Nigeria: Soldiers kill three female suicide bombers in Maiduguri

By Abdulkareem Haruna | Premium Times |

Soldiers in the early hours of Friday shot three women strapped with explosive device on their bodies while attempting to invade Maiduguri, an official said.

Explosions reverberated across the city as two of the bombs went off on the women, killing three of them.

The police spokesperson in the state, Victor Isuku, a deputy superintendent of police, confirmed the incident in a text message sent via his office’s WhatsApp handle.

“This morning at about 0530hrs, three (3) female suicide bombers with IED strapped to their bodies were sighted by military patrol team in Umarari village, near Mulai towards Maiduguri”, he said.

“They were promptly gun down and the IED on two of them exploded killing all three of them. The unexploded IED on the third was rendered safe and detonated by Police bomb disposal Unit who promptly mobilized to the scene”.

Boko Haram’s hostility, especially suicide bomb attacks, has increased since the release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls mid October.

The Borno State police commissioner, Damian Chukwu, recently blamed the increased Boko Haram attacks on the coming of the dry season, which, he said, gives the insurgents ample access routes to invade the city through bush paths.