Abuja bomb blast: Hospitals reject victims

The series of explosions that rocked the Federal Capital Territory in the last two weeks appear to have taken toll on its health facilities as some of the hospitals in the territory  rejected victims of  Thursday’s  bomb blast at Nyanya, a satellite community within the FCT, which left 30 people dead and many others injured.

The blast, which was believed to be a suicide attack, occurred around 8:45pm when a bomb-laden car exploded at the Karshi Taxi Park, a few metres from where the April 14, 2014 explosion took place.

The tragic May Day blast was the second in the nation’s capital in 17 days. The first one, which occurred on April 14, killed 75 people while hundreds were injured and admitted in various hospitals in Abuja. The explosion rocked the Nyanya Motor Park.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that  some victims  were sent back when they were brought to  hospitals on Friday morning.

At the Asokoro General Hospital, Abuja, victims were turned back  due to lack of bed spaces. Our correspondent, who was at the hospital, observed that some patients were sent back when they were brought to the hospital on Friday morning.

After a few minutes of fruitless discussion, he drove out of the compound, in search of another hospital.

Nearly all the government hospitals in the city were fully occupied. At the Wuse General Hospital, all the bed spaces were occupied.

“What are we going to tell his wife? How are we going to do this for God’s sake? Where are we heading to now?” the middle aged man, who gave his name as Emeka said.

Also, President Goodluck Jonathan, in Abuja, on Friday, ordered the closure of all government-owned offices and schools in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, except those on essential services.

A terse statement issued on Friday night in Abuja by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, said the measure was to ensure “free flow of traffic” and  the successful hosting of the World Economic Forum.

According to him, private organisations with large number of staff may also wish to close down.

But Presidency sources said the decision might  have been premised on security reports following the bombing of Nyanya, a satellite community within the FCT by suspected members of the Boko Haram Islmaic sect twice within two weeks.

Meanwhile, the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has urged President Jonathan to sack the Minister of Defence, Gen. Aliyu Gusau (retd.) and the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

The spokesperson for the group, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, made this call on Friday in an interview with Saturday PUNCH  while commenting on the Thursday bomb blast in Nyanya, Abuja.