Two female suicide bombers ‘gunned down’ in Borno

Two female suicide bombers have been killed in Molai, a distance of about nine kilometers to Maiduguri, capital of Borno state.

Victor Isukku, police public relations officer in the state, confirmed the incident in a statement made available to TheCable.

He said attackers, who were teenagers, were killed when they tried to sneak into Maiduguri through Molai General area.

“Yesterday, 11/3/17, at about 2045hrs two female suicide bombers, about 18 years of age, attempted to enter Maiduguri through Umarari in Molai General Area.

“They were sighted by the CivilianJTF and consequently shot dead by security personnel on duty.

“No loss of life or injury was recorded. A police team was mobilised to the scene to render the unexploded improvised explosive device (IED) safe, while normalcy has been restored to the area.”

There is heavy security presence in Molai at the moment. Soldiers, police and men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) are in the area.

Suicide attacks have been the major challenge of security operatives involved in the battle against insurgency.

Although Boko Haram has not been able to stage organised attacks in recent times, the sect has been using guerilla tactics.

The insurgents are known to send vulnerable young women on suicide missions.

Earlier in March, the military paraded three suspected female suicide bombers in Maiduguri.

Amina Yusuf, one of the suspects, confessed that she allowed security personnel to capture her.

“I was abducted alongside my parents in Madagali in Adamawa state after the terrorists attacked our village. We were taken to a camp in the bush where we were forcefully indoctrinated by the group,” she had said.

“I was married off to a Boko Haram militant with whom I lived in the camp. One day I was asked to wear the bombs and taken to Maiduguri with an instruction that I detonate the bomb where there is large crowd.

“They said I should press the button but I refused and allowed security men to capture me alive.”