From TIMOTHY OLANREWAJU, Maiduguri
Multiple bomb explosions in Maiduguri, yesterday claimed the lives of two civilian JTF members while four of the suicide bombers were also killed.
The two CJTF paid the supreme price while preventing a Boko Haram bomber from entering the city through the Maiduguri-Dikwa road city gate, South-east of the capital, to detonate his explosive devices, the police said.
“A suicide bomber attempted to enter the city through the Maiduguri-Dikwa road city gate but was prevented by the Civilian JTF in the area. The bomber exploded killing two Civilian JTF members,” Commissioner of Police, Borno Command, Damiah Chukwu told newsmen at a press conference.
The bomb attack came in the wake of another suicide attack which occurred earlier in the day around the Jiddari-Polo, Southwest of the metropolis in the early hours of the day. Residents said they heard heavy sounds from the explosion, fueling anxiety of possible attack on the capital by Boko Haram but the police commissioner said the sounds were explosions from suicide bombers.
“We have a numbers of explosions today (Friday) in the city. At about 4.05am, two suicide bombers; a male and female were attempting to detonate explosive devices. One of the bombers was very close to the mobile policemen sandbag around the Federal High Court area and decided to unstrap her IEDs vest from her body but the male grabbed the vest and in the process, exploded, killing only the male bomber. Our men promptly arrested the lady who confessed that she was abducted by Boko Haram during attack on Gwoza (Borno hilly town captured by Boko Haram in September 2014).
She said she has been with Boko Haram since then until Thursday night when they prepared her for suicide attack,” the CP explained.
He said another the surviving bomber has been handed over to the military for further investigation after the preliminary interrogation by the police. He also said another suicide bombers targeting the Muna Garage blew themselves up after they were intercepted and prevented from entry the garage also in the early hours of Friday.
“Six people including two Civilian JTF and four suicide bombers died today in the multiple explosions-2 bombers at Jiddari-Polo, 2 bombers near Muna Garage along Maiduguri-Gamboru Ngala road and the Civilian JTF,” Chukwu explained.
He also warned against planned demonstration by “Shiite group or any unauthorized group or groups” in the state, saying the police and other security agencies were prepared to forestall breakdown of law and other. He urged residents to be more vigilant.