Jos Blast: About 44 to 51 People Died – NEMA

Mr Mohammed Abdulsalam, the North-Central Coordinator of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), on Tuesday, said death toll from Sunday’s bomb blast in Jos had risen from 44 to 51.

Abdulsalam gave the figure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos.

NAN recalls that as at Monday, NEMA confirmed that 44 persons died from the blast and about 67 sustained serious injuries of different proportions.

The NEMA coordinator, however, said “one person died at the Plateau Specialist Hospital last night and six additional dead bodies were discovered from the scene of the blast by security agencies.

“It then means that the number of deaths has increased from 44 to 51.’’

Abdulsalam said that the injured had been admitted at various hospitals and were given adequate medical care, while the International Red Cross (IRC) provided drugs and consumables.

According to him, more support is on the way, as a foreign group, French Medical Group also known as Doctors without Borders, promises to render assistance.

Similarly, the acting Chief Medical Director, Plateau Specialist Hospital, Dr Golwal Timothy, told NAN that the number of patients on admission had reduced, as three had been discharged.

The chief medical director added that the lack of bed space that became feasible on Monday was being addressed.

He said that the hospital was decongesting the wards in order to create space for victims of the blast.