Suicide bombers kill nine, injure 13 others in Borno

Bomb scare rattles residents of Plateau community
Nine persons were killed in Borno State as seven suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers detonated their strapped explosives at the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) and Zannari community.

All the suspected terrorists died in the explosions that occurred on Sunday at 11:00 p.m. and in the early hours of Monday, while 13 people were seriously injured.

The attacks were disclosed yesterday in Maiduguri at a press conference held by the Borno State Police Commissioner, Damian Chukwu.

He said that a female suicide bomber entered the university premises and detonated her explosives, killing herself and injuring three security personnel. According to Chukwu, one of the injured, Becky Edubi later died while being treated at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).

The police chief further disclosed that four female suicide bombers also infiltrated Zannari community and detonated their explosives at two residential buildings, killing eight people, and injuring 11 others. The third suspect killed herself by detonating an IED strapped to her body.

“The fourth female suicide bomber, identity not known, who was arrested also died the same night (Sunday) as a result of injuries she sustained. Yet in another development in the early hours of Monday, by 4:08 a.m., two female suicide bombers detonated their IEDs within the premises of the university.

“One of the suspects, detonated her explosives near the Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition Centre, and killed herself, without any casualties.”

Chukwu said that the other suspect detonated the explosives behind the Works Department complex, and also killed herself, with no other casualties. Chukwu said that the police Explosives Ordinance Department (EOD) and Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) were mobilised to the scenes of the blasts to restore normalcy. The bodies of the nine people killed, and those injured were evacuated to hospital for deposition and treatment.

“The police and other security agencies operating in the state have provided credible intelligence to the military to identify where these explosives are manufactured by insurgents. As I address you right now, military operations are ongoing in Maiduguri and its environs,” Chukwu said.

Also, there was bomb scare yesterday in Angwan Jarawa community of Farin Gada in Jos North local government council of Plateau State.

A rumpled leather bag which caused the scare was found near the gate of Church of Christ In Nation (COCIN) in the area. People spread the rumour and they avoided the area but called the police, who quickly sent their anti-bomb squad to the place. But the leather bag was discovered to contain dog feed.

The spokesman of the Police Command, Tyopev Mathias Terna, told The Guardian that the bomb story was not true as it was discovered to be a mere leather bag containing dog feed.

Tyopev said that the anti-bomb squad snapped the contents of the leather bag and distributed to the community to assure them that the bag contained nothing but dog feed.

The police spokesman commended members of the community for their vigilance, urging them to always report strange objects or movement to the police for investigation.