Attempted Suicide Attack on UNIMAID Foiled

• Eight shot dead at local bar in Plateau village

Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri and Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

An attempted suicide attack on the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), Borno State, was foiled on Sunday evening, the police said Monday.

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

He said they were shot by men of the Nigeria Police and Nigerian Air Force on patrol in the area, adding that the shooting of the suspected suicide bombers resulted in a big blast, but had no casualty other than the assailants who were killed.

Edet added that the area had been sanitised and normalcy restored.
In another statement by the air force on the incident, it claimed credit along with the Nigerian Army for foiling the suicide attack on the university.

A statement Monday by Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya said: “Special Forces of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), in conjunction with some Nigerian Army (NA) troops, successfully foiled a suicide bombing by Boko Haram terrorists at the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, on the night of April 8, 2018.
“The Boko Haram suicide bombers tried to gain access to the university but were quickly detected by the NAF Special Forces.

“The vest on one of the suicide bombers detonated before they could gain access to the hostel, leading to 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 terrorists, following which an additional suicide bomber was identified and neutralised.
“The NAF Agusta LUH was still searching for the other fleeing terrorists at the time of this statement.”
Adesanya advised the public and residents especially around the university premises to remain extra vigilant.

But in another incident, at least eight persons were shot dead in Nding village, Fang district in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau state by unknown gunmen.
An eyewitness, Mr. Barnabas Rwang, who confirmed the attack to journalists, said it happened in the late hours of Sunday evening when some people were “relaxing at a drinking spot”.

He said the attackers swooped on the local bar and opened fire on the people killing six on the spot, while another two died from their injuries at the Plateau Specialist Hospital, Jos, Monday morning.
It was gathered that the bar usually plays host to miners, who on returning from their jobs stayed back to relax before retiring for the night.
Rwang said the attackers took advantage of the open relaxation spot to open fire on their victims, adding that the community has been under threat of attacks in recent days.

Also confirming the attack, the spokesman of the Special Task Force (STF) on security in Plateau State, Major Adam Umar, said the attack took place at about 8 p.m. on Sunday.
He, however, said seven persons were killed in the attack.
He said on getting a distress call from the community, soldiers were quickly mobilised to the scene, but before they got there the attackers had fled.

Assuring the people that the situation was now under control, Umar added that persons wounded in the attack were taken to the hospital.
The remains of seven of the eight slain persons were immediately given a mass burial, while the family of the eighth victim opted for a separate burial their relative.