Professor, three others killed in Maiduguri varsity twin blasts

• Buhari, Saraki condemn attack, ASUU expresses grief
• Troops discover mass graves in Borno, terrorist scare in Delta

Police authorities have said that the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) twin blasts at the staff quarters’ mosque yesterday, killed a professor, a lecturer and two others. They were performing early morning prayers by 5.25a.m.

Fifteen people were also injured and evacuated by the rescue team to University Teaching Hospital for treatment.

Borno State Police commissioner, Damian Chukwu said in Maiduguri that the suicide bombers sneaked into the varsity quarters through gates four and five at the rear, before detonating the explosives strapped to their bodies.

He said Professor Aliyu Mani and another lecturer, who were observing the dawn prayers, were killed instantly.

Chukwu said besides that two suicide bombers, the police also killed a female suicide bomber on the outskirts of Muna Motor Park, along Maiduguri-Dikwa road at about 5.41a.m.

Governor Kashim Shettima, while commiserating with the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abubakar Njodi and the varsity community assured: “The worst is over.”

President Muhammadu Buhari and Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday condemned the attack, describing it as punishable before God.
The President, through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, expressed sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the university community and families of the victims.

Buhari said an attack on a revered place of worship and ivory tower shows that the perpetrators have no true understanding of Islam.

Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, decried the loss of valuable human lives and destruction of property during the incident.

Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday announced the postponement of its press conference following the suicide attack.

ASUU had scheduled a press briefing for yesterday morning to unveil the resolutions of its three-day National Executive Council meeting held at Bayero University, Kano.

ASUU President, Prof. Abiodun Ogunyemi, who briefed the invited journalists announced the cancellation, while expressing grief over the incident.

Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole in the north east have discovered Boko Haram mass graves with decomposing bodies while clearing remnants of the insurgents in Borno state.

Spokesman of Nigerian Army, Brig-Gen. Sani Usman, who disclosed this in Abuja, said the troops of 119 Task Force Battalion of 7 Brigade on Operation Lafiya discovered the graves.

In Ubulu-Ukwu community, Aniocha South Local Government Council of Delta State vigilante operations have sighted suspected terrorists near Ezemu Girls’ Grammar School, an all female school in the community.

Residents of the community, who refused to disclose their identity to The Guardian, said most of the indigenes whose farm locations are far from the community no longer go to their farms as they suspected that the strangers could be Boko Haram members.