No fewer than 60 residents of Maiduguri were killed between Sunday and Monday after the terror sect, Boko Haram, unleashed female suicide bombers on the Borno State capital.
In twin explosions in Adamawa State, two female teenage suicide bombers attacked a market and a motor park in another busy market, where they killed over 30 persons with their bombs in Madagali, Madagali Local Government Area of the state on Sunday.
Gunmen in Plateau State invaded a village in Riyom LGA and killed four residents.
The Maiduguri’s suicide bombers were believed to have been deployed in the town on Sunday after the militants engaged troops in a gun battle, which was believed to be a distraction.
A member of the youth vigilance group, who spoke to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, described the confrontation, instigated by the sect, against the military as diversionary, saying the plan behind the attack was to smuggle the female suicide bombers into the troubled town.
The source explained that the insurgents attacked the Alidawari and Jiddari Polo areas on Sunday evening.
He added that at Alidawari, four corpses were initially found on Sunday night while nine other corpses were found in surrounding bushes on Monday morning.
The source said the insurgents struck again at about 7.30pm on Sunday at Jiddari Polo, where the militants killed two persons in a pub.
He stated that the terrorists thereafter attacked a house, killed the family members in the building, set it on fire and went away with the car of the owner of the razed building.
The vigilance group member, claimed that nine persons lost their lives as soldiers repelled the insurgents.
The source stated that two female suicide bombers, who pretended to be fleeing from a terror attack, killed 19 people after exploding bombs strapped to their bodies at Isari village behind the Maiduguri NNPC Mega Filling Station on Sunday.
“Two female suicide bombers ran into households in Isari as if they were fleeing from attacks in parts of the town, detonated bombs that killed 19 persons,” he said.
He stressed that the attacks continued on Monday morning as another two female suicide bombers, rushed at a group of men warming up themselves beside a bonfire at the residence of a local chief.
“About 40 persons were killed by the two female suicide bombers, who ran into their midst at Sulemanti ward within the Polo area at the residence of the Bulama (Chief) beside a mosque, where they were warming up themselves beside a fire,” he said.
In a statement by the Media Coordinator of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Col. Mustapha Anka, the military said it had intercepted and destroyed 10 suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers on the outskirts of Maiduguri.
The statement reads, “Contrary to earlier media reports and rumours flying around, two Boko Haram suspected suicide bombers, earlier intercepted by vigilant troops, disclosed their colleagues’ intent to enter the city with the aim of detonating bombs in selected public places.
“Consequently, the troops, lying in ambush in the terrorists suspected routes along Damboa road, eliminated them. The suicide bombers were intercepted at three different locations approaching the city – Ajiri area towards Damboa road, High Court axis and the Eye Hospital area.
“The Explosive Ordnance Device team has been mobilised and they (officials) are combing the general area as well as clearing the debris. Normalcy has been restored to the general area and the public are pleased advised to go about their normal business and social activities.
“However, it is important to maintain more vigilance and security consciousness.”
Security screening has been heightened at all checkpoints in the town and at public institutions.
On Sunday night, the troops of the 7th Division, Maiduguri, had said they foiled what would have been a surprise Boko Haram’s attack on Maidugiri.
A security source said the insurgents had attempted to enter Maiduguri through Ziddari Polo, when they were sighted and repelled by the soldiers.
He stated, “Today, the Boko Haram attempted to enter Maiduguri but they were repelled by the soldiers of the 7th Division.
“They attempted to take the town but the soldiers were ready for them. The town is calm.”
At a press briefing on the multiple attacks on the Borno State capital, the military said 14 female suicide bombers were unleashed on the capital city by the Boko Haram terrorists.
The military added that during the Sunday and Monday invasion by the militants, 25 persons were killed while 85 residents were injured.
Speaking at the briefing in Maiduguri on Monday, the Theatre Commander of the military anti-insurgency operations (Operation Lafiya Dole) in the North-East, Maj. Gen. Yushau Abubakar, said seven of the “suicide bombers were gunned down”.
The commander, who put the ages of the teenage bombers at between 12 and 18 years, explained that the militants tried to force themselves into Maiduguri with the intent to “cause mayhem, confusion and panic”.
He said the bombers were intercepted by the troops of the Nigerian Army on patrol, but unfortunately three of the suicide bombers detonated their IEDs.
Abubakar, who was represented by the General Officer Commanding, 7 Division, Maiduguri, Maj. Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, said the terrorists intended to carry out massive and coordinated suicide missions through Asmari, Damboa checkpoint, Ali Dawari, Molai Kura, Baderi, Jumari villages, all on the outskirts of Maiduguri.
He added, “Seven suicide bombers were gunned down by our troops, three escaped and one was arrested.
“I believe they (our troops) have averted what would have been a major disaster if they (suicide bombers) had gained entrance into Maiduguri.
“One of them went to a nearby house and requested water to perform ablution but instead prepared herself and came to a nearby mosque and blew off herself, killing one person while 13 others were injured.”
He said the terrorists recently killed four soldiers in an ambush in Mairari along the Maiduguri- Monguno-Firgi road.
He, however, insisted that the insurgents’ capacity to attack had been degraded, explaining that that was why the insurgents were bent on attacking soft targets and lying in ambush.
The Borno State Police Command on Monday confirmed the death of “scores of people” after the bomb blast near a mosque in Silimanti on the outskirts of Maiduguri.
Police Public Relations Officer for the state, Mr Victor Isuku, said this while speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri.
“I can confirm to you that the incident happened in the early hours of Monday. But I cannot give you the casualty figures as aid workers are still counting,’’ Isuku said.
In the Adamawa attack, it was learnt that the two teenage bombers sneaked into the Kasuwa Denye Kaya and Maiyanka markets at about 9am on Monday and detonated their lethal weapons.
According to the Commander, 28th Special Operations Task Force, Brig. Gen. Vincent Ezeugo, the blast occurred at a crowded market in Madagali.
He, however, refused to disclose the casualty figure, saying officials of the National Emergency Management Agency had yet to furnish him with the figures.
An eyewitness, Danladi Buba, told newsmen that over 30 persons might have been killed in the blasts, adding that several other persons sustained varying degrees of injuries in the explosions.
Buba said one of the female bombers was the only casualty in one of the blasts while the majority of the casualties were recorded in the explosion by the second female suicide bomber, who detonated her bomb in a crowded park around Kasuwa Denye Kaya market.
Ezeugo explained that the military had intensified its condone and search operations in the Madagali area to capture some of the suicide bombers whom some residents claimed might have been sent specifically to attack the community.
“Two female suicide bombers struck at a garage (motor park) in Madagali and detonated their devices, and we lost some beloved countrymen,” said the commandant.
He said the injured had been taken to hospital while the military had cordoned off the area, adding that the situation had been brought under control.
The Coordinator of the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Ahmed Fulo, said the list of casualties was being compiled.
The member representing Madagali in the state House of Assembly, Mr. Emmanuel Tsamdu, who expressed dismay over the incident, called for more vigilance.
He added that “a lot of strange persons” had entered the town.
Tsambu stated that he was informed by the local JTF that 17 people were killed while nine others sustained varying degrees of injuries, and were receiving treatment at Uba General Hospital.
Meanwhile, no fewer than four persons were killed on Sunday night when gunmen attacked Diyan hamlet of Rim village in the Riyom LGA of Plateau State.
Our correspondent gathered that the gunmen invaded the village at about 10pm, shooting into the air to scare villagers, who were already preparing to go to bed.
Several people were also said to have sustained injuries during the attack.
Executive Director of Stefanos Foundation, Mr. Mark Lipdo, told one of our correspondents that two women and two men died in the raid.
He gave their names as Hanatu Dalyop, Laraba Ezekiel, Bulus Bwede and Danladi Danan.
Lipdo appealed to security agencies to always be proactive in nipping these attacks in the bud, adding that the late response to some of these attacks had made the villagers to be suspicious of the commitment of the security men.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Emmanuel Abuh, could not be reached for his comments on the attack as of the time of filing this report.
