No fewer than 24 persons were killed and several others injured by a female suicide bomber on Friday night at Konduga Local Government Area of Borno.
ASP Nahun Daso, the Borno Police Command, spokesperson, who confirmed this on Saturday, said the improvised explosive device (IED) was detonated at a food joint, where the attacker targeted residents who had gathered in a large number to buy food.
Daso said the body of the suicide bomber was severely dismembered by the blast, with only the head recovered from the scene.
“Following the incident, a joint response team comprising the Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal – Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (EOD-CBRN) Unit, Military, Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), and local hunters was deployed to the scene,” he added.
The spokesperson said that the area was cordoned off and thoroughly searched for other possible explosive devices, but none was found.
“The injured victims were evacuated to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), where they are currently receiving treatment, while the remains of the deceased were also deposited at the hospital mortuary.
“The victims were confirmed dead by medical personnel on duty,” he said
Daso said efforts were ongoing to profile the victims and contact their relatives for proper identification and burial in line with their religious practices.
He said that security had been reinforced in Konduga and surrounding communities to prevent further attacks and restore public confidence.
Meanwhile, five persons were confirmed dead while 10 others sustained injuries following an explosion that occurred at a metal scrap company located along the Eastern Bypass in Kano in the early hours of Saturday.
The tragedy at the ill-fated firm was reportedly caused by a truck conveying scraps to the premises.
The Commissioner of Police in Kano State, CP Ibrahim Bakori, confirmed the incident in an interview with newsmen on Saturday in Kano.
He said the truck involved in the explosion originated from Yobe, but added that further details about the vehicle were still unclear as investigation was ongoing.
Bakori said the injured victims were rushed to a medical facility where five of them were confirmed dead, while 10 others were currently receiving treatment.
He said it was yet to be ascertained if any security personnel was among the casualties, stating that further investigation would reveal more details.
“The police are working to identify the cause of the explosion and determine the extent of the damage.
“The investigation is ongoing, and more information will be released as it becomes available,” he said.
The commissioner assured the public that the command would conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
He called on residents to remain calm and cooperate with the security agencies in their efforts to unravel the circumstances surrounding the explosion.
