• Police arrest 24, arraign 19

Agaju Madugba, Katsina

Two female suicide bombers blew themselves up in a village in Borno State, shortly after another bomber killed four at a displaced persons’ camp, an emergency services official said yesterday.

The failed mission at Mandarari village, near the town of Konduga in Borno State and the successful attack just outside the state capital, Maiduguri, came after ramped-up military action against Boko Haram Islamists.

The military had announced in late 2016 that it had cleared the jihadists’ Sambisa Forest stronghold but they were said to have since returned.

Head of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, Ahmed Satomi, said soldiers and civilian militia intercepted the two women at Mandarari at about 9:00 pm on Wednesday.

“The women detonated their explosives, killing themselves, having realised they had been uncovered,” he said.

About 45 minutes earlier, a male suicide bomber scaled a rear fence at the Dalori Camp in the outskirts of Maiduguri and blew himself up, as well as the four who died while 44 were injured.

Shortly afterwards, a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives outside the camp, killing only herself, said Idris Garga, head of Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the northeast.

Satomi said: “The failed suicide attack (at Mandarari) and the one at Dalori IDP camp are clearly the work of Boko Haram.

“They are trying to hit back as a result of the pressure the military has exerted on them in the current military operations against them in Sambisa forest.

“This is why we emphasised the need for people to be vigilant and keep an eye on strange faces coming into their communities as Boko Haram insurgents are trying to attack civilian targets in response to the losses they suffer in the hands of the military.”

The conflict, which began in 2009, has killed at least 20,000 and left more than 2.6 million others homeless.

Nigeria’s military and government maintain that Boko Haram  is a spent force,  but there has been little let up in violence.

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The BBC said in data published last week that the group killed at least 967 people in 150 attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger in 2017, up on 2016 when 910 deaths were reported in 127 attacks.

Meanwhile in Kaduna State, not less than seven people were killed by gunmen suspected to be herdsmen in an attack on Kaguru village, in Chukun Local Government Area.

Several villagers were  believed to have sustained injuries while several fled into the bush.

According to a resident of the area who chose to remain anonymous, the attack took place at about 7: 00 pm on Wednesday.

He said numerous armed herdsmen opened fire on the villagers and burnt their houses.

“It was around 7:00 pm that they came, as soon as they came, they started shooting and setting houses ablaze. Many houses were set ablaze.

“Seven people were killed on the spot. We buried the dead last night(Wednesday). Many people ran to the bush for their lives. We are living in fear. We are appealing to government to provide security for us” he said.

Aliyu Mukhtar, the Kaduna State Police Command, did not respond to phone calls and text messages seeking confirmation of the attack.

Benue State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, has said that 24 suspects have been arrested with 19 arraigned in court in connection with the New year day killings.

Owoseni stated this yesterday during a telephone interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily where he vowed to ensure that justice would take its course to serve as a deterrent to others.

“A total number of 24 suspects have been arrested in connection with some of these cases which borders on culpable homicide, grievous hurt, and mischief by fire. The number that have been arraigned in court are 19 while five of the cases are still being investigated,” he said.

The CP said there would be no sacred cow in the fight against crime. He also promised to completely eliminate criminals as all those found guilty will be made to face the full weight of the law.

He, however, noted that the state is currently enjoying relative peace due to the collaborative efforts of the police and the public.