• Troops repel attack in Konduga, 24-hr curfew impose on Damaturu
A prospective suicide bomber arrested by vigilante group also known as Civilian JTF yesterday revealed that 50 females trained as suicide bombers have been unleashed on Maiduguri, the Borno State capital with a target to kill 100,000 people before the end of December.The female suicide bomber, after her arrest disclosed that 50 suicide bombers have been initiated by the sect and are ready to cause
cause havoc on Maiduguri and its environs before the end of 2014.
Sources said that two female suicide bombers were arrested, one at the entrance gate of the University of Maiduguri, while the other was apprehended at the busy post office area of the metropolis yesterday.
The arrest came on the heels of the twin explosions trigered by two female suicide bombers who blew themselves up in a crowded Maiduguri market on Monday, killing 22 civilians and injuring 48 others.
Our correspondent gathered that the disclosure has heightened tensions in Maiduguri.
Already, visitors and students of the University of Maiduguri have to undergo serious checks by security operatives before being allowed into the campus.
Our correspondent gathered that a ban on students entering the campus with their vehicles was also imposed. For now, only lecturers are allowed into the institution with their vehicles after rigorous checks and identification.
The Civilian JTF have been put on red alert to avert any disaster.
In the last few days, four female suicide bombers have claimed the lives of over 100 people in two incidents at the Maiduguri Monday Market.
In a related development, attempts to launch fresh attacks in Konduga and Maiduguri by the Boko Haram insurgents have been repelled by troops of the 7 Division, Nigerian Army.
Konduga is south east and about 40 kilometres from Maiduguri.
It will be recalled that troops, with support from Civilian JTF recently repelled an attack on Konduga by the insurgents, during which over 200, including the alleged impostor of the leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau were killed.
Sources said the insurgents, numbering over 300 and armed with sophisticated weapons riding in Hilux vehicles and motorcycles had an encounter with troops while attempting to attack Konduga and Maiduguri.
It was learnt that the insurgents were overwhelmed and an unspecified number of them were killed.
“The attacks on insurgents in Konduga by the military on Monday at about 9pm left over 240 terrorists dead,” a source said.
A top military source, who is not authorised to talk to the press, confirmed the killing of the insurgents.
He said: “Our troops repelled an attack by Boko Haram sect on Konduga Council Area where they suffered serious casualties with none of our troops killed or injured.”
Meanwhile, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State yesterday imposed a 24 hours curfew in all parts of Damaturu and its environs.
This followed Monday’s attack on a police base, a university and a school by Boko Haram
A hospital morgue worker said 33 police officers and six soldiers had been killed in clashes with the insurgents.
He also said the bodies of 20 Boko Haram fighters had been taken to Damaturu hospital.
Reuters quoted a local security source as saying the insurgents had recovered bodies of other fighters from the streets and taken them away in several pick-up trucks.
Boko Haram, which has seized a number of towns and villages in the North East, is fighting to create an Islamic state.
It has killed thousands of people and caused many others to flee their homes.
Gaidam’s Special Adviser on Press Affairs and Information, Alhaji Abdullahi Bego in a statement, which was made available to our yesterday said: “The curfew is effective and with immediate effects.
“All Damaturu residents are advised to remain calm and stay in their houses during the hours of the curfew.”
The decision to impose the curfew according to Bego was taken in consultation with heads of law enforcement agencies in the state as part of measures to enable the security operatives, who did a great job on Monday’s attacks by repelling the insurgents to conclude their ongoing assignment.
The militants were alleged to have heavily infiltrated the state capital, which has a population of several hundred thousand, and the authorities are extremely concerned about the security situation.
Damaturu has been targeted by Boko Haram a number of times before.
At least 63 people were killed in an attack on churches and police in 2011 in what was then the deadliest attack of the insurgency.
“His Excellency Governor Ibrahim Gaidam has expressed his appreciation to the residents of the state capital and to people of the state for their support and cooperation with security agencies.” the statement added.
The governor therefore urged people to continue to support security effort and to pray for the return of peace in the state and the country in general.
Our correspondent reports that with the imposition of the curfew and the closure of Maiduguri- Damaturu- Kano road, motorists coming in or out of Maiduguri remained stranded as it is the only road linking troubled Maiduguri with other parts of the country following the closure and bombing of major bridges along Biu, Gwoza, Gamboru Ngala among other federal roads to Maiduguri.
Source: National Mirror
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