5 die in suicide bombing in Borno

A female suicide bomber yesterday approached a military checkpoint along Maiduguri-Mafa Road in Borno State and detonated an Improvised Explosion Device (IED), killing herself, three other bombers and a member of the youth volunteer group popularly known as ‘Civilian JTF’.

The bombers had targeted the ‘Civilian JTF’ who normally conduct ‘stop and search’ at the checkpoint where similar attacks were carried out last month.

Though details of yesterday’s attack were still sketchy at press time, the injured victims were taken to hospitals in Maiduguri.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army said yesterday that troops on Operation Zaman Lafiya Dole in Borno State yesterday gunned down three female suicide bombers after their accomplice detonated her suicide vest in Mafa.

Army spokesman, Colonel Sani Usman said: “Today (yesterday) at about 7:30am, four female suicide bombers were intercepted by troops and Borno youths known as the Civilian JTF ahead of a checkpoint about 25km outskirts of Maiduguri.”

He said preliminary investigations revealed that the bombers were earlier observed trying to bypass a military checkpoint through a nearby village before they were ordered to take the right road.

“However, a few metres short of the checkpoint, one of the bombers swiftly detonated her vest. The vigilant troops gunned down the other three suicide bombers before they could carry out their nefarious acts.”

“Sadly, one of the Civilian JTF lost his life and four other persons sustained various degrees of injuries,” he said.

The Nigeria Police Explosive Ordinance Device team in the area safely detonated the unexploded Improvised Explosive Device carried by the other suicide bombers, the army statement added.