At least 17 people died in bomb blasts in Damaturu and Gubio on October 7, 2015.
The Borno and Yobe States in north eastern Nigeria have remained vulnerable to suicide bomb attacks by Boko Haram militants who for some time now have been carrying out their macabre acts almost every week despite the fierce repost by the army.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015 was another bloody day, especially in the capital of Yobe State, Damaturu as triple bomb blasts killed 14 people and left 10 others injured, news agency reports say. Bashir Idris Garga, Yobe State Coordinator at the National Emergency Management Agency reportedly said the first blast happened at a small food store, killing four.
Another near a mosque killed one, while nine, including a family, lost their lives when a bomber struck a Fulani settlement on the outskirts of the city. Yobe Governor Ibrahim Gaidam called the attacks "cowardly and barbaric" and urged improvements in surveillance. Toyin Gbadegesin, Yobe Police Spokesman is quoted as saying that "gun-wielding bombers" carried out the attacks between 5:30 and 6:00 am (0400 to 0500 GMT), before the night-time curfew was lifted.
In Borno State, two attackers in Gubio, some 85 kilometres from the capital, Maiduguri "detonated improvised explosive devices strapped on their bodies... killing themselves and three locals,” State Police Commissioner Aderemi Opadokun said. Reports say there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack but Boko Haram militants are highly suspected as it came after they carried out three suicide attacks near the Nigerian capital Abuja killing 18 people. In September 2015, a girl thought to be aged 12 killed six people when the explosives she was carrying went off outside a bus station in Borno State.
On the government side, Nigerian army spokesman, Sani Usman said on Wednesday that scores of Boko Haram rebel fighters were killed during clashes with troops south of Damaturu. Fighters attempted to attack a battalion of soldiers in Goniri, some 60 kilometres by road southeast of Damaturu, in the early hours of Wednesday. "During the encounter our gallant troops successfully repelled the attack and inflicted heavy casualties on the invading terrorists as all of them were killed. On the last count over 100 terrorists bodies were seen," he is quoted as saying. However, he disclosed, seven soldiers were killed and nine others injured in the fighting.
