SSS loses three officers in Christmas Day bombing of headquarters

Nigeria’s secret police, the  State Security  Service, says  it lost three officers in the Christmas Day bombing of its office in Damaturu.

Apart from Maiduguri, Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State in Nigeria’s North East, is the other stronghold  of the Boko Haram group which has been terrorizing Nigeria since 2009.

The SSS office bombing happened  at about 12:45Pm local time when the convoy of the Commanding Officer of the 241 Recce Battalion, Nguru, Yobe State, Dahiru Abdulsalam, a colonel, was driving into the SSS Headquarters complex for a security meeting.

The lone suicide bomber, according to the SSS spokesperson, Maryline Ogar, attempted to force his way into the convoy but was stopped by guards.

“Upon collusion with the gate, the impact resulted in an explosion,” she said.

Three service personnel and the suicide bomber was killed in the attack.

“One person was injured and an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) stationed at the gate was destroyed,” the SSS spokesperson added.

The attacks, seemingly carefully planned, occurred days after members of the sect engaged the military in prolonged gun battle in the city.

“The attacks will in no way deter Security agencies from securing the lives and property of Nigerians and riding the society of criminals,” Ms Ogar said.