3 suicide bombers kill 4 in northeastern Nigeria

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria: Three suicide bombers suspected to be members of Boko Haram detonated explosive devices strapped on their bodies Saturday night, killing at least four people in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

One member of the civilian militia, a woman and two children were killed and 8 others were injured, officials said.

Residents of Maiduguri were jolted by some deafening sounds of explosions at about 9 p.m. on Saturday.

The attackers were a male and two teenage girls believed to be working for Boko Haram, Nigeria’s homegrown Islamic extremism rebels, said Victor Isuku, spokesman of the Borno state police command.

The bombers infiltrated Maiduguri by sneaking in during the dark hours, but were spotted by members of the civilian selfdefense group on sentry duty, he said. The three then detonated their explosives, said Isuku, a deputy superintendent of police.

Suicide bomb attacks have almost become a daily occurrence around Maiduguri recently.

A teenage female who had been strapped with explosives but was captured and disarmed last month by security officials said the bombers are usually brought on motorcycles to the outskirts of Maiduguri by some male Boko Haram members and then they proceed on foot into the town. She said it took them two to three days to get to Maiduguri from their bush locations.