No fewer than 10 pupils suffered injuries in a bomb explosion that rocked an Islamic school on Tuesday night, in Sapele, Delta State. About two weeks ago, the Sapele Central Mosque was the target of suspected hoodlums when a similar explosion reportedly rocked the place leaving one person injured.

The victim is still recuperating at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo State. Daily Sun gathered that yesterday’s blast left no fewer than 10 pupils critically wounded. An eyewitness said the bomb blast occurred at about 9.40pm, three hours after the commencement of the day’s lesson at the Quranic school.

Due to the degree of the injuries, Sapele General Hospital could neither receive nor treat most of the victims, who were later rushed to Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara. Chief Medical Director at Sapele General Hospital, Dr. Omo Aghoja, confirmed that three of the victims were receiving treatment in the hospital but access to the victims were denied by the hospital authorities.

Although, the head of State Security Service (SSS) in Sapele, Mr. M. Kazim told Daily Sun that the Tuesday explosion was dynamite, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the town, Mr. Emmanuel Ighodalo declined comment. He directed further enquiry on the blast to the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Charles Muka, for official comment on the incident.

When contacted, Muka confirmed the incident, saying only six persons, including five children and one adult, were hospitalized arising from the explosion. According to the police spokesman, the explosion suspected to be a locally-made explosive device was thrown at the Islamic school along Urhobo Road which is about 100 metres away from the Sapele Central Mosque. Muka said no death was recorded in the explosion, adding that unknown occupants of a fast moving Toyota Camry car threw the low capacity explosive into the makeshift structure at about 9.40pm.
According to him, more than 50 children, within the age bracket of 7 and 15, were in the Islamic class as at the time of the explosion but only six got injured, adding that no death was recorded.

Although no arrest had been made in connection with the incident, ASP Muka assured that the police in collaboration with other security agencies had intensified a manhunt for the perpetrators and urged residents in the locality to remain calm.
He said some hoodlums in the locality were learning how to make the local explosives, adding that the police and the local vigilantce group would not allow them to perfect the plans as they were already working towards smashing the syndicate.
The police spokesman added that one unexploded locally made explosive device was recovered from the scene.
Commenting on the incident, the Chief Imam of Sapele Central Mosque, Alhaji Mohammed Usman said: “The blast was targeted to exterminate the pupils.” He called on the government to increase security alert around the Moslem community in Sapele.

He said government must wake up to its responsibilities in protecting lives and property of the citizens by ensuring that the perpetrators were punished. The National Chairman, Divine Will Organization for Peace and Justice, Alhaji Adbulsalam Paxman Ekpuze, described as unfortunate and most barbaric the bombing of the Islamic school, adding that both the Holy Quaran and the Bible did not encourage the killing of innocent people. He said government must wake up to protect lives and property of the citizen and ensure that the perpetrators are punished, “these criminals must either be Christians or Muslims but leaders of these two sect must take up the responsibility of advising their people against committing crime

Islamic school bombed in Sapele