Survivor of Abuja School IED Explosion Arrested at Hospital
Police have arrested Abba Saidu, a survivor of the recent Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion at Almajiri Tsangaya Modern School in Kuchibuyi community, on the outskirts of Kubwa town in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Saidu, who sustained severe injuries in the blast, was detained by police detectives shortly after his discharge from the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital in Gwagwalada, where he had been receiving treatment for over a week.
The explosion, which occurred on January 6, 2025, claimed the lives of Harisu Lawan and Majid Ibrahim. Another victim, Fauziyya Ilyasu, who was also injured, was treated at Kubwa General Hospital and discharged within the week.
Speaking to Daily Trust, Saidu’s elder brother, Salisu Dungu, expressed concerns over the police’s actions. He revealed that officers kept watch over Saidu throughout his hospitalization before eventually detaining him.
“I stayed with him for some days before calling one of my brothers, Nura, from our village in Katsina State to take over,” Dungu said. “Later, Nura called to inform me that the police had taken him from the hospital to their office at Life Camp and later moved him to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).”
According to him, Saidu has now spent nearly two weeks in detention, with Monday, February 3, marking the 14th day.
Dungu further stated that, based on Saidu’s account, the IED was discovered by Harisu Lawan, one of the deceased victims, at a nearby farm while they were scavenging for sweet potatoes. The explosion reportedly occurred shortly after.
Another parent, Iliya Shuaibu, whose daughter, Fauziyya, survived the blast, also expressed concerns over the police’s handling of the case. He lamented that the school proprietor, Adamu Hashimu, had been in police custody since the day of the incident.
While a police source at Kubwa confirmed Saidu’s arrest, efforts to reach the FCT Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for comments were unsuccessful.
The development has sparked questions about the authorities’ response to the incident, as families of the victims await further clarification on the nature of the investigation.
