Boko Haram deploys 600 suicide bombers in Maiduguri –Dep Gov

No fewer than 600 female sui­cide bombers are being pre­pared for bomb attacks in Maiduguri, Borno capital by Boko Haram insurgents, the state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Zannah Mustapha has disclosed.Zannah while justifying the continuous imposition of curfew on Maiduguri each time a Boko Haram attack takes place, told some jour­nalists in Maiduguri on Fri­day that the curfew was to safeguard lives and property following security reports that Boko Haram was de­ploying nearly 600 female suicide bombers to the capi­tal for attacks.

“Initially we were op­posed to the suggestion made by the military; but when we received a security report that about 600 women have been kitted as suicide bomb­ers and are to be sneaked into Maiduguri for the attack, coupled with the gory pic­tures of some of the women who detonated themselves during the attack, we had no option than to okay the cur­few,” he said while speaking with some journalists.

The Deputy Governor said government was particularly concerned about the difficul­ties experienced by the peo­ple throughout the curfew and their outcry as the curfew came unexpectedly, but said their safety was fundamental. He said the curfew has now been relaxed till 5pm.

“But the curfew has been relaxed from noon to about 5pm to ease the hardship, and afterwards it may be re­viewed. Our government is going to do everything hu­manly possible in support­ing the military to see that Maiduguri and other secured parts of Borno State are not attacked, or taken over by the insurgents.

“We want people to be patient with the government and the security; though 90 percent of our communi­ties have been liberated but the war is not over yet. We thought all was over. It is unfortunate that we are ex­periencing yet another attack in Maiduguri at this time that we are thinking that the insurgency should have sub­sided following the taking over of Sambisa forest by the military.

“Our thinking was that ev­ery other place should have been blocked so that the in­surgency would be curtailed to a restricted area. But that has not been the case, be­cause the insurgents have been fleeing to other com­munities,” he said.