ABUJA (Sundiata Post) – The combined team of Nigerian policemen on duty at the entrance to the Borno State Government Secretariat, known as Musa Usman Secretariat in Maiduguri, on Thursday, intercepted and prevented a male suicide bomber from entering to attack workers based on suspicion.
The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, who confirmed this in a statement said that suicide bomber killed himself and a policeman with 18 others injured.
Usman explained that “in the process of stopping him, he detonated the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on his body, instantly killing himself, a policeman and critically injuring another policeman that stopped him from gaining entry into the Secretariat Complex”.
Sadly, he said, the injured policeman died later.
“Similarly, 18 people have sustained various degrees of injuries and have since been evacuated to hospital for treatment.,” he stated
He said that the troops have cordoned off the area and evacuated all workers from the Secretariat and reinforced security.
In addition, Usman said, the Explosive Ordinance Device (EOD) and K9 teams have been mobilised to the secretariat for screening until it is declared safe.
He noted that the unfortunate incident has reinforced the need for more security consciousness and awareness as the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists and their sympathisers still mingle with the society.
According to the DAPR, it behoves on all and sundry to ensure that they are detected and prevented from carrying out their dastardly acts.
In another development, the Nigerian Military has completely disassociated itself from the report of Amnesty International (AI), which claims that some civilians died in a detention cell at Giwa Barracks.
The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brig-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, said that the accusation came as a surprise and shock because the organisation has accessed the facilities and made recommendations which were implemented.
Abubakar described as “unfortunate that an organisation of high repute such as AI could come around to release a report which is completely baseless, unfounded and source-less with the intent of denting the image of the Nigerian Armed Forces. We would remain committed to the task we have started against the Boko Haram terrorists until they are annihilated”.
He called on “all well meaning Nigerians and International Communities to discountenance this report as it has no iota of truth”.
He insisted that the Nigerian Armed Forces uphold the tenets of observance of human right and dignity of lives of innocent individuals as enshrined in the Conventions and Charters of the United Nation (UN), which Nigeria is a signatory.
The Defence spokesman remarked that the “one sided report is defective in all intent and purpose and does not portray the sincerity of Amnesty International as well as reflecting the true situation in Giwa Barracks now”.
