Two killed as Nigeria police foil multiple suicide bombings

Two suicide bombers in the early hours of Friday killed themselves at a police checkpoint near the Federal High Court Complex in Maiduguri, after police officers on guard tried to stop them from advancing towards their post, an official said.

A third suicide bomber was arrested, the police said.

Three of them – two females and a male – were spotted creeping in the dark towards the police post at about 3.50 a.m., said the Borno State Police Public Relations Officer, Victor Isuku.

Another set of twin blasts were heard at about 8 a.m., but the details are yet to be ascertained.

Residents of Maiduguri were jerked off their sleeping beds by the two echoing sounds of the first blasts. No one, including this reporter, could say from where it was coming.

“By 3:50 a.m. today, mobile police personnel on guard duty opposite the federal high court, sighted three suspected suicide bombers (2females & a male) running towards their sandbag”, said Mr. Isuku, a deputy superintendent of police.

“They ordered them to a halt for questioning. In the process, one of them detonated the IED strapped to her body, killing herself and one other male accomplice.

“The other female survivor was arrested alive and subsequently handed over to the military for further exploitation and necessary follow up actions.

“Police bomb disposal units also mobilized to the scene to detonate unexploded IEDs on the bodies of the deceased suicide bombers. The second bang was as a result of the demolition of the remaining IEDs by police EOD units. Normalcy has already been restored”.

Friday’s failed suicide attack came exactly a week after three suicide bombers, all females, were gunned down by a military patrol team while trying to invade Maiduguri all armed with bombs strapped on their bodies.

It appears a trend that Boko Haram carry out such attacks at the weekends, especially on Fridays.

Boko Haram has increased their attacks on Maiduguri using suicide bombers after they released 21 of the 200 abducted Chibok schoolgirls to the federal government.

They have sustained their attacks despite continued negotiations with the federal government for the release of more of the kidnapped Chibok girls.

The federal government recently denied it paid ransom to free the girls.

Details of the second set of blasts to come later.