Two would-be suicide bombers were on Sunday arrested in Biu town of Borno State, as they closed in on their target for attacks, security sources and witnesses said. 

One of the suicide bombers was killed after he was intercepted as he was about to enter a crowded mosque where worshippers were observing their 2p.m. prayer. 

“…Some of our youth(s) on guard suspected the would-be bomber carrying the decoder in his hand; and when they tried to frisk him, it was discovered the decoder was unusually heavy and the carrier began to fidget. As he was trying to escape the youths hacked him down and summarily killed him there and then,” one witness in Biu said.

The witness said the second suicide bomber was nabbed at a motor park where a female suicide bomber had detonated herself and killed over 20 others in February.

Witnesses said the male suicide bomber was almost boarding a bus filled with passengers when he was discovered and arrested. 

According to those who saw the two suicide bombers, the duo had concealed their bombs in decoder devices of Satellite TV and made to appear as if they were newly bought. 

“The second bomber was caught at the Biu motor park,” the source added. “In fact, he was about to enter a bus that was already having passengers, when it was also discovered that he too had a decoder device in his hand and had a bomb concealed in it. Immediately he was beaten up but not killed; as he was later taken to the military barracks and handed over to the soldiers there”. 

Security sources who do not want to be named in this report confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES.