Two Suicide Bombers Killed in Foiled Attack on UNIMAID

By Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri

Two suicide bombers, a male and a female, were Sunday killed by security operatives during a foiled attack on the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID).

The Borno State Police Command, in a press statement Monday by its spokesman, Okon Edet, said: “At about 2045hrs yesterday (Sunday), two suicide bombers (male and female), in an attempt to infiltrate University of Maiduguri through the eastern end of the campus, were sighted and promptly shot.”

He said they were shot by men of the Nigerian police and Nigerian Air Force personnel on patrol of the area.

He said the shooting of the suicide bombers resulted in a big blast but had no other casualty apart from the suicide bombers that were killed.

He noted that the area had been sanitized and normalcy had been restored.

Another statement by the Nigerian Air Force on the incident, claimed credit along with the Nigerian Army for foiling the suicide attack on the ivory tower.

The statement by Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya Monday said: “Special Forces of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), in conjunction with some Nigerian Army (NA) troops, successfully foiled a suicide bombing attack by Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) at University of Maiduguri, Borno State in the night of 8 April 2018.”

He said: “The BHT suicide bombers tried to gain access into the university but were quickly detected by the NAF Special Forces.

“Meanwhile, the vest on one of the suicide bombers detonated before they could gain access into the hostel, leading to a commotion. However, there was no reported fatality except for the suicide bomber, whose counterparts immediately fled, when the NAF Special Forces and the NA troops opened fire on them.

“The NAF Agusta Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) then went in pursuit of the fleeing BHTs, following which an additional suicide bomber was identified and neutralized. The NAF Agusta LUH was still searching for the other fleeing BHTs as at the time of filing this report.”

Adesanya advised the public, especially around the university premises to be extra vigilant.

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