No fewer than 16 persons were killed in coordinated suicide bombings at the University of Maiduguri and Zannari community in Maiduguri, Borno State.
An eyewitness told the News Agency of Nigeria in Maiduguri that the bombing started around 10pm.
The eyewitness, Mallam Usman Chiroma, who resides in Mairi near the university, said, “The noise of the explosion coming from the university woke us up from sleep around 10pm.
“Few minutes after, the explosions spread to other parts of the town, especially around London Ciki.”
Another resident, Mallam Abdullahi Cirani, who lives around Gidan Dambe, corroborated the claim.
“We heard about 10 explosions coming from around the university. The explosions led to a stampede in London Ciki as residents abandoned their homes for fear of being affected,” Cirani said.
He said most residents in the densely populated London Ciki slept in the open near the Gwange Cemetery for fear of being attacked.
But some residents of Zannari gave a different account of the incident.
Mallam Lawan Modu said suicide bombers detonated their explosives in four different locations in the community.
“We heard explosions in four different locations in Zannari yesterday (on Sunday night), the first explosion happened around 10.30pm. The other explosions took place within short intervals,” Modu said.
He said about 10 people were killed in the attacks.
“So many people were affected; in fact, we evacuated about 10 bodies in the morning. Several others were also injured,” Modu said.
The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Damian Chukwu, confirmed the attacks, saying 16 persons were killed.
“All in all, 16 persons including some suicide bombers died in the multiple suicide attacks, while 13 others were injured.
“Yesterday, at about 2221 hours, a male suicide bomber gained entry into the premises of UNIMAID and detonated explosive on his body near the Rapid Response Service office building.
“The bomber died while three university security personnel on duty were injured,” Chukwu said.
He said, however, that one of the injured security officers later died at the hospital.
“One of the injured security personnel, a female known as Becky Edubi, later died at the hospital.
“At about 2230 hours the same night, four female suicide bombers infiltrated Zannari Community in Gwange general area. Two of the suicide bombers detonated explosives on their bodies in two different residential buildings killing eight persons and injuring 11 others.
“The third suicide bomber detonated his explosive in another area killing himself alone.
“The fourth female suicide bomber was arrested that same night but she died as a result of injuries she had sustained,” Chukwu said.
He said another set of bombers returned to the university around 0408 hours in the morning.
“Today at about 0408 hours, two suspected female suicide bombers detonated explosives on their bodies within the premises of the university.
“One detonated her explosive close to the Entrepreneurship Centre killing herself alone with no other casualty, while the other detonated hers behind Works Department Complex also killing herself alone,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has said troops have been deployed to check the attacks.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Sani Usman, who stated this, also said troops engaged the insurgents in a gun battle.
Usman said, “On the gun shots in Maiduguri, please there is no cause for alarm. The firing is from our forces. However, there were reported bomb explosions around UNIMAID and Dalori. Troops are already on the ground.”
