Maiduguri rocked by multiple explosions, several dead
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Multiple explosions have rocked Maiduguri metropolis late Thursday evening as several persons have been confirmed dead.
The explosion came as Maiduguri residents were preparing for the Muslim Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.
The Borno State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Aliyu confirmed this in a statement.
According to Aliyu, the explosions occurred in Mairi, Custom and Gwange areas of Maiduguri metropolis.
He said: “We have dispatched our Explosive Ordinance Detection (EOD) to investigate the incidents and to determine whether it was an Improvised Explossive Device (IED).
“Right now, I am at the Specialist Hospital (in Maiduguri) where we have 16 casualties and one dead so far.”
Security personnel including Army, Police, Rapid Response Squad, Civilian Joint Tast Force (CJTF) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have been deployed to restore normalcy.
Security personnel have cordoned off the area.
Eyewitness account says the explosions were as a result of rocket-propelled grenades.
The grenades were believed to be fired by Boko Haram fighters from the outskirts of the city.
The number of casualties as at press time is unclear.
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Eyewitnesses though say that about five people have been evacuated by security operatives.
It was gathered that they were deposited at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
ElombahNews reported earlier that the Governor of the state, Professor Babagana Zulum was attacked by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.
Governor Zulum was attacked during a visit to Baga town.
Special Adviser to Governor Babagana Zulum on Media, Isa Gusau, said confirmed the incident in an interview on BBC Hausa Service on Thursday.
He said the governor and his entourage crawled on their knees as the Boko Haram insurgents fired at them.
According to Gusau, many of them sustained injuries while trying to escape.
He explained that the governor embarked on a trip to the Baga because the soldiers informed him that they have liberated the town from the hold of Boko Haram insurgents.
