20 Dead, Scores Injured As Fresh Multiple Bomb Blast Hit Maiduguri

The explosion occurred at about 8:00 pm, forcing many residents to flee the area, defying the 9:00 pm curfew.

It was learnt that the explosions happened three minutes apart in the Ajilari section of the Maiduguri metropolis.

According to DAILY POST, the incident was caused by suicide bombers, who attacked a local community, Ajilari Cross, in the troubled northeastern state of Nigeria.

Confirming the explosions, some residents of the area said the multiple attack left a lot of people dead and injured.

They pointed fingers at the State and Federal Governments, accusing them of being inactive.

They further alleged that some of the suspected Boko Haram members, who were released by the government, as well as others who found their way back to town and settled in the area may be behind some of the recent atrocities.

One of the residents who simply identified himself as Umar, said, “Some of those people they released are Boko Haram members, they all participated in the 2009 crisis and we know them.

“They have been threatening the area and made a lot of us flee our homes but we were surprised when we saw some of them pardoned by government”.

Another resident Mallam Goni Usman said, “We are all confused and people are running helter-skelter. Many people have been killed. I don’t know how many as at the time we left but we called some people this morning who told us that they have carried 20 corpses to the state specialist hospital and many other inured ones to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for treatment.”

Usman said that before the explosion, there had been speculations that the Boko Haram sect were training their fighters in Sambisa Forest.

He added, “We wonder whether what we have been hearing from the military is correct, because if they are fighting, why are these people regrouping.

“Last Sallah, they prayed in the Sambisa and even twitted photos and on Facebook. Why is government failing us?” He queried.

In another development, Nigerian soldiers reportedly ambushed suspected Boko Haram terrorists, after they had launched an attack on a military location and Geidam town last week.

Military spokesman, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, who revealed this, said, “The troops killed 10 Boko Haram terrorists and wounded some. The troops also recovered one anti-aircraft gun, five AK 47 rifles, one Fabrique Nationale Rifle, two machine guns and one light machine gun,” said Colonel Usman.

“Other weapons seized from the insurgents included a rocket-propelled grenade, eight AK 47 rifle magazines, and one Toyota Land Cruiser.”

Colonel Usman further revealed that Nigerian troops patrolling in Monguno town arrested a suspected supplier of fuel and other logistical material to Boko Haram.

The suspect, Abacha Kumjo, was arrested with 20 liters of premium motor spirit (PMS) neatly concealed in a black polythene bag while trying to cross from Monguno to a terrorist camp. “He siphoned the fuel from his Golf Wagon vehicle with registration number AA 175 MFA, Borno State.”

He said the suspect is being interrogated further.

Colonel Usman however urged members of the public “to cooperate with security agencies, be more security conscious and report suspected persons or unusual movements to the security agencies,” adding that the “fight against terrorism and insurgency is a collective responsibility of all well-meaning citizens. We should not allow these criminals to succeed in thwarting our collective efforts of peaceful coexistence.”