Security Forces Identify Abuja Bomber, Body Recovered...

The Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU) of the Nigerian security forces may have identified and recovered the body of the suspected bomber, who set-off the bomb at the Nyanya bus park in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), that led to death of 71 persons and injured 124 others on Monday morning.

Information made available to THISDAY from security sources confirmed that the slightly charred body of the bomber was identified and recovered yesterday with the charms and amulets he must have used for self-protection, still strapped to his body.

The charms and amulets are typical of the type used by members of the terrorist group Boko Haram.

According to security sources, certain leads including a mobile phone were also recovered from his body.

Also, security forces informed THISDAY that they are working on two theories as to how the bomber planted and detonated the bomb: the first is that the bomber may have driven a bomb-laden red Volkswagen Golf car to the bus park and walked away before the explosion.

The second is that suspected bomber may have walked into the bus park with the bomb concealed in a large jute bag (popularly known in Nigeria as “Ghana-must-go bags”), which was dropped close to the commuter buses.

Either way, security forces said that the suspected bomber, having conveyed the bomb to its destination, walked away to a location at the bus park where he ostensibly waited for the bomb to explode.

But unknown to him, he did not give enough distance between himself and his deadly parcel and like other innocent Nigerians that he had set out to kill, was also killed by the impact of the explosion.

One security official explained that the fact that his body was not dismembered or charred beyond recognition like others who were killed instantly by the blast, might have stemmed from the fact that he was not as close to the epicentre of the explosion as the commuters who had boarded buses at the park.

 

--THIS DAY