25th July, 2017
The Nigerian Army on Tuesday said it had foiled eight suicide bomb attacks in Maiduguri in the past two weeks.
Lt. Col. Kingsley Samuel, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 7 Division, disclosed this in a statement issued in Maiduguri.
According to Lt. Col Samuel, the 8 suicide bombers were intercepted at various locations at the nick of time.
He said that the army in collaboration with other security agencies had intensified surveillance aimed at checkmating the suicide bombers, adding that the exercise had recorded a “significant success” in the past few days.
“Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have in the past few days intensified efforts toward checkmating suicide bombings in Borno.
“Troops achieved the tremendous feat in foiling suicide bomb attacks by neutralising not less than 8 insurgents who were bent on causing mayhem to civilian populace.
“The troops’ successes in the interceptions of suicide bombers were glaring, as a female suicide bomber was neutralised by troops of the 251 Battalion on 23 of (July).
“The suicide bomber was intercepted at about 8:15 p.m., while trying to infiltrate the fence of Dalori Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp II, in Maiduguri,” he said.
The deputy director, army public relations,7 Division explained that the female suicide bomber was neutralised which resulted in the detonation of the explosive strapped to her body.
He said the explosion killed the insurgent and caused damage to the fence of the camp.
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He also recalled the many suicide bombing attempts foiled by the troops, which included two female suicide bombers killed at Mamanti village while trying to infiltrate military formation on July 16.
“Another female suicide bomber was neutralised on July 17, while attempting to hit a military formation at Cimari and No-man’s-land area of Maiduguri.
“Similarly, troops neutralised 4 suspected female suicide bombers on 18 and 22 July, respectively, while trying to attack military formations at Dala village on the outskirts of Maiduguri and Kawuri village of Konduga Local Government Area,” the spokesman said.
He said the military had stepped up its patrols within and outside Maiduguri, and the University of Maiduguri.
He commended the public for volunteering information, noting that it helped the army to neutralise the suicide bombers.
“Boko Haram insurgents have been greatly decimated, hence they resorted to the use of innocent young female suicide bombers in perpetuating their inhuman acts.
“Their ploy is an orchestrated propaganda toward creating panic and fear in the minds of innocent citizens,’’he said.
The statement reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Army to end the insurgency and called on people to be vigilant as well as provide useful information to ensure the success of the counter-insurgency campaign.