Soldier, two others die in Niger State explosion

Three people died and four others were confirmed to have been injured in an explosion that rocked Gari village, few kilometers from Kontagora town of Niger State, on Saturday morning.
The explosion occurred at Gari Market Square about 11am.
It was caused by a man in military uniform who also died.
Confirming the incidence, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Police Command, DSP Bala Elkana, said the explosion was as a result of wrong handling of explosives device by a newly recruited soldier who just came back from Maiduguri, Borno State.
DSP Bala Elkana gave the name of the soldier as Private Tanko Damina.
According to Elkana: “He came back with some explosives device and was in the habit of showing off to the villagers that he was actually involved in the Maiduguri operation.
“Tanko Damina used to carry the explosives on his body around the village.”
Elkana said on Saturday morning the explosives went off in the market place, killing Damina, two others and injuring four others.
He said: “We thank God that it was not a market day, the casualty would have been very high.”
When told that the the incident smelt of a suicide bomber attack, Elkana insisted that it was not, adding: “It was an accident like I told you.”
The police spokesman said the force and the army have despatched anti-bomb experts to the home of the deceased to check if there were other Improvised Explosive Devices there.
The incident was said to have created panic in the village, but the police spokesman said: “Everything is now normal.”