Car bomb kills 8, injures 15 in Borno

Maiduguri—An Improvised Explosive Device, IED, placed in a commercial Volkswagen Golf car, exploded at Muna Garage Junction in Maiduguri, Borno State, yesterday, killing eight persons, including the driver/occupants and injuring15 others, according to the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA. An eyewitness, who did not want his name in print, said dozens of persons were seriously injured in the blast, expressing fears that the death toll might be higher. The Police Public Relations Officer, Borno State Command, Emmanuel Isuku, confirmed the blast in a statement, insisting that all the five occupants of the vehicle were killed. Vanguard gathered that the car was heading towards Maiduguri-Dikwa-Gamboru Ngala road at about 9a.m. with the IED before it exploded on the outskirts of Maiduguri metropolis. This explosion is coming barely 24 hours after some suspected members of Boko Haram sect invaded Kwashebe village, around Muna Garage in the metropolis, killing five residents and injuring many before looting foodstuff and livestock. Sources said officials of Police Anti-Bomb Squad, men of the Civilian JTF, NEMA and Borno State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, were quickly mobilised to the scene to evacuate the charred remains of the dead and take the injured ones to the hospital. The police spokesman, Isuku, said: “At about 8:30a.m., there was an IED explosion aboard a Golf car with number plates JERE 349 XA, taxi-coloured and carrying five passengers, (four females and a male driver), by Muna, along Maiduguri-Gamboru-Ngala Road. “The explosion occurred when the taxi was attempting to join a convoy of other vehicles heading to Gamboru town. “The suicide bomber, who is reasonably believed to be one of the female casualties, was picked along the road.”