IGP, Mohammed Abubakar

Michael Olugbode and Aisha Wakaso 

Maiduguri was again under siege Monday as multiple bomb blasts resonated in many parts of the town, causing pandemonium.

About 10 people were however believed to have been killed by the time normalcy returned to the city.

The explosions were reported to have been targeted at the Joint Task Force (JTF) squad at Post Office area, near Monday Market.

Some residents of the town said they heard about 16 bomb blasts and had to flee the areas.
One of the residents, who simply identified himself as Abba, revealed that the areas attacked were London Cinki and Gwange which in the past had witnessed deadly attacks.

He said the explosions started at about 5.15pm and was on intermittently for about 30 minutes and sending serious panic among the people.

Abba said many of the residents had to flee their residences not only for fear of been consumed by the explosion but because of the soldiers who might come in search of the bombers.

It was also gathered from sources that there was another explosion at the commercial nerve centre of the town, the Post Office area. The explosion was said to have been greeted with sporadic gunshot where three persons were shot, a traffic warden and two civilians.

Attempts to get official confirmation however was unsuccessful as the cell phone of the spokesman of the Joint Task Force, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa could not be reached as at the time of filling this report last night.

Also the number of casualties could not be confirmed last night, but some of the residents who spoke to THISDAY on phone said scores of people were killed.

In a related development, following the discovery of two bomb factories in Minna, the residents of the once peaceful city now leave in fear.

Investigation revealed that a resident adjacent the Abdulsalami Abubakar Motor Park yesterday mistook a parcel by his gate for a letter bomb, further sending fear and panic among people in the town as they started running to schools to pick up their kids, calling loved ones and deserting the streets.

It was gathered that the owner of the house, who was returning home that morning discovered a letter in a parcel which he became suspicious of because of the way it was packaged and called the police who got the anti-bomb disposal unit to swing into action.

The bomb experts were said to have discovered that it was an ordinary bulky envelope addressed to a businessman resident in Minna that was being referred to as bomb.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Pius Edebor, confirmed the incident calling on residents not to be afraid in going about their normal duties.

Edobor added that the police bomb experts have combed the area to ascertain that the area was clear for safety of people and their property.

He called on residents to be security conscious and report suspicious things or activities to the police to enable them checkmate terrorist activities.