Suicide Bombers Kill Soldier, Over 20 Others, Army Confirms

The military on monday confirmed the number of victims in the recent invasion by Boko Haram at Maiduguri in Borno state.

Over 20 persons, including a soldier, were killed, while the Nigerian Army were trying to disengage suicide bombers trying to invade Maiduguri, the Borno State capital and also left 84 others injured.

Soldiers on the outskirts of Maiduguri also gunned down six armed Boko Haram gunmen and seven suicide bombers during the attack, bringing the death toll on both sides to 29.

Residents of Maiduguri were forced to keep vigil all Sunday night following hours of thunderous explosions and shootings that rented the air till early hours of Monday.

The military said Boko Haram suicide bombers and gunmen attempted to invade Maiduguri through the outskirts of Bille-Shuwa and Alikaranti villages.

“Eighteen Boko Haram terrorists on foot attacked the military base while seven suicide bombers targeted residents of nearby Bale Shuwar and Alikaranti villages at 8:50 pm (1950 GMT),” said the officer, who asked not to be identified as he was not authorised to speak about the incident.

“The terrorists fired mortars at troops,” the officer said.

Bello Dambatto, chief security officer at the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), told AFP that an initial death toll of 18 had risen to 20 after two people died in hospital from their wounds.

Operation Lafiya Dole spokesman Col. Onyema Nwachukwu said the attackers would have made it into more crowded areas of Maiduguri had the troops deployed along the attacked axis not repelled them.

Survivors of the attack said most of those killed in the suicide attack were youth who were at a viewing centre when the suicide bombers infiltrated them as they were fleeing upon hearing gun shots between soldiers and the Boko Haram fighters.

“The gunmen came with the suicide bombers, and as they were engaged by soldiers, some of them sneaked into the confused fleeing crowd and detonated themselves killing about 15 people and over 80 others,” said Momodu Bukar, an operative of Civilian-JTF.

Col. Nwachukwu said the attackers were on a mission to carry out major attack on Maiduguri.

“Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole deployed in the Cashew Plantation around Bille Shuwa and Alikaranti villages have quashed an attempt by Boko Haram terrorists to penetrate Maiduguri metropolis yesterday at about 8.10 pm,” he said.

“The insurgents met with stiff resistance of troops who killed 6 of the insurgents and neutralized 7 suicide bombers in the encounter. The troops also recovered 2 AK 47 rifles and 2 Magazines.