Former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buari, last night confirmed his narrow escape in the second of yesterday’s twin suicide bomb blasts that rocked Kaduna, the political capital of northern Nigeria.

A statement personally signed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader reads as follows:

“I was personally involved in a clearly targeted bomb attack today along Ali Akilu Road, Kawo -Kaduna at about 2:30pm on my way to Daura.

“The unfortunate event, clearly an assassination attempt, came from a fast moving vehicle that made many attempts to overtake my security car but was blocked by my escort vehicle. We reached the market area of Kawo where he took advantage of our slowing down and attempted to ram my car and instantly denoted the bomb which destroyed all the three cars in our convoy.

“Unfortunately, when I came out of my vehicle I saw many of dead bodies littered around. They were innocent people going about their daily business who became victims of mass murder.

“Thank God for his mercy, I came out unhurt but with three of my security staff sustaining minor injuries, they have since been treated in hospital and discharged.”

News Express had yesterday evening reported that about 72 people were believed to have been killed in the twin blasts and that the State Governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, had imposed a 24-hour curfew on Kaduna metropolis.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the blasts, the first of which took place around 12:45pm along Alkali Road/Isah Kaita Junction, near Murtala Muhammad Square and was believed to have been targeted at Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, leader of the Darika sect during his end of Ramadan prayers.

•Main photo shows Gen. Buhari’s jeep after the bomb attack. The second show a partially damaged vehicle in his convoy while the third shows scene of the blast.