Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

At least 14 persons were reported killed and about 30 others injured in Chibok, Borno State, Wednesday after two suspected female suicide bombers attacked the town now popularly know because of the secondary school girls kidnapped there in April 2014.

It was gathered that the suicide bombers picked as their target a marked that was only reopened on Wednesday after being shut down following the Chibok school girls’ abduction.

Eight persons were originally said to have been killed on the spot after the attack but six others were confirmed dead later in the General Hospital Uba in Askira local government, where the injured were taken. Some residents expressed dismay at the attack, wondering why the market was opened by the authorities in spite of the insecurity which they insist still pervades the area.

Some of the residents insist that although there is heavy military presence in major towns like Maiduguri and even small ones like Chibok, insurgency activities still make some parts of Borno State unsafe.

The Chairman of Chibok local government area, Ba’ana Lawan confirmed the suicide attack late Wednesday.

Although he said he was out of the town when it was attacked, Lawan stated that he had been called and briefed. He, however, could not confirm the casualty figures although he said he was on the way back to the town.

Chibok town first came into prominence after Boko Haram members launched an attack on the Government Girls Secondary School, GGSS, Chibok, and kidnapped over 200 girls who were writing their final exams.

Although a handful of the girls have somehow managed to escape and return to their families, the whereabouts of most of them is still not know and all attempts by the Nigerian government to locate have failed.