Kano death toll rises to 75

Police authorities in Kano State and some security  sources  on Tuesday gave different figures as casualties of the Monday suicide bomb blasts at an inter-state commercial bus park in Sabon-Gari, Kano.
While  the security  sources, who were among those taking a tally of the  victims, said the death toll had risen from 30 to about 75, the Kano State Police Command gave a much lower number of 22.
The  blasts, which  injured scores of passengers, drivers, hawkers  and visitors,  also destroyed five Marco polo  luxury buses. A Marco polo  bus  belonging to Gobison Motors  had on board  over 70  passengers when it was attacked by the suicide bombers as it was about  departing the ever-busy park for Lagos.
One of the security sources, who did not give his name  because he was not permitted to do so,  told  our correspondent   that the death toll was high because the luxury buses were parked close  to one another since they were to move in convoy.
“The luxury buses always travel in convoy for security reasons and this was why the casualty figure was high. They  were  parked close to one another. Most passengers in the first bus which might have had at least 70 passengers, including those  that were given  seats called  ‘attachment’, died,” he said.
The officer explained that each of the buses had about 75 or more passengers.
“One of  the suicide bombers must have timed the attack because he drove into the park and attacked the first bus when the five buses were filled up and were about to drive out in convoy to Lagos and that was why he (bomber) achieved a heavy casualty rate,” he said.
But the Kano State Police Command  which put the casualty at  22,  said that 65  persons, mostly passengers  were injured.
The Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Musa Daura, told journalists  in Kano that the attack was executed by two suicide bombers, who rammed their vehicle against one of the luxury buses.
He said, “Two suicide bombers drove a blue Volkswagen  Golf  into the luxurious bus motor park along New Road, Sabon Gari. They attacked and hit a loaded bus belonging to Gobison Motors which was taking off to Lagos and sparked off a serious explosion,’’
He said this caused the bus to burst into flames which affected passengers, hawkers, traders and workers at the park.
Daura  confirmed that five buses were burnt during the incident, adding that, ‘‘fire- fighters  immediately raced to the scene and the flames were put under control after which  the whole area was cordoned off.’’
The police commissioner said those who survived the attack were currently receiving medical attention in hospitals in the city, while  many  corpses were  deposited in the morgue.