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Nigeria: Explosion Rocks Yenagoa, Yar'Adua Cancels Visit
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This Day (Lagos)
9 May 2008
Posted to the web 9 May 2008
Segun James
Abuja
Barely 48 hours to the inauguration of former Bayelsa State governor, Chief Timipre Sylva's campaign for governorship re-run, and President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua's expected first visit to the state, explosion rocked Yenagoa, the state capital, yesterday.
Unknown persons bombed the secretariat of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.
The explosion, which occu-rred in the early hours of yesterday, sent residents and security operatives attached to the complex scampering for safety.
THISDAY learnt that Pres-ident Yar'Adua has shelved his planned visit to the state.
No reason was given for the cancellation of the visit last night but sources said it may not be unconnected with the explosion.
One account of yesterday's explosion said those who planted the bomb packed their vehicle on the main Mbiama /Yenagoa Road, strolled to the secretariat, which is about 20 metres away from the road and planted the dynamites in the building before bolting away.
Another account by a security source said the perpetrators of the explosion used a grenade launcher stationed on the Mbiama/Yenagoa Road to destroy the building.
He said the bomb exploded inside the office of the Women Leader of the party in the state, Mrs. Nengi Ebitimi, which is on the second floor and hidden from the only access road to the complex.
The explosion destroyed valuables such as computer sets, official documents and furniture.
The security source told THISDAY that the substance exploded around 1:30 am.
Before the attack, a group had been raising alarm of a possible attack on government premises by unknown persons.
This had forced the government to beef up security at strategic places and official premises in the state.
A similar explosion ripped through the same PDP complex in 2006 soon after the Vice-President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, won the PDP governorship ticket but the damage was not much at that time.
Security had been beefed up around the state particularly around the area the President was expected to visit before the explosion.
The explosion also came on the heels of a burglary attack at the office of the former deputy governor of the state, Hon. Peremobowei Ebebi, also by unknown persons.
During the attack, the burglars who were apparently in search of documents could not lay their hands on any valuable item as sources said no valuable was stolen.
When our correspondent visited the state secretariat, a Police 504 Station Wagon Patrol vehicle with registration number PF 1010BY was stationed at the entrance of the complex while a detachment of Police has also been deployed in the area.
The Police Public Relation Officer, Iniobong Ibokette, confirmed the incident but said minimum damage was recorded.
Speaking on the explosion, the state Secretary of PDP, Mr. James Agari, condemned the act, saying it was retrogressive.
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He said the party was yet to recover from the loss recorded the last time the secretariat was bombed.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, River State had voided the election of Silva and ordered the Independent National Elec-toral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh poll within 90 days.
INEC has since fixed the re-run for May 24, the same day a similar re-run poll will be holding in Sokoto State.
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