The Nigerian Army has warned the public to be wary of new tactics devised by Boko Haram insurgents who engage children to unleash suicide bomb attacks.
A statement signed by Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy Director Public Relations, Theatre Command, and issued in Maiduguri, said the insurgents had employed new methods to attract prey to its suicide bomb target.
“The insurgents have employed deceptive tactics to attain maximum casualties during suicide bomb mission from the civil populace.
“One of the tactics is to create a fighting scene to attract attention and cause people to gather around them before they detonate their explosives.
“Another antic is by abducting children on errands, strap them with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) vests and send them back home, where the bomb is set to detonate and kill members of the household,” he said.
Nwachukwu said that the insurgents had recently succeeded in carrying out its nefarious activities and suicide attacks through deceptive tactics.
He advised members of the public to be wary of these tactics and avoid unnecessary gatherings that could expose them to dangers.
“Also, parents and guardians are advised to sensitise their children on these new Boko Haram tricks,”
Nwachukwu said.
He also urged parents to be vigilant and monitor movement of their children to protect them from being used by insurgents for evil mission.
Also, a female suicide bomber struck early Monday morning, killing 10 worshippers who came for prayers at a mosque in Maiduguri, Borno state.
This is the latest in a spate of suicide bombings since the release of some commanders of Boko Haram in exchange for some of the kidnapped Chibok girls.
Meanwhile, the people of Dalwa village, a community in Borno State, on Monday complained that 14 of their women were abducted by Boko Haram in the June 20th highway ambush.
Elders of the community made the complaint in a petition to the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo.
The Boko Haram insurgents had ambushed over 60 personnel of the Police Mobile Force (PMF), mourners and several vehicles on the Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu highway on June 20.
The abducted women, according to the elders, were taken from Dalwa village, about 31 kilometres from Maiduguri.
The elders, who brought the petition to a press conference, said the whereabouts of the women remained a mystery, while the state police command and other security forces were yet to offer any clarification on the issue.
