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| Scenes from the blast yesterday (Photo: Punch) |
The suicide bomber ignored all the frenzied attempts by security guards to stop him and smashed his way into the iconic building.
His car was loaded with explosives, which promptly detonated at impact, leaving in their wake 22 persons dead (although initial estimates yesterday was put at 18 persons dead). The time was 10.40am.
The impacts of the blast were felt on the four floors of the building built for the United Nations by the construction giant, Julius Berger, during the Olusegun Obasanjo administration between 1999 and 2007.
The bomb severely rocked the main reception area of the building, shot right up and brought down the second floor.
The deafening sound and the accompanying tremor brought about commotion, as staff and visitors in the building ran for cover. About 1,000 staff are quartered in the vast office spaces.
Emergency rescue teams, led by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) immediately deployed to site and evacuated the victims using the ambulances to convey both the unconscious and the dead to the nearby National Hospital, which could hardly cope with the casualties.
Other rescue teams included the Red Cross, Civil Defence, Air Force, Police, Army and Navy; the FCT Administration and the Fire Services.
The Police Bomb Squads were also deployed and combed the area in case of any more explosives.
Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, who was at the hospital to oversee extent of care for victims regretted the incident and commiserated with families of the deceased.
A doctor at the National Hospital told journalists that window loeuvers were even broken as the emergency teams rushed in victims adding that wards have been thrown open for relatives to identify victims.
There was an unconfirmed report of earlier intelligence by the UN that the Abuja building had been a target, a report said to be causing a stir in the presidency.
Nigeria’s Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Viola Onwuliri, who visited the building and saw the debris, said, “this is not an attack on Nigeria but on the global community; an attack on the world.”
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Located in the diplomatic zone in the Central Business District (CBD) off the Airport road, the four-storey UN house is also in the vicinity of several embassies including that of the United States, Liberia, Sudan, Angola, Cuba, and Brazil while those of Sierra Leone, China and Ghana are further away on the same road.
One of the staff with the UN Women on the second floor, who survived said: “I was on my desk when I heard the loud sound and then the building seemed to be collapsing.
“The pen in my hand just swung off; I was falling. It was as if we were in a boat in high sea about to capsize and we all starting running. I just managed to get out.”
The blood stains on her clothes, like some of others, were from the unlucky victims, “as colleagues tried to rescue them.”
Another staff from the UNFPA could only weep from either the joy of survival or the sorrow of knowing that close colleagues had been bombed to death. She was led away.
Scores of other distressed staff of the global organisation, who were fortunate to have escaped unhurt or only partially injured, gave uniform accounts to reporters who had a tough time meandering through the crowd of watchers and sympathizers.
The UN building has three security-check points on its entrances with personnel armed with bomb detecting devices. But they do not usually carry firearms.
It was learnt that the “brave bomber” was able to beat security by going through the exit gate usually opened for the top UN officials, who are allowed to drive right in.
All other staff park their vehicles at the twin parking lot to the exclusion of visitors.
The inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, was at the scene of the blast earlier yesterday for first hand assessment.
Confirming this to reporters, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Commissioner, Mike Zuokwunor, initially said that 18 persons had been confirmed dead and eight injured. But unofficial sources put the number at 34.
Zuokwunor later gathered reporters around again to retract his initial statement, saying, “you can see that things are changing. For now the figure has not been confirmed.”
“People are being taken to Wuse Hospital and Maitama Hospital. We will confirm all these and give you a figure later.”
On whether the police were on top of the situation and identity of the bomber, he said: “Investigations are going on now. I want to assure you that we are going to pursue these people and their group and bring them to book.
“They are evil people and we are going after them. The driver (bomber) was cut into three pieces. We understand that the use of firearms is highly restricted at the UN House. That may have been the reason their security personnel could not stop him.”
He added: “The perpetrators are dark and evil people and we will get them. Even yesterday (Thursday), we strengthened our security. I told you the IG has been here. We will bring these people to book.
“Nobody has claimed responsibility (so far). We will bring them to book; this will be a thing of the past.”
Minister of the Interior as well as the Ministers of State of the FCT, Defence Foreign Affairs were at the scene of the blast yesterday.
Following the blast, security was again tightened at most public buildings in Abuja yesterday. All roads leading to the UN House were condoned of.
A police patrol van blocked the Airport road by the Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) building, as vehicles were being diverted at the Bolingo hotel junction.
Offices such as the ECOWAS’ shut their gates to visitors when news of the blast spread to town.
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