Military trails 2 suicide bombers

— Imposes 24-hour curfew on Maiduguri

By Sadiq Abubakar
Maiduguri

The Nigerian Army has alerted residents of Maiduguri metropolis that two suicide bombers, who escaped during Tuesday’s reprisal attack, were being trailed by the military.
Army spokesperson in Maiduguri, who also announced a 24-hour curfew in the metropolis and its environs, advised the public to provide useful information to the nearest security agent on any suspicious movement or person in their midst as two suicide bombers were  being trailed by the military.

Blueprint learnt that Boko Haram insurgents killed 29 people, injured 30, destroyed 20 houses and five shops in Baale village  of Konduga local government council of Borno state on Wednesday evening.
The spokesman of the Nigeria Army Colonel Sani Usman Kukasheka, who made the announcement, said the curfew was declared in the interest of the people and for security purpose following the Tuesday night’s repelled attack by the Boko Haram insurgents on Maiduguri.
He also appealed to residents Borno to cooperate with the security agencies while efforts are being made to provide adequate security to lives and property of the citizenry.
Kukasheka further said everybody should feel free to go about his or her normal business as adequate measures have been put in place by the military and other security agencies to ensure safety of the people.

The spokesman added that the curfew would be lifted as soon as the situation improved, saying that no casualty was recorded on the part of the military, but during the attack, the military succeeded in bombing the groups of the insurgents, who attempted to enter Maiduguri through a cashew garden in Kawai Maila village, located about 25 kilometers from Maiduguri.

According to him, sophisticated and modern weapons newly acquired by the Nigerian Army that were planted along the dredges in the area were used to clear them.
Security sources in Maiduguri, however, confirmed that over 100 insurgents and their weapons including guns, ammunitions, IEDs, RPGs, motorcycles and vehicles were also bombed along with them.
“Yes I can confirm to you that no Boko Haram insurgent entered Maiduguri. All of them that came were cleared and far away from Maiduguri city except for the gun and bomb sounds.”
Another source said the insurgents killed 29 villages and wounded over 30  others, saying those killed were buried on Thursday morning.

Another source who did not want his name in print told our correspondent  that immediately the villagers spotted the presence of the insurgents in the village, people closed their houses and shops while others ran into the bush.
He further described the situation as terrible and horrible as both the old and the young were affected and property destroyed.