An exclusive report by Premium Times
has shown that the residents of Muna-Gari, a suburb of Maiduguri, the
Borno State capital, where four suicide bombers attacked on Wednesday
evening, have buried 15 corpses, including an unborn baby that was
forced out of its mother’s .
has shown that the residents of Muna-Gari, a suburb of Maiduguri, the
Borno State capital, where four suicide bombers attacked on Wednesday
evening, have buried 15 corpses, including an unborn baby that was
forced out of its mother’s .
Premium Times on Thursday gained an exclusive access to witness the mass funeral rite for the dead victims of the attack.
Most of the victims were killed while observing the late evening congregational prayers in an open mosque.
Also buried was a male foetus that was forced out of his mother’s
womb by the bomb explosion activated by one of the female suicide
bombers.
womb by the bomb explosion activated by one of the female suicide
bombers.
On Thursday, hundreds of grieving sympathisers converged at the
premises of Muna primary school to pay their last respect and offer
prayers to the deceased.
premises of Muna primary school to pay their last respect and offer
prayers to the deceased.
Witnesses said the Wednesday attack could have been averted had there been enough security presence around their community.
Behind Muna-Gari is an open bush that leads to a thicker forest.
Premium Times learnt that there are only two military posts behind
the suburb of Muna-Gari. There is a distance of about 8km between the
two military posts.
the suburb of Muna-Gari. There is a distance of about 8km between the
two military posts.
Residents said the suicide bombers usually take advantage of the
unprotected open space between the military posts to sneak into the
community to carry out attacks.
unprotected open space between the military posts to sneak into the
community to carry out attacks.
Bukar Samaila, a trader and member of the volunteer vigilante,
known as Civilian-JTF, told Premium Times that it was for the mercy of
God that he was alive.
known as Civilian-JTF, told Premium Times that it was for the mercy of
God that he was alive.
One of the suicide bombers attacked the house beside his provision
store. It was there that the pregnant woman and her daughter were
killed.
store. It was there that the pregnant woman and her daughter were
killed.
“We heard the first blast at exactly 5.57 p.m. when we were already at the mosque observing the Maghrib (late evening) prayer,” said Mr. Samaila.
“The second one came almost immediately from the second street.
As I was rushing back to my shop area, I sighted two girls running
unusually into the community from the bush area. Immediately I suspected
her motive and raised alarm.
As I was rushing back to my shop area, I sighted two girls running
unusually into the community from the bush area. Immediately I suspected
her motive and raised alarm.
“One man responded by trying to stop her. But when he noticed
that she was screaming and trying to pull out something from under her
garment he pushed her away, just before the bomb on her went off. The
man was lucky to be alive but he was badly affected by burns on his
back. The second girl disappeared, no one could locate her.
that she was screaming and trying to pull out something from under her
garment he pushed her away, just before the bomb on her went off. The
man was lucky to be alive but he was badly affected by burns on his
back. The second girl disappeared, no one could locate her.
“I came back to the shop, but something instinctively made me
to close the shop and go to check my family at home. I was barely
halfway to my house when we heard the last bomb blast right inside the
house sharing walls with my shop. I would have been either dead or badly
injured had I delayed for a minute after I made the decision to leave
for home.
to close the shop and go to check my family at home. I was barely
halfway to my house when we heard the last bomb blast right inside the
house sharing walls with my shop. I would have been either dead or badly
injured had I delayed for a minute after I made the decision to leave
for home.
“When we rushed back we found the corpse of the pregnant woman
on the floor inside the smoke filled compound with her unborn baby also
outside her forcefully opened stomach. Her eight years old daughter too
was dead beside her. Another woman and a girl were also badly injured,” said Mr. Samaila.
on the floor inside the smoke filled compound with her unborn baby also
outside her forcefully opened stomach. Her eight years old daughter too
was dead beside her. Another woman and a girl were also badly injured,” said Mr. Samaila.
Mr. Samaila said Muna-Gari and Muna garage are separated by the
Maiduguri-Gamboru highway that leads to Chad. The two locations have
become the most notorious for Boko Haram suicide attacks in Borno.
Maiduguri-Gamboru highway that leads to Chad. The two locations have
become the most notorious for Boko Haram suicide attacks in Borno.
He added that unlike in the past, there is a disconnect between the
soldiers that are currently manning the posts and the local
Civilian-JTF operatives.
soldiers that are currently manning the posts and the local
Civilian-JTF operatives.
“Most of us don’t know the soldiers and we don’t have their numbers,” he said.
“In the past we used to share information quickly because we
have each other’s phone number. Had we been armed with even hunting
rifles, we could have been able to gun down the two girls that were
spotted running into the community, even before we alert the soldiers.”
have each other’s phone number. Had we been armed with even hunting
rifles, we could have been able to gun down the two girls that were
spotted running into the community, even before we alert the soldiers.”
Adam Muhammed, a civil servant, whose parents live in Muna-Gari,
informed Premium Times that most of the suicide bombers were often seen
by the local farmers when some persons would bring them on motorcycles
and drop them off outside the parapet of sand built around Maiduguri.
informed Premium Times that most of the suicide bombers were often seen
by the local farmers when some persons would bring them on motorcycles
and drop them off outside the parapet of sand built around Maiduguri.
“The suicide bombers are mostly dropped off far outside the
villages at dusk by some persons riding motorcycles; and in some cases
our farmers would spot them and alert the soldiers or Civilian-JTF,” said Mr. Muhammed.
villages at dusk by some persons riding motorcycles; and in some cases
our farmers would spot them and alert the soldiers or Civilian-JTF,” said Mr. Muhammed.
“The same thing happened last week when two girls were seen
being dropped off by some persons and the farmer quickly informed the
soldiers, who moved in and shot them dead before they could detonate the
bombs on them.”
being dropped off by some persons and the farmer quickly informed the
soldiers, who moved in and shot them dead before they could detonate the
bombs on them.”
“But the truth of the matter, there are few soldiers here now.
And the soldiers cannot protect the vast open land and bushes; that is
why we have become so vulnerable to attacks. Let the state government
and the military protect our lives by deploying more soldiers here,
because the attack is almost becoming an every day occurrence,” Mr. Muhammed said.
And the soldiers cannot protect the vast open land and bushes; that is
why we have become so vulnerable to attacks. Let the state government
and the military protect our lives by deploying more soldiers here,
because the attack is almost becoming an every day occurrence,” Mr. Muhammed said.