Many feared dead as multiple explosions rock Borno

Many people were reportedly dead in multiple explosions that rocked some parts of Maiduguri, Borno State capital. The incident took place nearly three hours when Governor Babagana Zulum, who survived twin attacks on his convoy in Baga and Gajiram general areas returned back to Maiduguri safely.

Sources told our Correspondent that four Improvised Explosive Devices, EIDs, were detonated at Customs general area of the metropolis at about 6:30p.m.

There was also another report of a bomb blast around Gidan Dambe area, an unspecified number of casualties has been brought to University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, UMTH. A credible security source told Vanguard that about 1720hrs, at least four IEDs reportedly exploded around Customs area in Jere Local Government Area of the state, while two persons were said to have been killed and scores injured. Meanwhile, Borno State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Aliyu, said only one person was killed in the blasts, with 16 others injured following the explosions in Maiduguri metropolis.

Aliyu told the News Agency of Nigeria that the explosions occurred in Mairi, Custom and Gwange areas of the metropolis. Aliyu said that the actual cause of the explosions was yet to be ascertained, but Police teams had been dispatched to the areas.

He said: “We have dispatched our Explosive Ordinance Detection, EOD, to investigate the incidents and to determine whether it was an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). “Right now, I am at the Specialist Hospital where we have 16 casualties and one dead so far.” The echoes from the loud explosions sent many residents scampering for safety. Security personnel comprising the Army, Police, Rapid Response Squad, Civilian Joint Tast Force, CJTF, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, were seen rushing to the scene to restore normalcy. Vanguard