MANY FEARED DEAD AS FRESH EXPLOSION ROCKS HIGH SCHOOL IN YOBE

Gov. Ibrahim Geidam

A bomb that exploded this morning on the assembly ground of Senior Science Secondary School,  Potiskum,  Yobe state, may have  killed dozens of students, witnesses and security officials have said.

Witnesses said Boko Haram insurgents perpetrated the attack at about 8a.m. when the students converged for the morning assembly session.

A witness, who spoke to journalists on phone, said, “It is another bad day for us today,  a bomb just went off at Senior Science Secondary school Potiskum….it happened at the assembly ground.

“Many bodies of students are presently on the ground in pools of blood… We are running home now."

The spokesperson of the Yobe State Command of the Nigeria Police, Nansak Chegwam, confirmed the incident, but declined further comments, saying the military is in charge of operations at the scene of the incident.

Potiskum Senior Science Secondary School is one of the densely populated boarding schools for boys, located very close to the Potiskum General Hospital in the heart of town.

The attack on the high school came six days after a similar suicide bombing was targeted at members of the Shiite group, Islamic Brotherhood of Nigeria, also in Potiskum.

That bombing took place at Faydia Islamic school, ran by the Shiite. It is located near the old market in Potiskum.

The bomber struck when members of the Shiite were gathering to go on a procession to mark the Ashura Day.

Ashura Day is the tenth day of the month of Muharram, the new month of the Islamic calendar.

Shiite Muslims commemorate the day to mourn the death of Hasain Bn Ali, the grand son of Prophet Mohammed who was reportedly killed on that day.

As the faithful were about embarking on the procession, the bomber got into their midst and detonated his bomb, witnesses say.

Potiskum is the largest town outside Damaturu, the Yobe state capital.

Although, the town had witnessed several bomb and gun attacks from members of the Boko Haram sect in the past, it has of recent enjoyed relative peace.

That was punctured by the attack on the Shiite Muslims and then the high school.