Several weeks after another bomb blast killed no fewer than 12 people, according to figure released by emergency agencies, at the Nyanya general area in Abuja, families of the victims of the first explosion that rocked the federal capital city are still narrating their ordeals.
One of them is Mrs Grace Omokoro Joe, whose only child was killed in the first bomb blast that happened at the Nyanya motor garage in April.
According to Mrs Omokoro, who unfortunately is also a widow, her late son, Joel Olukayode, a graduate of Federal University of Technology, Minna, was on his way to resume his first ever work in Abuja on that fateful day.
Commenting on how she felt when she got the news that her son was involved in the explosion, the widow said she fainted when she saw her son’s dead body at the park, and fainted the second time when the second bomb blast occurred.
* A sobbing Mrs Grace Omokoro
Speaking further at a protest staged by some Nigerians calling for an end to all acts of terrorism in the country and to create a forum to target post traumatic syndrome among victims of the bomb blast, Mrs Omokoro said her only brother has relocated her from Nyanya since she can no longer stand the trauma.
She said: After 10-15 minutes that my son left home, the blast went off. I went outside to check if he was still there, but I didn’t see him, so I quickly ran to the park, and on getting there, I saw my Son on the ground, dead.
“That was the last thing I could remember. He was my only child, and I guess, I died momentarily with him. And I died the second time when the second bomb blast happened fews days later, but God says, there is still time.”
* Mrs Grace Omokoro being held closely by a woman
Mr. Balogun, brother to the bereaved woman, said it was heart wrecking for them going from one Mortuary to the other, checking all dead bodies of the victims of the blast before they could identify the body of the late Joel Olukayode, a 29 year old graduate of Chemical Engineering.
He called on all Nigerians to unite to fight against terrorism in the country and also to assist victims of such tragic incidents.
Touching! Our heart are with you and all the families affected in this incident.
chaiii,only son,1st day resumption at his 1st work ever and that d last…chaiii,dis is nt good at all. It only God that can console u ma and as it been said that there is hope,i pray all wat u have lost will be resort bck to u double ijn. Amen
May God give u d grace and fortitude to bear d loss in jesus name amen
May God almighty cnsole u ma, wut a gr8 lost.