20 Killed, 48 Injured in Bomb Attack on Damboa

By Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri

Twenty persons were killed and 48 others injured in a massive explosion in Damboa, Borno State, the Police in the state said yesterday.

 According to the police in a statement by the state Command Public Relations Officer, Okon Edet, “On June 16 at about 2045hrs, an explosion occurred at Abachari area, an outskirt of Damboa council of Borno State.

“At the sound of the explosion, personnel of the Nigeria Police and members of the civilian JTF mobilised to the scene and discovered 20 dead bodies and 48 injured persons in a suspected terrorist attack.

“The wounded and the dead were evacuated to a hospital while the scene was sanitised by a deployment of police EOD unit.” 

Edet said: “Investigation is ongoing to unravel the nature of the attack. 

“The state Commissioner of Police, Damian Chukwu, urged members of the public to continue to be vigilant and watchful. He also urged them to always provide useful information to the security agencies for necessary actions.” 

All attempt to get the nature of the attack from other sources proved unsuccessful as the bad telephone network in the area seems to keep everyone in the limbo.

A respected member of the Civilian Joint Task Force in the state, Abba Aji Kalli, told THISDAY on phone that the attack was revealed to the youth vigilante group but the number of casualties and cause of the attack have not be known as it was difficult to get in touch with people in the area because of bad network in the area. 

The Saturday’s attack has left a dent on the otherwise peaceful Sallah celebration in the state. 

Five thousand policemen had been deployed all over the state to forestall any security breach during the Islamic festival even as vehicular movement was banned lasy Friday, the day the festival was celebrated all over the world.