Kebbi Hospital Explosion: Govt, Police Dismiss Banditry, Airstrike Claims
The Kebbi State Government and the State Police Command have refuted reports suggesting that the explosion at Bagudo General Hospital was caused by bandits, a bomb blast or a military airstrike.
The authorities clarified that the incident was an accidental fire outbreak involving gas cylinders within the hospital premises.
Speaking to journalists in Birnin Kebbi, the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Yakubu Bala-Tafida, said investigations by security agencies showed that the explosion originated from the staff quarters of the hospital.
According to him, occupants of the affected building had vacated the area before the fire intensified, stressing that no casualty was recorded.
“The state government wishes to assure the public that there was no attack of any sort. The explosion was not linked to bandit activity, explosives or helicopter operations,” Bala-Tafida said.
Similarly, the Kebbi State Police Command dismissed the speculations, describing them as misleading and capable of causing unnecessary panic among residents.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, disclosed that findings by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal–Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) unit confirmed that the explosion resulted from gas cylinders that overheated during the fire.
He explained that the loud bang heard in the area was caused by the cylinders exploding, not by any external attack.
Usman advised members of the public to rely on information from credible sources, noting that the command had secured the scene and was working with relevant authorities to conclude investigations.
The Kebbi State Government reiterated its commitment to public safety and assured residents that adequate measures were being taken to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.