Two female suicide bombers, yesterday morning, detonated explosives near the
perimeter fence of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), Borno State, an
official has said.
The bombers, who had reportedly tried to invade the
university premises through the back fence, were resisted by security
officials.
The attack is the second on the university this year after
the first on January 16, by three female suicide bombers.
In the first attack, two of the teenage attackers made their
way into the university while one died outside the perimeter fence. A renowned
professor was among those killed during the January attack.
Yesterday’s attack also came barely 48 hours after two
suicide bombers attacked Muslim worshippers at a mosque in Maiduguri, where
five persons were reported injured.
Confirming the latest attack, the National Emergency
Management Agency (NEMA), said the attack happened at about 4:00am.
NEMA spokesperson, Ibrahim Abdulkadir, had, in a brief
statement, said no person, aside the attackers were killed.
“Suicide bombing attack was foiled by security personnel
around university of Maiduguri community. No casualty was recorded, except the
two female suicide bombers who died and their remains were deposited at Borno
State Specialist Hospital by NEMA and SEMA emergency response teams.”
Twin suicide bombings by teenage girls have become a trend
for a while around Maiduguri.
More than 50 girls have died trying to carry out several
attacks prompted by suspected Boko Haram members.
Earlier reports from the Nigerian Army indicated there was a
lone bomber who attempted a suicide attack on UNIMAID at 11:00pm, on Sunday.
The suspected bomber was killed, with no casualty.
A witness said one of the officers sighted the suspect as he
tried to gain entry into the institution.
After he was killed, security was beefed up in the area.
Officers of the civil defence, police and the military have
taken over Shettimari, Dalori and Kwayamti villages, which are around the
university.
After the suicide attack on the university in January,
Abubakar Shekau, leader of the sect, released an audio where he claimed
responsibility for the attack.
Shekau said the university mosque was attacked because it
was an “ungodly place. My people were behind the bomb explosion. “Don’t deceive
people that that’s a mosque; how would you build a mosque and do ungodly things
in it?”,” he had said in the audio released on YouTube.
But, in his response, UNIMAID Vice Chancellor, Abubakar
Njodi, said the institution will not bow to threats from the religious
militants.
He said even in the heat of insurgency, the university never
suspended operations for one day.
“The fight is for us. They are against us… so, how do you
expect us to leave,” Njodi had said.
This news was first published on The SUN
