Katsina blast: ‘How my four pikin die on di same day'
"After dem chop and wan comot I just tell dem say make dem come back safely, e no occur to me say na di last time wey I go see dem until pesin run enta house tell me say dem don die."Dat na how Mallama Gaje Iliya take describe di last moments wey she spend with her children Muhammadu 13, Alamin 10 and Halima and Karima wey be 9 and 8 years old.
Mallama Gaje Iliya Dem die afta grenade wey dem dey play with for Yammama village for Katsina northwest Nigeria explode on Saturday, 18, July, 2020. Di news shock pipo for di area as na di first time dat kain tin dey happun."For about two months, e get as body dey do me I no just understand am, na after dia death na im I understand am." Di mother wey just born seventh pikin days before she lose her 4 children tell BBC.She tok say di last thing wey she tell dem before dem comot na to come back safely but God don plan everything. Mallam Iliya How e happun Father of di children Mallam Iliya Adamu tell BBC say, na im change direction of di children dat day because na farm dem bin wan go and e no gree. "Rain fall wella on Friday night and on Saturday morning afta we don take pap and tuwo as breakfast, my son Muhammadu wey be 13 years old tok say Baba today na farm we wan go and I tell am say no make you and your junior ones go cut herbs to sell." "Many times if farm work no dey, dem dey comot go pluck herbs and plant, e get pipo for our village wey dey buy for dia animals and to use themselves, so I tell dem say make una go make money for unaself today den tomorrow we go farm, I no know say dat instruction go lead to di death of four and wounjure di rest." Pipo gada for Mallam Ilyasu Mallam Ilyasu say e dey di village motor park wia e be chairmo when e receive call dey tell am wetin happun. "Surprisingly many pipo and villages say dem hear di blast but I no hear am maybe because of noise for park but na somebody just call me say make I rush come say bomb don blow my children , na so I borrow car from park rush go dia and by den Police dey dia." According to Mallam Iliya narration, di children as dem dey cut grass put for sack one of dem na im first sight di grenade and before u know it all of dem come dey play with am before di blast happun. Katsina Police Command confam say na military grenade cause di explosion wey kill Mallam Iliya children and three pipo still dey hospital dey receive treatment.