The president could have been killed in a bomb attack months before he won the presidential election. Four years ago, on July 23, 2014, General Muhammadu Buhari, survived a bomb attack that took place in Kaduna, just a year before he was elected president.At least 50 people were reportedly killed in the bomb blast that happened while Buhari was travelling through the Kawo area of Kaduna State. He was on his way to his native Daura in Katsina State when the incident happened.The bomb attack happened just two hours and two kilometers away from where an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, was also reportedly targeted in a bomb attack that led to the death of many people.Three aides and security men attached to Buhari during the blast were some of the several people that were injured.An eye witness told Vanguard that a man in a Sienna car had trailed Buhari’s convoy and came very close to Buhari’s bulletproof vehicle before the bomb exploded. Buhari claims attack was an assassination attemptIn a statement that Buhari himself signed in the aftermaths of the attack, he alleged that it was an assassination attempt.He said, “I was personally involved in a clearly targeted bomb attack along Ali Akilu Road, Kawo-Kaduna at about 2:30pm on my way to Daura.”The unfortunate event, clearly an assassination attempt, came from a fast-moving vehicle that made many attempts to overtake my security car but was blocked by my escort vehicle.”We reached the market area of Kawo where he attempted to take advantage of our slowing down and attempted to ram my car and instantly detonated the bomb, which destroyed all the three vehicles in our convoy.”Unfortunately, when I came out of my vehicle, I saw many dead bodies littered around. They were innocent people going about their daily businesses who became victims of mass murder.”Thank God for His mercy, I came out unhurt but with three of my security staff sustaining minor injuries – they have since been treated in the hospital and discharged.”The attack was widely believed to have been carried out by Boko Haram, the terrorist group Buhari vowed to defeat if he was elected president.Then-president, Goodluck Jonathan, condemned the attack which he said was committed by “terrorists and enemies of the nation in an odious attempt to inflame passions and exacerbate disquiet, fear, insecurity and sectional divisions in the country.”Buhari went on to emerge as the flag bearer for the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) and defeated Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election.
