The death toll in Kano’s Tuesday gas explosion has risen to nine.
Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs disclosed this known when the Director-General of the National Emergency Agency, Mustapha Habib Ahmed, arrived at the scene of the incident.
The police in Kano had earlier confirmed that four persons died in the explosion.
It also said that the explosion was caused by gas and not a bomb.
The ministry tweeted, “Nine dead bodies have been recovered so far from the rubble of a collapsed building beside a primary school following an explosion from a gas cylinder at Aba Road in Sabon Gari area of Kano State.
“DG @nemanigeria Mustapha Habib Ahmed was at the site of the incident and coordinated the rescue operations. NEMA is presently coordinating the rescue operations with sister agencies.”
Meanwhile, the Kano State Government has denied that the early Tuesday morning explosion in the Sabon Gari area occurred in a school.
Kano State Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba, said the incident happened at an animal feed store opposite the school along Aba Road, Sabon Gari area of Fagge Local Government.
He said although the cause of the explosion and the damage had yet to be officially ascertained, a probe had been launched into the incident to determine the cause, impact and measures to be taken.
The commissioner urged Garba residents of the state, particularly those living around the scene of the incident, to remain calm while the government and relevant agencies handled the matter.