By Desire Emmanuel
Twenty three persons lost their lives while 108 others sustained varying degrees of injuries on Monday night when three bomb blasts rocked various parts of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
The state police command announced the figures in a statement on Tuesday morning, as it added that security operatives were still combing the scenes of the blasts.
Giving an update on the blasts, the command said the blasts occurred around 7:30 p.m. at Monday Market, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital gate, and Post Office Flyover area all in Maiduguri.
It added that preliminary investigation revealed that the incidents were carried out by suicide bombers while 23 persons lost their lives and 108 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
“Victims were promptly evacuated by emergency responders, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), to medical facilities where they are currently receiving treatment,” the command stated.
It added that following the incidents, a combined team of Police Tactical Units, the military and other security operatives were deployed to the affected areas, saying the scenes were immediately secured, cordoned off, and subjected to thorough sweep operations by Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit Base 13 Maiduguri to rule out the presence of any additional threats.
“Borno State Police Command wishes to state that normalcy has been fully restored in the affected areas. Meanwhile, joint security operatives have heightened security presence and surveillance across Maiduguri and its environs to prevent any further occurrences.
Investigations are ongoing to further ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incidents and to bring perpetrators to justice,” it said.
