•Troops foil another attack

Two female suicide bombers, yesterday morning, detonated explosives near the perimeter fence of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), Borno State, an official has said.

The bombers, who had reportedly tried to invade the university premises through the back fence, were resisted by security officials.

The attack is the second on the university this year after the first on January 16, by three female suicide bombers.

In the first attack, two of the teenage attackers made their way into the university while one died outside the perimeter fence. A renowned professor was among those killed during the January attack.

Yesterday’s attack also came barely 48 hours after two suicide bombers attacked Muslim worshippers at a mosque in Maiduguri, where five persons were reported injured.

Confirming the latest attack, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said the attack happened at about 4:00am.

NEMA spokesperson, Ibrahim Abdulkadir, had, in a brief statement, said no person, aside the attackers were killed.

“Suicide bombing attack was foiled by security personnel around university of Maiduguri community. No casualty was recorded, except the two female suicide bombers who died and their remains were deposited at Borno State Specialist Hospital by NEMA and SEMA emergency response teams.”

Twin suicide bombings by teenage girls have become a trend for a while around Maiduguri.

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More than 50 girls have died trying to carry out several attacks prompted by suspected Boko Haram members.

Earlier reports from the Nigerian Army indicated there was a lone bomber who attempted a suicide attack on UNIMAID at 11:00pm, on Sunday. The suspected bomber was killed, with no casualty.

A witness said one of the officers sighted the suspect as he tried to gain entry into the institution.

After he was killed, security was beefed up in the area.

Officers of the civil defence, police and the military have taken over Shettimari, Dalori and Kwayamti villages, which are around the university.

After the suicide attack on the university in January, Abubakar Shekau, leader of the sect, released an audio where he claimed responsibility for the attack.

Shekau said the university mosque was attacked because it was an “ungodly place. My people were behind the bomb explosion. “Don’t deceive people that that’s a mosque; how would you build a mosque and do ungodly things in it?”,” he had said in the audio released on YouTube.

But, in his response, UNIMAID Vice Chancellor, Abubakar Njodi,  said the institution will not bow to threats from the religious militants.

He said even in the heat of insurgency, the university never suspended operations for one day.

“The fight is for us. They are against us… so, how do you expect us to leave,” Njodi had said.