We have no hands in recent bombings –FG

The Federal Govern­ment has debunked insinuations that the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan is responsible for the spate of bombings that have been rocking some parts of the country in re­cent times.

Minister of the Federal Cap­ital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Muhammed, yesterday declared, in Bauchi when he led a Federal Government del­egation to the Central Market, Bauchi which was rocked by bomb explosion last Monday evening, that President Jona­than had no hand in the spate of bombings rocking parts of the country
Bala said: “I seize this op­portunity to debunk some of the insinuations and lies be­ing peddled around that the Federal Government has a hand in some of these bomb­ings. It is unheard off; it is unfair for anybody to use the blood of people to play poli­tics. Cheap popularity that can be achieved, using mischief and treachery is not good. Certainly, we are not going to join issues with anybody. The Federal Government is a ben­eficiary of the people because you have voted for us and you will continue to vote for us. It can be seen during the last Christmas which was free of any crisis and this will con­tinue and be sustained.”
The minister, who made a donation of N20 million to assisted the affected traders of the market, called on Ni­gerians to eschew all forms of sentiment that were being ex­pressed in order to repeat what happened in 2011, particularly in Bauchi State where so many people died, including corps members during the post-elec­tion violence.
“It was all the working of those mischievous people who are selling information that are not true. Certainly, Mr. Presi­dent bears with you and I bear with as your representative in Nigeria to make sure that we give you the kind of solace and encouragement whenever it is required,” he added.
The minister later visited the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Zsuleiman Sdamu, in his palace in company with the Director General of NEMA, Dr. Mohammed Sani  Sidi, where he commiserated with the traditional ruler and the people of Bauchi over the incident.
He promised to mobilise support for the reconstruction of the damaged market and compensation to the affected traders and victims.
Responding, the emir thanked the federal Govern­ment for identifying with the people of Bauchi during the trying period, saying what happened was destined by God.
Speaking with journalists at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, the NEMA director general said the government would donate drugs and consumables for the treatment of the victims of he blast that were receiving treatment in the hospital.