Jos bomb blast: Pastor, Wife, Children Among 52 Victims On Admission

The Pastor of Christ Chosen Church of God, Monday Uzoka, his wife and two children are among the 52 victims affected by the suicide bomb that hit the Church in Jos on Sunday.

Our correspondent, who visited Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), was informed by medical personnel that Uzoka and another Church elder were in “very critical situation”.

The rest of the 50 victims were on admission at the nearby Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BUTH).

Mrs. Maria Goni, BUTH’s Director of Nursing Services, told our correspondent that the duo had to be transferred to JUTH “because they were in a serious condition and in dire need of surgery“.

“Right now, we have 50 persons on admission in our hospital. In fact, we are still counting and may have more. When we are through with counting, we shall know the exact figure we have.

“We have people with orthopeadic and laceration cases among others, but we are doing our best to treat them,” she said.

She said that no death had so far been recorded among the victims brought to the hospital.

Goni expressed happiness that the Red Cross International and the Plateau Government had rendered much help in the provision of drugs and other consumables.

NAN observed that among the victims were the elderly, women and children, who had suffered various degrees of injuries from the blast.

One of the victims, Mrs. Esther Emmanuel, 35, said that four of her children, Chigozie (11), Victor (3), Ikechukwu (8) and Chidinma (12) were also on admission.

Another victim, Mrs. Mercy Francis, 45, said her six year-old daughter, Blessing, had “disappeared” during the blast and called on the authorities to help in locating her.

“That is the only daughter I have. Please tell them to help me to trace her where ever she may be, especially since I can’t get another child like her at my age now,” Francis cried out.

Algerian sets himself ablaze

Algiers - An Algerian man has died after setting himself ablaze in protest when a policeman took away his driver's licence in the Mascara region, the El Watan Week-end newspaper reported Friday.

The 36-year-old victim, named only by his initials AA, had third-degree burns when he was admitted on Wednesday to hospital in the city of Oran, about 360km west of Algiers. He died the following day. The man doused himself in fuel and set himself on fire to express his anger at a policeman who confiscated his driver's licence on witnessing "dangerous driving", El Watan said.

Self-immolations have become regular in Algeria since January 2011 following protests at the cost of living which claimed five lives and left more than 800 people injured.

One such case in neighbouring Tunisia was the spark for the popular uprising that on 14 January last year toppled president Zine el Abidine Ben Ali from power after 23 years.

June 11, 2012