Nigerian Troops, Boko Haram in Gun Duel in Maiduguri

Seven suspected bomb experts nabbed in Kaduna

Senator Iroegbu  

A few days after the federal government declared that it had “technically” defeated Boko Haram, the sect managed to rear its head again when gunmen believed to be members of the terror group engaged Nigerian soldiers in a gun duel in Aladuwari village sunday.

According to online news website, Premium Times, the attackers arrived the area, about two kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, about 6 pm local time.

Also at about 8 pm yesterday, two suicide bombers, believed to be females, detonated explosives near FOMWAN school in Jiddari area of Maiduguri. The casualty figure from the explosions was not ascertained by press time.

The attacks in Borno came on the heels of the announcement by the Nigerian Army yesterday that it averted another catastrophe in Kaduna State and other parts of the north following the arrest of seven Boko Haram bomb making specialists.

The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, who disclosed this in a statement sunday, said that the suspects were arrested in Kaduna after “painstaking surveillance and proactive intelligence operations over a period of time”.

He said the suspects were in Kaduna to conduct suicide bombings, kill and maim innocent citizens in the state and other surrounding areas during the festive period.

He recalled that some suspects were arrested recently in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, while trying to detonate improvised explosive devices (IEDs) concealed in food containers in public places.

According to him, “The arrest of these suspects would no doubt assist in the fight against terrorism in the country, more so as the military has technically defeated Boko Haram in the field, so the terrorists have resorted to attacking soft targets through suicide bombings, IEDs and through hit and run attacks on isolated communities.”

Usman advised the public to remain vigilant and security conscious by reporting suspicious persons and movements to the security agencies.

He said that the advisory had become necessary because the terrorists have resorted to mingling with the public across the country after sensing the futility of their encounter with troops in the north-east.