Ahmad Abubakar Warawa, 58, a victim of the Monday blast in the
Sabongari area of Kano, hawked caps within the premises of the park
daily. “This is my second home; we are used to the people here and we
have everything to be grateful to Allah for, for the patronage we are
getting here”, he said before narrating how he survived the attack.
“A s usual, I was around on that fateful day. It was at the peak of
the business that I heard a blast and the next thing was that I was
surrounded by fire. I noticed that life in hell is a difficult one.
Hardly could you see anyone to the rescue. I saw people who were
practically in trouble, but there was no helping hand.”
Warawa, who was badly burnt, however, was full of praises to Allah
for his life. “What I saw strengthened my faith in God, and my
experience points to the fact that humans have an appointed time to die
and you only die when your time is up”.
The cap vendor had his bowel ripped open by the blast. “You can see
that I have undergone a procedure and the bowel has been neatly sealed“,
he said.
“I did not believe I will live, but here I am on my sick bed with
severe burns on my legs and the upper region, and my bowel ripped
opened, all in the name of going out for a legitimate business to keep
life going”.
KANO BOMBING—Victims of the Kano suicide bombing and some of the affected buses as smoke billowed from the bus park.
He explained that doctors had assured him that all will be well.
“But my prayer is that we have paid a huge sacrifice to bring an end to
this carnage that seems to indicate no end in sight”.
Pointing at other survivors on admission at the Murtala Muhammed
Hospital, Warawa stated: “Look at the victims of this blast, the
impression you get is that you have people you can conveniently refer to
as brothers but were lumped together by fate to pay a huge sacrifice”.
Another survivor receiving treatment in the hospital, Magawata Goje,
45, told Sunday Vanguard he didn’t know how he survived. “I was inside
the Lagos bound luxury bus when the blast occurred. I was seated at the
rear, and it is only Allah that understands how I survived”.
Goje explained: “I heard people saying I was dead because I was
covered with blood and I could see a lot of people in comatose position
and I had to raise my hand to draw the attention of the rescuers before
they attended to me”.
Yet another survivor, Emmanuel Bassey, a 40-year-old tout, narrated his encounter with the suicide bomber before he struck.
Bassey, who claimed to be attached to Ezewanta Group of Motors,
stated that “the guy came in a blue Golf car. He was dark in complexion
and appeared to be in his mid 30s. He was calm during my brief
interaction with him and did not look harmful.
“I asked him where he was going, and he replied, ‘I have not
decided’. Then, some of my colleagues, (touts), in the garage were
rushing towards him. Suddenly he sped off, applied the brakes close to a
loaded vehicle and, within a twinkle of an eye, I had a loud bang that
sent me sprawling on the ground”, Bassey explained.
He revealed that four of his colleagues running after him, believing
he was a prospective passenger, and to ascertain which part of the
country he was going died on the spot due to the impact of the blast.
“I saw hell and thought I was going to die before some good
Samaritans brought me to the hospital for medical attention”, the
survivor, who suffered second degree burns, said.
Bassey lost his skin and his stomach was ripped open by the blast but
had undergone some procedure and appeared to be in a stable condition.
Bassey displayed a deep hole close to his stomach and said, “I was
simply not lucky on the day of carnage but, all the same, I give glory
to God that I am alive but hope government will do their best to bring
the perpetrators to book”.
The
pair, who are neighbours at Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire, were 11 and 15
when Emma became pregnant. Sean and his mother moved next door to the
Websters in November 1996 and he became Emma's boyfriend shortly after
that. He is a 7th year at Margaret Beaufort School in the nearby village
of Riseley. Emma is studying for her GCSEs - including one in child
care - at Sharnbrook Upper School.
Emma said she thought Sean had told her he was the same age as she was 
