The Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, has confirmed that a bomb exploded at a Nigerian Army barracks in Gombe on Sunday.
Olukolade in a telephone interview from Abuja on Sunday said that one soldier died while another was wounded by the explosion.
He however said normal activities had thereafter been ongoing at the barracks in Gombe where the incident occurred.
“Intelligence deduced from credible information earlier received on this plot confirms the vigilance of some members of the public,’’ Olukolade said.
A suspected female suicide bomber also died when the bomb exploded at a military quarter-guard in Gombe.
The Public Relations Officer of the Gombe State Police Command, Mr Fwaje Atahiri, a DSP, had earlier said that he heard of the incident but did not have details.
It was gathered that the female bomber, riding on a motorcycle and on approaching the quarter-guard of the 301 Battalion, hugged a soldier.
This had led to the bomb exploding, and killing both of them.
The source said the explosion also injured other soldiers at the quarter-guard, and they were quickly rushed to the military hospital for treatment.
Reports have it that immediately the explosion occurred, soldiers cordoned off the road leading to the barracks.
Also, shops and other business centres which were opened at that time were hurriedly closed by their owners when the blast occurred, while many other people ran helter-skelter.
A resident of the area, who did not want his name mentioned, said he was in his house around 11.20 a.m. when he heard the blast.
He said he also heard soldiers shooting in the air, apparently to scare people.
The source said he saw some injured persons being conveyed in vehicles from the scene, while soldiers blocked the road and stopped people from going to the scene of the incident.(NAN)
