Two teenage girls, both armed with explosives vests around their bodies, were intercepted by security personnel near a mega fuel filling in Maiduguri, Borno State, while attempting to carry out an attack on the city, police said.

Police spokesman, Victor Isuku, who confirmed the incident, said one of the girls was shot dead while trying to escape arrest. The second girl surrendered and was arrested by security operatives stationed near the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) mega station along Maiduguri-Biu road.

Mr. Isuku, a deputy superintendent of police, said the incident occurred Tuesday.

“They were intercepted by security personnel on duty. One was arrested and the other one was shot dead. EOD personnel were quickly drafted to the scene and rendered the area safe,” he said.

The NNPC mega station has in the past week been quite busy as motorists file out on long queue amid rumour of likely fuel scarcity.

Residents have commended the troops for saving them from what would have turned out a major calamity had the explosives worn by the girls gone off near the city’s largest fuel station.

“We really thank God and commend the security people for being very vigilant and proactive in spotting the suicide bombers on time”, said one Sammaila Bashir, a motorists who claimed to have witnessed the incident.

“If they were not spotted on time, who knows their destination especially as they were seen behind the NNPC mega station,” he said.