The Adamawa state Police Public relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Othman Abubakar told reporters that the bomb blast which occurred last Friday in Madagali claimed the life of only 33 people and 56 were badly injured.
The twin blast exploded when a beehive of activities was going on at the market square where hundreds of IDPs returnees are buying and selling on Friday being the market day of the town.
Madagali is the only LGA that has not been totally liberated from the hands of insurgents as pocket of attacks against the returned indigenes are always being reported.
According to some indigenes of the area who spoke anonymously, out of all the villages around Madagali town under the control of Boko Haram, only Madagali, being the LG headquarters, and Gulak are initially free of attacks.
The latest bomb blast is an indicator that Boko Haram are much in existence and not totally wiped out by the Nigerian Army in the North Eastern region of the country.
However a former local council legislator, who wants to be quoted in proxy, disputed the mentioned figure of the casualties given by The Nigerian Police.
According to him, the existing market in Madagali which is always being control by the Nigerian Army, to the extend they are the ones selling everything sellable, is all the time busy with thousands of people visiting the market every Friday.
“How can you tell a twin bomb exploded inside a market when beehive of activities is going on and police will inform Nigerians it is only 33 people died?
“To me this is total madness!
“Let me tell you, I lost 5 of my relatives at a sport; over 15 people that I know the blast consumed them.
“What kind of country is this even the truth is being corrupted? Gambling and politicking with human lives?
“Haba enough of this nonsense, I can assure you that over 60 people died as a result of the blast and about 80 people are receiving treatment at the general hospital in Michika,” he fumed.
By Dan Garba, Yola