A jeep full of improvised explosives devices (IED) was among the weapons recovered by troops conducting cordon-and-search operations after suicide bombing attacks on Zabamari Muna near Maiduguri, Chris Olukolade, a major-general and Nigerian defence spokesman, has said.
According to Olukolade, the jeep, along with two Hilux vehicles, were destroyed in the course of pursuit and encounter with a group of insurgents trying to escape after simultaneous attacks on targets in the communities on Thursday and Friday.
“A total of six suicide bombers had detonated themselves around the garage, killing scores of people while some people were also wounded. A soldier also died,” he said in a statement on Saturday.
“Military Explosives Ordinance experts backed by Police Bomb Disposal Units are continuing with vigorous search for any bombs that might have been hidden or left unexploded in the area.
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“Meanwhile, all other offensive operations of counterterrorist campaign against terrorists continuing in various fronts. Additional deployment of men and equipment to enhance the scope of the mission both within the country and at borders are also continuing.”
More than 300 people have been killed since Boko Haram’s renewed onslaughts just after the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari on my May 29.
Only on Thursday, at least148 people were killed at Kukawa and Monguno in Borno state by insurgents.
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Nigeria’s military command control centre is now situated in Borno, which is the theatre of the insurgency, but this has not stopped the spate of bomb blasts.
President Buhari has promised to check the menacing aspect of the “godless and mindless” insurgents, but on Friday, his spokesman, Femi Adesina, hinted that negotiation with Boko Haram was a possibility if the insurgents would surrender.
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