Nigeria Content Online

There were mixed reactions yesterday over accounts of Tuesday’s explosion in Barkin Ladi, which injured a man.

Initial reports had
said a bomb had exploded in the town killing the bearer. However, the
Commissioner of Police for the Plateau State Command, Abdulramman
Akano, yesterday refuted the report. According to him, a teacher of
chemistry at the Islamic Orientation Secondary School, Barkin Ladi,
identified as Abubakar Musa was carrying out an experiment when some
chemicals he was mixing exploded.

Mr Akano said what
has happened in Barkin Ladi was just an explosion and not a bomb,
adding that the teacher was already undergoing treatment at a hospital.

However, many are wondering what experiment Mr Musa was conducting when the school is actually on break.

The commissioner
added that the teacher was conducting an experiment with some students
during an extra-mural class in the laboratory when it resulted in a
fire outbreak, which immediately engulfed the laboratory leaving him
with burnt hands.

The school is
situated near a market along Hospital Road in Barkin Ladi, sources said
it was when the students saw the speed of the spread of the fire that
they ran out yelling, before sympathizers assisted in putting out the
fire.

A source within the military intelligence, who spoke on condition of
anonymity dismissed the chemical experiment story as a cover up,
arguing that the school is on holidays and there is no examination
immediately ahead.