BORNO State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has revealed that two suspected bombers might unleash mayhem in the state at any time, especially as residents celebrate the Eid-el-Fitr festival.
He said the attackers were likely foreign nationals who escaped into the state with three others who detonated bombs that struck three locations in Maiduguri, the state capital, on Monday, March 16.
The ICIR reports that the coordinated bombings on Monday Market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and the Post Office Flyover area killed 23 people and injured 108 others.
Speaking with the BBC Hausa in the aftermath of the attacks, Zulum disclosed that intelligence reports indicated five assailants infiltrated the city ahead of the incidents. Three of them were killed in the explosions, while the remaining two are still being actively tracked by security forces.
“We have directed that people should restrict their movements and activities this Sallah period so there could be fewer casualties when it eventually happens because they often target soft spots where they would record many casualties.
“There are about four to five million people in Maiduguri town. So, there’s no way we could ask everyone to stay indoors this period. That’s why we asked the people to be vigilant in their actions and movement this period,” he noted.
Zulum said the “alarming attacks” of Boko Haram fighters on military formations in Ajari, Baga, and Damboa in the city were a direct result of sustained military offensives in the Sambisa Forest, which “are pushing insurgents out of their hideouts and into civilian communities.
“These days, there is fighting in Sambisa, whenever there is fighting, they will also come out and show that they are strong to attract our attention so that we leave the bush and come to the city,” Zulum said.
He explained that security sources said that intelligence suggested insurgents deliberately escalate violence during the last ten days of Ramadan, drawing symbolic motivation from the historic Battle of Badr.
He added that the decision triggered coordinated counteroperations by Nigerian armed forces aimed at preventing further attacks.
Zulum said that as the search for the two remaining suspects continued, residents should report suspicious movements and cooperate with security agencies to prevent further attacks.
The ICIR reports that Borno State has faced insurgency for nearly two decades, recording huge human and infrastructural losses.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.