Easter Sunday bomb attack in Maiduguri claims 25

The number of casualty from the deadly Easter Sunday suicide attack on Maiduguri, the Borno State capital in Northern Nigeria has been pegged at 25 by the State police command.

During a Monday briefing with journalist, the state's police commissioner, Damian Chukwu, attributed the high number of casualty from the bombing by five male suicide bombers to it's detonation happening in the midst of people who were attending a wedding ceremony.

The police commissioner said 18 persons died on the spot while 2 others passed on from injuries they sustained during the ensuing commotion from the blast. He added that the bodies of the five suicide bombers were mutilated beyond recognition. More than 80 persons sustained various degrees of injuries from the chaos that followed the explosions.

Chukwu said, "On April 1, 2018 at about 2020 hours, Boko Haram terrorists in an attempt to infiltrate Maiduguri through Bale Kura, Bale Shuwari, Jamine and Alikaramti villages in the Jere Local Government Area on the outskirts of Maiduguri township detonated IEDs.

"They were promptly repelled by the military and police reinforcements. In the process, about 84 persons were injured while 20 persons were killed in the attack."

According to the police commissioner, two undetonated suicide vests were recovered and rendered safe by the Police EOD unit adding that police units have been dispatched to restored normalcy and sanity to the area.

He said, "People should be able to apprehend anybody they feel is a security threat, they can also inform the security agents when they see any strange face or anything they think may threaten the security of their area."

Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, during a visit to victims of the attack receiving treatment at the Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri, described the attack as "sad and inhumane".

Shettima said, "It is very sad, no sensible human being would commit such a level of atrocity but this is a war between light and darkness, and in the fullness of time, truth shall triumph over falsehood."

"We have repeatedly said they have been sufficiently decimated and these decimated monsters bask in the oxygen of publicity. They are targeting soft targets, senselessly and criminally opening fire on innocent souls."

"Yesterday (Sunday), we witnessed that very sad episode, we will continue to intensify our efforts to safeguard life and property, and we are talking with security agencies that are doing their utmost best to secure the state."

"Appreciable progress has been made but such hiccups are inevitable. I will visit the communities to see what measures need to be put in place to forestall a future occurrence."

He added that treatment and the necessary support required by the victims would be made available by the state government while expressing his sympathy for the families of those killed in the attack.




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