As Multiple Explosions Rocked Maiduguri University After Eid, Adamawa Gets Bomb Scare
The Oasis Reporters
June 26, 2017
The hitherto peace that security forces said had been largely restored in the north east was shattered Sunday night when the University of Maiduguri came under a series of attacks as suicide bombers detonated their explosives at different locations including the security office where two lives were reportedly lost.
Meanwhile ,Yola in neighboring Adamawa experienced a bomb scare close to the residence of the State Governor Sen. Mohammed Jibrilla.
Security personnel had to cordon off the road leading to the Jimeta Zoo when some suspected Boko Haram Islamic insurgents gave a large polythene bag to a seven years old primary 5 pupil of Gwadabawa primary school named Hassan the suspected bomb to take it to the other children who were having fun at the zoo.
In the University of Maiduguri incident, the Borno Police Public Relations Officer, Victor Isukwu, had, at about 12 midnight, confirmed the incident on a WhatsApp platform managed by his office, but was short on details of casualties recorded.
“Let’s not speculate yet”, he advised reporters.
“At Unimaid only one male suicide bomber died; three university security personnel injured among which one later died.”
Danjuma Gambo, a professor in the Mass Communications department of the university who also doubles as the spokesperson of the institution, confirmed in a BBC Hausa broadcast early on Monday that three suicide attacks took place in the university last night.
Residents of Maiduguri who celebrated a hitch-free Sallah could not go to sleep on Sunday night as sounds of bombings and shootings were heard in most parts of the night and early hours of the dawn.
The first blast occurred at about 10:15 p.m. Immediately after it was confirmed that it was from the university campus, another explosion occurred at exactly 11 p.m.
It has not been confirmed if the second blast which seemed bigger recorded any casualty, but it was followed by hours of shootings and sounds of military vehicular movements.
The university has been in the focus of the Boko Haram insurgency since it came under its first direct attack on January 16. About four suicide attacks have been executed within and around the university since then.
One of the attacks led to the death of a renowned professor of veterinary medicine, who died alongside few others during the first attack.
The University of Maiduguri lies at the outskirts of the host city along the route that leads to Bama from Maiduguri. The institution is about 45km from Kawuri town where the official entrance gate to Sambisa forest is located.
The insurgents seem to be using the virtually porous or unserious perimeter fencing at the back of the campus to climb in almost unhindered.
BOMB SCARE IN ADAMAWA
Police sources in Yola confirmed that the boy took the bag which was blinking and went across the road before he abandoned it by the road side while he rushed to inform some elders in the zoo.
The source noted that when the kids didn’t pay attention to the blinking polythene bag which they claimed was loaded with money, the insurgents later took it away.
Police sources narrated that when the elders raised alarm the suspected Boko Haram fighters disappeared but one of their members was arrested at the place.
The Police public Relations Officer AC Othman Abubakar confirmed the development and said the suspect has been taken to the Adamawa State police headquarters for interrogation.
Sources at the State Criminal Investigative Department CID said the suspect was unperturbed about his arrest as he was smiling when policemen questioned him on the development.
The Seven year old Hassan who is in primary five was interviewed at the headquarters and he said the man gave him the polythene bag to give it to the other children who were busy playing while celebrating the Sallah holiday at the Jimeta zoo.
The incident caused traffic congestion as police officers deployed to the scene cordoned off the road.
The question most residents are asking is, when will enduring peace be in Nigeria’s north east?
