Twenty-seven persons were killed and 62 others injured during bomb attacks on Monguno, a town about 135 kilometres from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.
A member of the youth vigilante group, Idris Baba, told our correspondent on Tuesday that the Monguno attack happened at about the same time 54 persons were killed through bombs planted by members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect in Maiduguri on Sunday.
He said a bomb explosion from a suicide bomber hit the Onion section of a local market at Monguno on Sunday evening, which resulted in the death of not less than 27 persons, mostly traders.
A medical officer at the state Specialists Hospital, Maiduguri, who spoke anonymously, said, “Five vehicles conveyed 62 injured persons from the Monguno attack to the Specialists Hospital in Maiduguri (on Monday afternoon) but we quickly asked them to go to the University Teaching Hospital, because our facilities are over-stretched.”
A resident of Monguno, Baana Abubakar, who accompanied some of the injured persons to Maiduguri, confirmed to our correspondent that 27 persons were killed.
“I was at the Onion market after the bomb explosion to help in the rescue of people. I counted 27 dead bodies from the scene,” he said.
“We lost 27 people in the bomb blast. Our people have started burying the dead ones. One of the injured ones we brought to Maiduguri today also died,” he said.
Confirming the attack, the Borno State Police Commissioner, Aderemi Opadokun, in a text message, said, “Yes, at about 1330 hrs of 21/9/15, caretaker Chairman of Monguno Local Government reported an IED Explosion at Monguno Onion Market at about 2130 hrs of 20/9/15.
“Some people died on the spot while others sustained various degrees of injuries. Injured victims were transferred to UMTH, Maiduguri, while the dead were buried by their relations. The scene has been visited. Investigation is presently in progress.”
Monguno is the birth place of the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno.
Meanwhile, the pan-Northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum, on Tuesday urged the Nigerian military never to be deterred by the renewed bombing by the Boko Haram insurgents in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The Boko Haram terrorists had on Sunday carried out multiple suicide bombings which claimed 50 lives at Damari and Bulunkutu areas of Borno State.
However, the ACF said in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, in Kaduna that the military was already winning the war on insurgents and should not relent.
According to the forum, with the renewed effort of the military and the civilian JTF, Maiduguri had experienced relative peace, “but for this wicked act of barbarism on September 20,2015.”
The ACF, while condemning the continued use of suicide bombers by Boko Haram to kill innocent people, also hailed the Nigerian military for the onslaught on the terrorists’ enclaves.
It noted that all the Nigerian military needed to route out the insurgents was to intensify its intelligence synergy with the community.
The northern body said,”Arewa Consultative Forum was shocked and disturbed by the sad news of the multiple bomb blasts again which occurred on Sunday September 20, 2015, at Gomari and Bulunkutu areas of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, killing about 50 people with many injured.
“The ACF condemns in strong terms the continued use of suicide bombers by Boko Haram terrorists to kill innocent people in the name of a religious war, as no religion condones such cruel and barbaric act.
“The ACF wishes to commend the military and other security agencies for the continued onslaught on the terrorists’ enclaves and hideouts, thereby dislodging them from their strong holds.
“The ACF urges the military not to be deterred by the cowardly act of the Boko Haram terrorists, as their renewed effort and determination will soon end the insurgency.
“The ACF also appeals to the military to intensify its synergy of sharing intelligence with the community.”
The ACF also condoled with families of those who lost their loved ones, the government and people of Borno State over the tragic incident.
