Multiple suicide bomb attacks kill 16 in Borno

More than 16 persons were killed after a
coordinated suicide bombings at the University
of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) and Zannari Community
in Maiduguri on Sunday night.
An eyewitnesses told the Newsmen in Maiduguri
that the bombing started around 10p.m “The
noise of the explosion coming from the
university woke us up from the sleep around
10p.m.
“Few minutes after, the explosion spread to
other parts of the town, especially around
London Ciki,” Malam Usman Chiroma, a resident
of Mairi near the university said.
Malam Abdullahi Cirani, another resident, who
live around Gidan Dambe corroborated the
claim.“We heard about 10 explosions coming
from around the university.
“The explosion led to a stampede in London Ciki
as residents abandoned their homes for fear of
being affected,” Cirani said.
He said that most residents in the densely
populated London Ciki slept in the open near the
Gwange Cemetery for fear of being attacked.
But some residents of Zannari interviewed gave
a different version of the incident.
Malam Lawan Modu said that the area was
invaded by suspected suicide bombers who
detonated their explosives in four different
locations in the community.
“We had explosions in four different locations in
Zannari yesterday, the first explosion happened
around 10:30 pm.
“The other explosions took place within short
intervals,” Modu said. He said about 10 people
were killed in the attacks.
So many people were affected, in fact, we
evacuated about 10 bodies in the morning.
Several others were also injured,” Modu said.
Mr Damian Chukwu the State’s Commissioner of
Police confirmed the incidents, saying that 16
persons were killed.
“All in all, 16 persons including some suicide
bombers died in the multiple suicide attacks,
while 13 others were injured.
“Yesterday at about 2221 hours, a male suicide
bomber gained entry into the premises of
UNIMAID and detonated explosive on his body
near the Rapid Response Service office building.
“The bomber died while three university security
personnel on duty were injured,” Chukwu said.
He said, however, that one of the injured
security personnel later died at the hospital.
“One of the injured security personnel a female
known as Becky Edubi later died at the hospital.
“At about 2230 hours the same night, four
female suicide bombers infiltrated Zannari
Community in Gwange general area.
“Two of the suicide bombers detonated
explosives on their bodies in two different
residential buildings killing eight persons and
injuring 11 others.
“The third suicide bomber detonated his
explosive in another area killing himself alone.
“The forth female suicide bomber was arrested
that same night but she died as a result of
injuries she had sustained,” Chukwu said.
He said that another set of bombers later
returned to the university around 0408 hours in
the morning.
“Today at about 0408 hours, two suspected
female suicide bombers detonated explosives on
their bodies within the premises of the
university.
“One detonated close to the Entrepreneurship
Centre killing herself alone with no other
casualty, while the other detonated behind
Works Department Complex also killing herself
alone,” he said.
Chukwu said that the police anti explosion unit
had been mobilised to the scenes, while the
injured were evacuated to hospital for medical
treatment.