MEN IN MILITARY UNIFORMS FINGERED IN JOS CHURCH BLAST

Two die as church, STF disagree over bomber’s identity

The twin bomb blasts at the Church of Christ in Nigeria,  Jos,  recorded more casualties as two members of the church died on Monday from injuries they sustained from the blast.

THE PUNCH learnt that two more casualties, a one and half year baby girl and a teenager, died at the Jos University Teaching Hospital.

This brought to 10 the number of casualties so far recorded from the Sunday incident – six members of the church, two suicide bombers and four others killed during reprisals.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Haruna John, who visited the church and hospital to commiserate with the victims, confirmed the casualty figure. He said he was in Jos on behalf of the acting Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar.

John, who addressed the press after a meeting with the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Emmanuel Ayeni, described the incident as unfortunate.

He added that security arrangments in Plateau State would be appraised for the purpose of restrategising towards arresting the ugly trend and ward off any future attack.

He urged the leadership of the church to appeal to their members to remain calm and wait for the outcome of investigation into the incident.

Meanwhile, a controversy has ensued between the Special Task Force and COCIN over the actual identity of the suicide bomber.

While the church alleged  insider collaboration between some operatives of the STF, the task force said  one of the alleged bombers, especially the one said to have escorted the bombers inside the church, was a member of the church.

COCIN President, Rev. Soja Bewarang, at a press briefing in Jos on Monday, said a Navy Blue Volkswagen Vento  (Sedan) accompanied by two military personnel dressed in a  camouflage, was escorted through the church security network deployed in strategic positions from the Central Bank axis to the Hill Station roundabout axis of the Fidelis Tapgun road by an STF Hilux pick-up vehicle.

Bewarang said, “Meanwhile, there was another military personnel readily standing at the church gate requesting the church security to open the gate for two personnel to drive in. The church security refused to oblige his request; the vehicle rammed into the gate, hitting everyone on his path and made for the church auditorium.”

 February 28, 2012 by Jude Owuamanam and Segun Olatunji

culled from punchng.com