Maiduguri, heavily infiltrated by Boko Haram, will play host to Buhari. The terrorists have shown they are still around by exploding bombs
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
At least three bombs exploded at different locations in Maiduguri ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to the Borno State capital.
Borno is the bastion of Boko Haram, an area they have dominated since 2011.
This is Buhari’s second visit to the state this year. The first was in July where he commissioned some projects executed by the federal, state and local governments.
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Last year February, Buhari visited Maiduguri amid boo from youths who screamed ‘ba ma yi,’ meaning w are no longer interested.
As the president’s plane prepares to land Maiduguri, Boko Haram exploded at least three bombs in the state, killing no less than five persons.
The Punch newspaper quoted a source in Ajilari Cross in the Maiduguri metropolis who gave his name as Maina Mohammed. He confirmed the incident to the reporter of the newspaper, saying that a bomb exploded very close to his house killing a lady and injuring two young boys.
“It dropped in my area. I am there right now. It killed an 18-year-old girl and injured two young boys,” he said.
Another source quoted by the newspaper, Umar Tijani, said a bomb dropped at a mosque in Umaru Shehu Hospital but did not affect anybody while there was another explosion at 1,000 Housing and 707 Housing Estates within the Maiduguri metropolis.
“The bomb dropped at a mosque in Umaru Shehu Hospital but there was nobody in the hospital. There were also other bombs that dropped at the 707 and 1,000 Housing Estates. They destroyed houses in those estates and killed four people too,” Umar stated.
According to the report, the explosions took place at the areas close to the Maiduguri airport and the Nigerian Air Force Base where the President landed ahead of a project inauguration visit to the capital city.