20 bodies yet to be claimed

The bodies of the 20 victims killed in the May Day Nyanya blast are yet to be claimed by their relatives.

As a result, the morgues of Abuja hospitals have been overstretched, according to the Minister of FCT, Bala Mohammed.

He appealed to the relatives to come forward and claim the corpses.

Mohammed made the appeal on Saturday after visiting four FCT General Hospitals where some of the corpses were kept and the injured victims were receiving treatment.

“The FCT Administration has agreed with the police to release the corpses to the victims’ relations, because the morgues are overstretched. They need to claim them with full evidence.

“I have directed the Secretary, FCT Health Secretariat,  Dr Ademola Onakomaiya, to release ambulances to carry the corpses to various destinations where they will be buried,” he said.

The minister said he was pleased that the injured victims were also being given adequate attention.

He said the patients, who are confirmed as FCT indigenes, would be given Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) services.

Mohammed said the sum of N1 million had been given as a form of support to the victims by a corporate organisation.

Onakomaiya said 66 persons were injured while 20 died in the May Day blast.

He said 42 of the 66 persons had been discharged, while four others left against medical advice, claiming that they were not residing in the FCT.

“Only 20 persons are currently receiving treatment,” Onakomaiya said.

Meanwhile, the minister has given a seven-day ultimatum to the FCT Task Force to clear all the debris at the scene of the bomb blast.

He also gave a three-day ultimatum to the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to get a conducive environment for the relocation of the park.

Mohammed said also that President Goodluck Jonathan had ordered the FCT Administration (FCTA) to build standard motor parks in the territory.

“The FCTA will no longer build parks by the roadside again,” he said.