Two days after the suicide bomb attack in Gwoza, Borno State, the death toll has continued to rise.
Eighteen people died Saturday after four suicide bombers set off improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Gwoza.
Several other people sustained injuries in the attack which was one of the deadliest reported in the state in recent months. The degree of injuries ranged from abdominal ruptures to skull and limb fractures.
However, the number of casualties has now reached 32. The latest figure was confirmed by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who visited injured victims of the incident on Monday.
According to the VP, 42 persons were brought to the specialist hospital but 14 have been discharged after receiving treatment. He said that 26 are still receiving treatment.
The Vice President, who made a personal donation to all the victims, condoled with the families of those killed by the multiple explosions.
He also conveyed the condolences of President Bola Tinubu to Gwoza people and Borno State.
The Vice President was accompanied by the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Umar Kadafur; Senator Ali Ndume; Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari; former Nigerian Ambassador to China, Baba Ahmed Jidda; and other government functionaries.
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Tinubu condoles victim’s families
President Tinubu issued a statement hours after the incident, commiserating with the victims’ families as well as the Borno State Government.
In the statement signed by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu condemned the suicide bomb blast, describing it as a desperate act of terror.
“President Tinubu describes the attacks as desperate acts of terror and a clear manifestation of the pressure mounted against terrorists and the success achieved in degrading their capacity to launch offensives,” the statement read.
Tinubu said that the “purveyors of wanton violence shall have a certain encounter with justice and that these cowardly attacks are only but an isolated episode as his government will not allow the nation to slither into an era of fear, tears, sorrow, and blood.”
The President maintained that his administration is taking necessary measures to secure citizens, stressing that efforts will be redoubled to ensure that those who trouble the nation, dispatching precious lives, and disrupting law and order are completely removed.
US condemns attack
The United States Government also joined in condemning the attack, describing it as horrific.
“The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the horrific attacks that took place in Gwoza, Borno State on June 29. These reprehensible acts of violence show a cruel and heartless disregard for human life,” the US said in a statement on Sunday.
“We offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those killed and wish a full recovery to the injured. These abhorrent attacks are a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by terrorism in the region.”
It also reiterated its commitment to collaborate with the Nigerian government to defeat terrorism and bring the perpetrators of these heinous acts to justice.
