• Military announces N5m bounty on BH bomb factories

Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri

No fewer than 15 persons, including military personnel, were injured in a suicide bomb attack at a military base on the outskirts of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. Two female bombers on board a tricycle sneaked into the Mammy Market area of the 33 Artillery Barracks of the Nigerian Army at about 8:30pm on Wednesday night.

“One of the bombers was intercepted after the tricycle that brought them left with the second bomber. The first one detonated her bomb as soon as soldiers fired shots at her,” a military source said.

Commissioner of police in Borno State, Damian Chukwu, confirmed the suicide attack to Daily Sun. He said it was a failed suicide attack, though 15 persons were injured.

“At about 2020hrs, two female suicide bombers came aboard a tricycle. First bomber went to the gate to buy ticket to access Mammy Market but was shot into explosion by soldiers.
“The tricycle rider fled while the second bomber detonated inside the tricycle. The two bombers died instantly while 15 people were injured,” Chukwu said.

He disclosed that the injured were responding to treatment in hospital. He also said the Explosives Ordinance Department of the police has cleared the scene and restored normalcy.
The incident was the first bomb attack on a military barracks in the state this year.
Meanwhile, the military has announced a N5 million reward for anybody who volunteers information on bomb-making sites of the Boko Haram terror group.

Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, at a press briefing in Maiduguri yesterday, said the bounty announced by the military became necessary to halt suicide bomb attacks in North East states still troubled by insurgency.

“We have N5 million ransom for anybody who gives information on the whereabouts of bomb-making factory in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and any part of the theater,” Nicholas announced, calling on residents to join forces against Boko Haram’s rampaging bombers.

“I know the bomb-making factories are located within our communities. Security is not only for the military or other security agencies but a collective one. Anybody who has information on whereabouts of IEDs factory should contact me, the police, DSS or any other security agency,” he added.

He said the military “took off” 35 suspected suicide bombers and arrested 25 others within a month of a special operation at Bama, Konduga, Maiduguri, Tungushe in Borno State, Madgali and Mubi in Adamawa State. “You should assist us to secure our communities,” he pleaded.

He maintained that the military has degraded the Boko Haram as they no longer possess the capacity to launch attacks, and it was for this reason the insurgents resorted to suicide bombings on soft targets.

No fewer than 70 persons have been killed in various bomb attacks in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states this year. Last week, 20 people were killed and 48 wounded in twin blasts near Damboa, a community southwest of Maiduguri. The incident came barely a month after multiple explosions killed about 17 in Mubi, Adamawa State.