Death toll in Maiduguri multiple blasts hit 15

No fewer than 15 people have been confirmed dead while 39 were 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 Specialists Hospital after the explosions but another dead 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 Special­ists Hospital out of which nine critically injured have been trans­ferred to the University Teaching Hospital,” a senior medical staff who did not want to be named told Saturday Sun.

Four bomb explosions oc­curred at Sajeri, a sprawling community at 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 sound were heard in some parts of Maiduguri on Thursday night, fueling apprehension among residents but spokesman of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Colonel Tukur Gusau, said in a text message the army said 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 site of the September 21 bomb blasts that killed 54.

“Three of the terrorists deto­nated bombs 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 said.

He 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 avoid 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 the remote villages of Usmanti and Fannamuri near Alau River of Jere Local Government, some 7 kilometres from Maidugu­ri, killing three people.

It was 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 Sunday Sun on condition of anonymity.