Among the dead were the two female suicide bombers. Twenty four other
residents were wounded in the twin attacks. They were rushed to the
hospital for treatment.
The first explosive went off at the Bakassi Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) camp at about 7am, when one of the bombers tried to enter
the camp holding more than 16,000 refugees.
Military spokesman, Colonel Mustapha Anka said: “A suspected female
suicide bomber ran into a group of men and women at the entrance while
they were coming out of the camp, killing five men and injuring 11
women.”
The second blast, about one kilometer away, followed about 30 minutes
later when a tricycle taxi carrying two passengers exploded close to
the NNPC Depot on Damboa Road.
The bomber was driving the taxi and following a fuel tanker “with the
sole aim of gaining entry to cause maximum damage and casualty,” Anka
said.
Most of the victims were said to be women who were on their way to the farm.
Anka in a statement said: “At about 7.05am this morning (yesterday),
there were twin simultaneous suicide bomb explosions at the entrance of
Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp and NNPC Mega Filling
Station, Damboa Road, Maiduguri.
“At the Bakassi IDPs camp, a suspected female suicide bomber ran into
group of men and women at the entrance while they were coming out of
the camp, killing five men and injured 11 women. The bodies of dead men
and the injured women have been evacuated.
“At the NNPC, a female suicide bomber followed a fuel tanker in Keke
NAPEP tricycle with the sole aim of gaining entry to cause maximum
damage and casualty but was prevented from gaining access to the station
by another vehicle. In that process, the suicide bomber exploded
killing the three occupants of the tricycle. No reported injured persons
at this instance.
“Troops and security agencies have been mobilized and the injured
have been evacuated while efforts are ongoing to comb the general area
as well as entries and exits of Maiduguri.
“While we commiserate with the families of the late victims of this
cruel act and wish those injured speedy recovery, we would like to
assure the public that efforts are on going to track those behind the
dastardly acts. However, it is equally important to reiterate the need
for more vigilance and security consciousness among all. Citizens are
enjoined to report any suspicious persons or movements to the security
agencies.”
Three weeks ago, an explosion killed eight and wounded 15 persons at
the Muna garage, Maiduguri after a suicide bomber joined a cab before
detonating the Improvised Explosive Device (IED), killing herself and
other occupants.
Spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in
Maiduguri, Abdulkadir Ibrahim confirmed the efforts of rescue and health
workers in the evacuation of wounded victims to hospitals for treatment
while the bodies of the victims have been deposited in the mortuary.
