I risked my life to save over two thousand worshippers – Security guard

Mr Danjuma Umaru, the security guard that averted a possibly fatal blast in a Jos church, tells DGossip247 why he sacrificed his life to save worshippers. He declined to have his picture taken for security reason.

On Sunday, July12, you took a bold step and risk your life in order to save many lives that might have been destroyed by bombers. What gave you that courage?

I beleive that Christ is in me; I beleive that when I die, I will be with Christ so I decided to do it because over 2000 worshippers were in the church, including my wife, four children and loved ones who were in the church. I could not allow the bomb to explode there with all these people inside, especially because they knew nothing about it.

I had to do it, even to the point of death because I know that if I die, I will be with Christ. It was a bold decision that I took. After the Pastor prayed for me, I convinced myself that it is better to die than allowed over 2000 innocent people to perish.

How did you discover the bomb?

I’m one of the security guards in the church and that day, I was charging my phone at my duty post that morning. And at a point, I decided to go to the gate as one of the guards, instead of the usual post I usually man. While at the gate, Pastor Ben came and asked why I was there at the gate because I normally don’t stay at the gate.

I told him I felt like staying at the gate that day and didn’t want to stay at my usual post because I was charging my phone. I also added that some one misplaced his phone the last time and that I did not want to experience the same thing since all my contacts were inside my phone which I did not want to lose.

And that since I overfed myself with beans the previous night, I decided to use the toilet nearby. On getting there, I searched all the three toilets and discovered that the first and third toilets had locks on the doors but the second toilet which is a pit toilet was unlocked. So I decided to use it.

It was raining then, though not heavily and after using the toilet, I wanted to clean myself. Upon contemplation whether to use water or tissue because we normally keep toilet papers in the toilet, I settled for tissue paper. Since people usually put tissue paper on the toilet roof, I fumbled for one but could not find one in that toilet. When I looked up to see if I could locate one, I saw nylon there and immediately began to wonder what it could be. I thought may be someone used the toilet and forgot his/her Bible there.

I brought it down to check if I could salvage a sheet of paper from it but when I touched the bag, it was vibrating. Then I began to wonder if someone had forgotten his/her phone in there and was trying to call, perhaps to establish its location. When I opened the bag, I discovered it was neither a bible nor a phone but something that kept blinking intermittently. It was very big, like a small box with a battery attached (like a microphone battery) on it with two wires flashing green and red lights blinking intermittently.

And a condemned juice drink was wrapped with it as well. It continued blinking and vibrating even after it was brought down. I was momentarily stunned in the toilet and was confused for some seconds. I did not know how to step out, only waiting there for a miracle until God sent two people to use the facility almost immediately at that particular point. I told them I was the one inside the toilet and pleaded with them to move away. I told them to please call one of the pastors for me. I wanted to blurt out my predicament but thought against it because it would have attracted the congregation.

So I decided to stay calm. When I came out from the toilet, the pastor demanded to know what exactly I saw and I told him I thought it was an explosive, seeing the way the package was blinking and vibrating, including the battery that was attached. The pastor told me that if it should explode inside the church, a lot of lives would have been lost.

He pleaded with me to throw it over the fence. And after the long encouragement and faith talk, I convinced myself I could do it and decided to go for it. He called me back and prayed for me. After the prayers, he asked me to check and be sure that there was no passerby around the fence before throwing it.

I followed his advice, took the nylon bag as he had advised upstairs, monitored to ensure nobody was close to where I flung the explosive outside. After telling me that the place was clear then I flung the package outside, but before I noticed the lights were blinking definitely faster now.

So, I began to think that may be the person who might have dropped it was inside the church and saw me and might even have heard the pastor telling me that the coast was clear. So threw it immediately but before it got to the ground, it exploded in mid air. Imagine the risk I took.

If not because God was in charge, a lot of lives would have been lost but glory be to him. And may his name alone be exalted and magnified. There was a second bomb but the Police anti-bomb squad, that responded immediately, successfully defused it. The explosives were two.

Do you have any suspect in mind; someone who might have put the bomb there?

Well, I can’t say but it may be that the person scaled the fence or disguised himself or herself as a member of the church. Or it was planted over night during the rain. It is actually not easy to tell but I know that the person must have disguised himself. Only God knows why we were all saved.

Do you feel fulfilled that you took a bold decision that saved lives?

Well, I thank God for everything because He did it, not me. I think God still wants me alive that is why He gave me the courage to do it. I never thought I could because it was God that gave me the courage after the Pastor prayed. There was never any fear in me. Immediately after throwing the bomb and it exploded, I felt like my head was severed from my body due to the loud bang. I had to touch my head to reassure myself that it was still there. I thank God for everything no injury, no life was lost, the fence did not crack. We give glory to God alone.

What advice can you give other worshippers in this challenging moment?

What I have to say is that death can come at any time, even when least expected. But, if it should comes, there will be no regret because you are sure of meeting with Christ. I encourage others to always be vigilant.