After three separate suspected suicide bomb attacks were foiled by the Military in Maiduguri on Tuesday and in the early hours of yesterday, the Borno State Police Command, yesterday, confirmed the killing of four persons.
Borno State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Damian Chukwu, who stated this at a briefing in Maiduguri, explained that the first attempted suicide attack took place around midnight on Tuesday, while the other two took place yesterday morning. Meanwhile, yesterday, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, appealed to the media to be cautious of reports capable of jeopardizing ongoing military operations in the North East.
On the failed suicide bombings, Borno State Police boss, Mr. Chukwu, said: “The first incident occurred around 12:45a.m., Tuesday, when a suspected suicide bomber tried to penetrate the metropolis through Usmanti village. “As he tried to cross over near a military checkpoint, he was gunned down by the soldiers on guard and the shooting triggered the explosive he was carrying, killing him alone.
“The second incident happened this morning around 4:50a.m., when a group of suspected suicide bombers also tried to penetrate the metropolis through Kaleri village.
“The second incident happened this morning around 4:50a.m., when a group of suspected suicide bombers also tried to penetrate the metropolis through Kaleri village. “Unfortunately for them, there was a vigilant military checkpoint in the place and one of them was sighted trying to cross the fence and was gunned down.”
The commissioner said police bomb squad was invited after the explosive on the suspect refused to detonate. He added: “Unknown to anybody, the remaining bomber had scaled through and moved about 200 meters away. She met some people and detonated her explosive, killing herself and one other person.” Chukwu added that two persons around the vicinity were also injured and taken to hospital. He urged residents to be more vigilant by reporting strange things to the police and other security agencies.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Head of Delegation of International Red Cross, ICRC, and Red Crescent Movement, Mr. Eloi Fillion, yesterday, visited Maiduguri, to commiserate with families of six volunteers killed in last Tuesday’s accidental air strike in Rann, headquarters of Kala Balge Local Government Area.