but he ignited it. It was the shrapnel that killed the people.”

Hundreds of workers from Potiskum in Yobe State, Katagum, Shira and Giade Local Governments in Bauchi were expected to collect their salaries through the ATM machine in Azare since the banks in their localities had been burnt down by suspected insurgents.

Minority leader of the Bauchi State House of Assembly Baba Abubakar Suleiman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) representing Azare constituency told newsmen that, “so far we have recorded 16 death and 20 were injured”.

Two month ago, a similar incident occurred in Azare Motor Park.

Last Monday, a suspected suicide bomber killed more than 20 members of the Shiite sect who were on procession in Potiskum, Yobe state to mark the Ashura.