The city of Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, has been thrown into a state of mourning following the tragic bomb blast that occurred in a drinking joint on Sunday night. The Police in the state confirmed this incident, which took place in Jika Doruwa area of Jalingo metropolis.
The confirmation from the command came after a few hours of an attack by armed bandits in Takum local government area, which led to the death of a driver, the burning of two pickup vans, and some cattle.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Usman, while confirming the explosion, said the anti-bomb squad of the command has been deployed to the area to ascertain the extent of the damages the explosion caused. As of the time of reporting, the number of casualties is yet unknown.
The affected areas of the explosion have been cordoned off by security operatives, and eyewitnesses claim that several people sustained various degrees of injuries. Most of the victims are currently undergoing treatment at the Federal Medical Centre in Jalingo.
Peace Danjuma, an eyewitness, described the horrifying incident, “We were at a local joint called Jika when something under the chair we were sitting on exploded”. The explosion left her friend injured, and she swore never to visit such a public gathering of that kind again.
The incident has caused panic among residents, who are now calling on the authorities to take stern measures to avert further attacks in the state.
The State Police Command has pledged to release more information on the blast as soon as its men complete their investigation into the incident.
