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At least two people were killed in a suspected
suicide bomb attack on a university campus in
northeast Nigeria, a local resident, a lecturer and
emergency services told AFP on Monday.
But Borno Police Command confirmed that a
professor and four other persons were killed
when a male suicide bomber detonated his
explosive at the senior staff quarters of the
University of Maiduguri.
The blast happened at 5:25 am (0425 GMT) at a
mosque in the staff quarters area of the
University of Maiduguri and is thought to have
been carried out by a teenage girl.
Suspicion will likely fall on the Islamist group
Boko Haram, which has repeatedly used young
women and girls as human bombs to target
worshippers.
There were reports locally of a separate explosion
but details were not immediately available.
“At exactly 5:25 am, while I was leaving the
mosque in my neighbourhood, I heard two
explosions,” said one local resident, who asked
not to be identified.
“I rushed to the university, which is not far from
my house. On entering, I saw the mosque in a
mess. Three people lay dead, including a young
girl, whose body was badly mutilated.
“Thirteen other worshippers were injured.”
A university lecturer who lives on site confirmed
the resident’s account.
The National Emergency Management Agency
(NEMA) tweeted: “A #bomb exploded at the
#mosque at the University of #Maiduguri during
early morning prayers. Rescue operations
ongoing…”
Access to the university campus has been strictly
controlled, with checkpoints and searches at the
gates.
But the site, on one of the main thoroughfares
leading in to and out of the city, is vast and most
areas are badly lit.
At least 20,000 people have been killed in the
conflict since it began in 2009 and more than 2.6
million others made homeless.
Nigeria maintains the insurgency is in its final
stages.
Last month said it had flushed out Boko Haram
fighters from their stronghold in the Sambisa
Forest area of Borno state, of which Maiduguri is
the capital.
Yet there has been no let-up in attacks both on
troops and civilians.
On January 8, at least five soldiers were killed when rebels targeted a base
in Buni Yadi, in neighbouring Yobe state.
The following day, suicide bombers killed three in
Maiduguri.
-The Guardian
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