Two suspected female suicide bombers, Wednesday attacked Chibok market in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, leaving 14 persons dead and about 30 others seriously injured, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chairman in Chibok Lawan Pogu said in Maiduguri.
According to the report, the Chibok market was shut since the kidnap in Chibok Secondary School of 276 female students by Islamic militants and was only re-opened Wednesday.
Pogu said: “The market was opened today, and the suicide bombers hit the market at exactly 12:54 pm. Eight persons died on the spot while over 30 persons were rushed to the General Hospital, Uba in Askira local government with two of the victims in critical condition.”
Another resident of Chibok, Mallum Chibok said, despite the presence of security in Chibok, the Boko Haram insurgents succeeded in attacking the area indicating that the insurgents were everywhere.
According to him, “We kicked against the reopening of the Chibok market, but some people said that normalcy had returned. I cannot understand the reason why government is insisting that normalcy has returned when you cannot go to Chibok from Maiduguri through Damboa? The road is still closed because Boko Haram insurgents are still operating 21 kilometres away from Maiduguri.
“Today, they opened the market and we lost 14 persons on the spot with over 30 hospitalized. From what we are being told now as we speak, some of the people who were taken to the hospital gave up as soon as they reached the hospital in Uba from the text massage I just received.
”Look at it, they said six more people died making the number 14. Since the attack I have received more than 100 calls and more calls and text massages are coming in. This is very unfortunate and unbelieving. It is sad for us,” Chibok said.
All efforts to get confirmation from the Police Public Relations Officer of Borno State Command, Mr. Victor Isuku, proved abortive as his phone lines were inaccessible at press time.
-Vanguard
