Six Killed in Friday Suicide Attacks on Maiduguri

By Michael  Olugbode in Maiduguri

No fewer than six persons were killed yesterday in a bomb attack in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, the Commissioner of Police, Damian Chukwu told journalists.

 Addressing a press conference, Chukwu said in one of the explosions, four suicide bombers and two members of youth vigilance group, popularly called Civilian JTF, were killed in the early morning triple explosion.

He said police mobile personnel on guard duty opposite the Federal High Court in Maiduguri, sighted three suspected suicide bombers (two females and a male) running towards their sandbag and ordered them to a halt.

 He explained that in the process, one of them detonated the IED strapped to her body, killing herself and one other male accomplice, disclosing that the other female survivor was arrested alive and subsequently handed over to the military for further exploitation and necessary follow up actions.

 He said Police bomb disposal units was also mobilised to the scene to detonate unexploded IEDs on the bodies of the deceased suicide bombers while the second bang was as a result of the demolition of the remaining IEDs by police EOD units.  He said in another explosion in a different part of the town, a suicide bomber and two civilians were killed.

 He said in an attempt to prevent a suicide bomber from sneaking into Muna Garage, along Maiduguri Gamboru Ngala road, three persons died. 

He said the suicide bomber detonated the improvised explosive device (IED) strapped on him, killing himself and two members of Civilian JTF while another male suicide bomber who tried to enter the state capital through welcome to Maiduguri axis exploded with his IED before his destination.

 He said: “This morning we recorded three explosions between Jiddari Polo, Muna Garage and Welcome to Maiduguri axis with four of the suicide bombers killed alongside two Civilian JTF while one of the female suicide bomber who declined to detonate her IED at Jiddari polo arrested and handed over to military after interrogation. 

He added that “on interrogation, the arrested female suicide bomber said she was captured in Gwoza during the attack that brought Gwoza down and this Friday morning they decided to use her, before she decline at the target.

 The Commissioner of Police added that: “I am using this opportunity to echo the state government order that no any form of procession is allowed in the state be it by Shiite or any group.  

“We are doing everything possible to avoid repeat of what happened in Kano as we continue to advise residents to be vigilant at all times.