Nine feared killed, scores injured in Maiduguri twin blasts

TWO suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers detonated Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) strapped to their covered waists at Baga fish market of Maiduguri in Borno State killing nine people, injuring many others by 3.55p.m yesterday.

Confirming the incident, Borno State Police Command said that the twin blast occurred at Baga fish market with several casualties.

“I cannot give you the exact number of people killed in today’s (yesterday) two suicide bombings in the metropolis, but I’m certain that two suspected female bombers sneaked into Baga Road and fish market and blew themselves up with explosives that forced many people to run into various directions for safety,” said police officer, who was not authorised to speak on yesterday’s incident.

Also, according to Audu Mohammed of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), the blasts simultaneously occurred in the fish market and the Baga Motor Park gate.

“The two girls disguised as customers dressed in long robes with black veils to conceal the explosives in the market, before detonating them to kill many of our innocent traders and customers,” said Mohammed yesterday in a telephone interview in Maiduguri.

He said that the suspects had been living among the communities of Zajeri ward, which is near the fish market, before they sneaked into the market to kill many people.

“These female suicide bombers are among us here in Maiduguri, and they had been adopting various strategies on a daily basis on how to target and kill us here. This market is porous, because we find it difficult to track people entering and leaving this market and motor park with dangerous weapons like explosives that have been killing us here in Maiduguri,” he explained.

He told The Guardian that even though the blast at the market entrance did not kill people, but six were injured when the suicide bomber blew herself up at about 4.50pm, while the fish market blast claimed the lives of nine people.

The rescue teams of the Nigerian Red Cross and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have already evacuated the nine bodies and the injured people to the State Specialists Hospital, Maiduguri for deposition, identifications and treatment.