Maiduguri Bombed, Soldiers Dead?

An Improvised Explosive Device, IED, suspected to have been planted by the dreaded sect, Boko Haram has torn a JTF vehicle apart killing six and injuring two JTF personnel, eye witness who did not want his name in the print told DailyPost in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

The explosion which occured at about 11:47am at the UBA bank roundabout, in the Post Office area came barely 24 hours after gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members attacked three schools within the metropolis killing some teachers, including female teachers and pupils.

Eye witness who gave an account of the explosion told DailyPost correspondent that, he was about going into the Union Bank for a transaction when he heard the heavy explosion only to turn towards the direction of the explosion and saw that the soldiers’ Hilux vehicle, which was coming behind had been torn apart by the heavy explosion.

‘I couldn’t go into the bank again as I ran to go and meet my wife in the shop. I actually passed the military vehicle when I was going to the bank. They were four soldiers at the back, two in the passengers cabin, including the driver with another in-front.

‘it was horrendous as the bodies were littered on the ground. people who were close and at vintage position said only two out of the eight in the vehicle seemed to be alive.’

He described the situation in Maiduguri as very unfortunate, and called on the Federal Government to do something seriously about such happening even if it means declaring a state of emergency in the state, if such can bring peace to the state.

His words ‘ I think from what things are turning into in the state, the point that some politicians are making in the past may sound reasonable for this situation. I mean the Federal Government should declare a state of emergency in Borno so that we would know that we are in a total military zone.’

Another eye witness also told our correspondent that, even though, he did not see any civilian killed when the soldiers arrived at the scene of the incident, the gunfire they came with may have hit some of the civilians around.

‘As I am talking to you now, I am in one of the shops at Ramat Shopping Complex. You can hear the gunshots, the soldiers are already there and it is not good at all.’ he said.

JTF spokesman, Lt Col. Sagir Musa could not be reached as at the time of this report, and the police is yet to confirm the incident, as calls put across to the commission of Police, Yuguda Abdullahi could not be answered.

Source: Daily Post