By Ibrahim Imam, Kaduna.
No fewer than 26 persons have lost their lives with scores sustaining various degrees of injury when the Boko Haram terrorists attacked Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, on Saturday.
Even, as a huge explosion rocked the city at about 3:30p.m at a mosque located within the Monday market in the city.
The earlier attack reportedly started with grenade attacks that killed six people in Bulumkutu area at the early hours of the morning.
Eye witness said residents were woken up by sounds of gunfire at about 12:30a.m, as many scampered for safety while it lasted.
“We just heard heavy impact on the roofs and it turned out that the area was under attack,” said Salisu, a resident of the area.
According to him, “we have no choice but to run, bullets were flying across the roofs and landing on houses, there was confusion as people took to their heels. l ran with my family,” Salisu added.
The bomb explosion occurred while Muslim traders were observing their prayers in the afternoon..
Witnesses said the bomb went off seconds after worshippers commenced their congregational prayers.
Borno state governor, Kashim Shettima, who visited the scene of the second attack, said 16 persons died in the blast.
The attacks happened a day after twin bomb blasts rocked a wedding venue in Tashan Alade, a remote Borno town, killing at least six people.
During his inauguration on Friday, President Muhammadu Buhari directed that the military command centre should relocate to Maiduguri till the situation in the northeast is brought under control.
President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency headlong, saying the defence command structure would have to relocate temporarily to Maiduguri in demonstration of the resolve of his administration to end insurgency.
