Death toll in Maiduguri multiple blasts hits 15

■ As insurgents attack 2 villages near the capital

FROM TIMOTHY OLANRE­WAJU, MAIDUGURI

No fewer than 15 people have been confirmed dead while 39 injured in the Thursday multiple bomb explosions in Maiduguri by sus­pected Boko Haram bombers.

Hospital sources said 14 dead bod­ies were deposited at the mortuary of the state Specialist Hospital after the explosions but another death was re­corded late night bringing the total casualty figure to 15. This was apart from the four suicide bombers that perpetrated the bomb attacks.

“A total of 39 injured persons have been admitted in both Umaru Shehu Hospital and state Specialist Hospital, out of which nine critically injured, have been transferred to the Universi­ty Teaching Hospital,” a senior medi­cal staffer, who pleaded anonymity, told Saturday Sun.

Four bomb explosions occurred at Sajeri, a sprawling community on the outskirts of the city on Thursday evening. The first explosion occurred in front of the house of the Imam of the area while preparing for the night­fall (Isha’a) Muslim prayers at about 7.30pm, killing the Imam and his two children. Two female suicide bomb­ers also detonated the two other blasts few metres from the scene of the first blast.

The explosions came as military said it was testing its weapons prepa­ratory to operation to root out insur­gents from their hiding place. Loud sounds were heard in some parts of Maiduguri on Thursday night, fuel­ling apprehension among residents but spokesman of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Colonel Tukur Gusau, said in a text message that there was no cause for alarm. “We are test-firing our weapons for night operation effi­ciency,” he added.

Acting Director, Army Public Rela­tions, Col Sani Usman later, in a press statement, said four Boko Haram sui­cide bombers detonated explosive de­vices at Sajeri, some metres from the September 21 bomb blasts that killed 54. “Three of the terrorists in the same area, and the fourth detonated in front of a mosque. So far, it has been con­firmed that 14 people have lost their lives including the suicide bombers, while 39 people were wounded. The wounded have been evacuated to hos­pital for treatment.” Usman appealed to the people, especially the residents, to remain calm and continue to be vigilant and security conscious.

Gov Kashim Shettima, who visited the scenes yesterday, urged the people to be security conscious and be weary of gathering around strange persons or fleeing their homes when they are unsure of what was happening around them. He asked them to report any strange movement of person(s) to the Civilian JTF or any security agency around.

Meanwhile, Boko Haram has at­tacked remote villages of Usmanti and Fannamuri near Alau River of Jere Local Government Area, some seven kilometres from Maiduguri, killing three people. Saturday Sun gath­ered that the insurgents invaded the two villages same time as explosion rocked the capital. “The insurgents also burnt houses in the two villages,” a youth vigilante told Saturday Sun on condition of anonymity.

from The Sun News http://ift.tt/1L9tbJv
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