Maiduguri explosions kill three Boko Haram suicide bombers

Explosions in Maiduguri in the early hours of yesterday killed three Boko Haram suicide bombers after one of them detonated strapped Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

The explosion also destroyed two fuel trucks near the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) depot on Damboa road.

Spokesman of northeast zone of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Abdulkadir Ibrahim, said in a telephone
interview with The Guardian in Maiduguri that the bodies of the suicide bombers had been evacuated by the agency’s rescue team workers to the mortuary for identifications.

“The fires of the explosions have been brought down this morning, while evacuation of casualties has been concluded before working hours.”
On how the bombers infiltrated Maiduguri, he said: “Three suicide bombers sneaked into the metropolis through Damboa road about 3am.“They were sighted by Civilian JTF, 250 metres from the NNPC depot, before one of them detonated the strapped IEDs.

“They quickly run and hid near three stationary petrol trucks, where one of them detonated the IEDs and killed all of them on the spot.”He said no civilian or security personnel died in the explosion.

An eyewitness, Abubakar Kaumi, told newsmen at the scene that the blast occurred around 3 a.m.“A woman suspected to be a suicide bomber walking alongside two girls came round the depot.

“They detonated their explosives near some petrol tankers parked there and destroyed the three vehicles.“Gladly, nobody was closed by, so only the three bombers died,” Kaumi said.

The Borno State Police Command also confirmed the incident, stating personnel of Explosives Ordinance Department (EOD) had been deployed to the scene for further protections and cordoning.