Police IG, Mohammed D. Abubakar

By Wole Ayodele

Barely two weeks after a bomb explosion rocked Jalingo, Taraba State which claimed eleven lives and injuring several others, another bomb yesterday exploded in the ancient city though no live was lost in the incident.

The explosion, which occurred at about 12.40 at Dorowa area in the heart of the town, was believed to have been targeted at a Police Hilux patrol van conveying Policemen to their duty post.

The first bomb blast in the town which occurred on Monday 30th of April was equally targeted at the convoy of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mamman Sule who resumed in the state barely a month earlier.

This is coming less than twenty four hours to the conduct of elections into fourteen out of the sixteen local government areas of the state and it is believed that the incident could lead to voter apathy and low turn-out for the council polls.

The Police Relations Officer, Mr. Mbaseki Ibiang, who confirmed the blast to THISDAY, said the bomber came to the area on a motorbike and threw the polythene bag containing the bomb from the bike, which fell into the gutter where it exploded.

The PPRO, who told newsmen that the explosion was a minor one, however, disclosed that the bomb was an improvised explosive devise just as he stated that the explosion may not be unconnected with Saturday’s local government election in the state.

“It is a strategy to discourage the people from coming out to vote tomorrow”, he stated just as he urged the people of the state not to be deterred by the incident adding that security agencies are doing everything possible to ensure a hitch free election.

Meanwhile, there have been series of public outcry over some of the security measures put in place by Police authorities to pro-actively respond to the prevailing security situation in the town.