Loud sounds of explosives caused anxiety among residents of Maiduguri, Borno State capital late on Monday.
The sounds were first heard around the Dalori-Alau area in the eastern part of the city at about 10:30 pm. It was soon followed by much louder sounds some seconds later around Cashew Plantation/Limanti general area on the outskirts of the city. This continued till about 11:30 pm even in other parts of the metropolis.
Some residents said they also heard similar sounds in other parts of the city outskirts. Many residents said they were scared by the loud sounds as they thought Boko Haram bombers had infiltrated the state capital again.
“Pray for Maiduguri again, strange and very loud sounds everywhere. It appeared Boko Haram men are around again with bomb explosion,” resident Shettima Adam wrote on his Facebook timeline.
Some residents who were preparing for the Ramadan night prayers said they were scared of going out to the mosques for the special prayers.
Security sources, however, said the loud sound was a “friendly firing” by military troops to push back Boko Haram insurgents to the fringes of the capital city although the military did not confirm the claim as at press time
Efforts to get confirmation from the military did not yield any result. Spokesman, Operation Lafiya Dole, Col Isa Ado, could not be reached on his mobile phone.