From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri

Multiple explosions at a farmland in Maiduguri, Borno State, killed the bombers and injured eight farmers.

Four explosions were heard in the early hours of yesterday, in Maiduguri, the state capital, which fuelled fears of possible infiltration of the city by Boko Haram.

Commissioner of Police, Damian Chukwu, confirmed the incident and added that four female suicide bombers attempted to infiltrate the city, through a farmland behind the parapet at London Sudan, Kaleri area, a sprawling community in Jere Local Government Area near the city centre.

“On sighting the joint security personnel deployed along the parapet, the first bomber hurriedly detonated her suicide vest, killing herself and a second suicide bomber in the farmland,” Chukwu said in a statement.

He also said farmers who ran back to town, after the blast, were stopped and screened at the entry point to the farmland through the parapet by security personnel.

“In the process, a third female bomber sneaked into the group being screened and detonated her suicide vest, killing herself alone while eight others, including a member of the civilian Joint Task Force sustained various degrees of injuries,” he disclosed.

The fourth suicide bomber was reportedly shot dead by security personnel who sighted her as she attempted to cross the parapet.

The bomber’s unexploded suicide vest was removed by the police anti-bomb squad.

“The injured were evacuated to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and are responding to treatment while normalcy has since been restored to the area,” the police chief said.

The blasts came a week after two suicide bombers were intercepted by security personnel while attempting to invade the city.

Residents said they fear the increasing bomb attacks indicate the war against terror is yet to be over.