Thursday, June 04, 2015

Suicide Bombers Hit Maiduguri, Yola Again
Nigerian Punch

A female suicide bomber on Thursday evening detonated an explosive device strapped on her body near a military checkpoint in Maiduguri, the Borno State Police Commissioner, Mr. Aderemi Opadokun, has said.

The police boss in a text message to our correspondent enquiry said, “It is true there was a suicide attack near a military checkpoint.

He added that two persons died while three others were injured.

Opadokun revealed that the attack was on Baga Road. It will be recalled that just on Wednesday there was another suicide attack at a mechanic workshop on the same road where four persons were killed in the explosion.

A resident of the town, Ibrahim Yusuf told our correspondent on the telephone that the explosion happened few minutes to 6pm.

He claimed that the loud bang made everyone to scamper for safety and immediately desert the streets.

Also, a resident of Maiduguri, Jack Vince, who confirmed the blast on his facebook page, stated, “A little over 30 minutes ago, a bomb went off in Shagari Estate along Baga Road here in Maiduguri; that’s my area. I was told that I lost my boy, Isah (hustler extraordinaire), a member of the Civilian JTF stationed at the checkpoint in the estate close to Maimalari Cantonment cemetery.

“Just yesterday, Isah said to a friend, ‘My guy, tomorrow na my duty. I go make sure say I check every motor and every bag before dem enter this town. This bombing don dey too much.’ He was doing just that when the suicide bomber detonated the explosive killing Isah in the process. I have suffered several personal loses. The bombing, killing and shooting gets closer with each passing day.

It could happen to anyone. We can’t stop our hustling because of the marauding band of heartless killers. Please, remember us in your daily prayers.”

Meanwhile, another suicide bomber detonated another explosive in front of the Jimeta Market in Yola, the Adamawa State capital on Thursday night.

Though the number of causalities was not known, eyewitnesses said scores of lives would have been lost because it happened at a time traders were going to their various homes after the day’s work.

A serving policeman in Yola, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone on condition of anonymity, said the suicide bomber could have targeted the area because of the usual “heavy human movement” in the area between 7.30pm and 8.30pm.

“I cannot say how many people died in the blast but I can say they would not be less than 15. The blast happened some minutes to 8pm and that is a time a lot of traders use to rush home. A lot of people may have died or injured,” he said.

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