•Army vows to reduce insurgency in North East
From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri and Molly Kilete, Abuja
seventeen persons were killed after five suspected female suicide bombers attacked Kofa Community near Dalori in Borno State, yesterday.
Five female suicide bombers donated explosive devices at Kofa community in Konduga Local Government, about eight kilometress to Maiduguri, Borno capital.
Reports, however, indicated that a second bomb attack occurred in a house in same village killing five persons while the third blast was perpetrated by two other suicide bombers within the same vicinity. Only the two bombers were killed, the Nigeria Police disclosed, yesterday.
Eyewitness told newsmen in Kofa that the incident occurred around 8:30pm Sunday, when Muslim faithful were performing night prayers.
“We heard loud sound around 8:30pm, near a mosque, forcing people to run back to their houses. As we prepared to rescue victims of the first blast, we heard another explosion close by.
“It was really terrifying; many people died and many others were injured
“The third explosion occurred after a short while.
“Eventually, we evacuated eight bodies in the night, to the hospital, while 25 others were injured,” recounted Malam Ibrahim Kolo, member of a vigilante group.
Spokesman of Borno Police Command, Victor Isuku, confirmed the incident, and added that 17 persons were killed during the attacks.
“On Sunday, at about 2030hrs, five suspected female suicide bombers detonated explosives strapped to their bodies in Kofa community, which is about eight kilometres from Maiduguri, and situated along Maiduguri to Konduga road.
“The first suicide bomber detonated near a mosque, killing seven persons. The second detonated in a house killing five persons, while two other suicide bombers detonated within the same vicinity, killing themselves only.
“A total of 17 persons, including the five suicide bombers died, while 11 persons sustained injuries and were rushed to University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. Police anti-explosive team were mobilised to the scene and normalcy has since been restored,” he said.
However, spokesperson of the North East Zonal office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Abdulkadir Ibrahim, said in a statement in Maiduguri that only 16 people died
Boko Haram has stepped up attacks on soft target recently.
On June 1, 2017, 13 people were killed when insurgents fired heavy weapons into the city through Jiddari-Polo area and detonated explosive devices subsequently.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has said it would do everything in its powers to contain insurgency in the North East, to the barest minimum.
This, the army said, it would achieve through positive training and welfare of troops in theatre of war within and outside the country.
Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison, Major-General John Malu, said this at a two day training workshop, organised by the Army Headquarters Garrison and Guards Brigade Finance.
“The Nigerian Army will ensure that insurgency is contained to the barest minimum through positive training and welfare of troops in theatre of war within and outside the country.
The two-day finance training week is aimed at building the capacity of personnel and updating their skills.
Earlier, in his address, Acting Commander, Army Headquarters Garrison Finance and Accounts, Colonel A S Maikano, said the workshop would afford finance officers the study of contemporary public sector financial reforms adding that the topics for discussion were carefully selected to ensure that the participants benefits and key into the current financial reform of the Federal Government.
would focus mainly on contemporary financial polices which include the Treasury Single Account(TSA), and Integrated Personnel Pay System, IPPS, among others.
Gen. Malu, while noting that the TSA and IPPS, were measures instituted by the Federal Government for accountability, urged the participants comprising Warrant Officers, Senior Non Commission Officers and Junior Non Commission officers to pay proper attention to lectures and apply them to their daily operations.
The commander who commended the efforts of personnel of the finance corps in the ongoing counter insurgency war through continuous planning and timely release of funds, said
He commended organizers of the training programme saying that the army has since introduced the TSA and IPPS, for proper accountability.
Earlier in his address, Acting Commander Army Headquarters Garrison Finance and Accounts, Colonel A S Maikano, said the workshop would afford finance officers the study of contemporary public sector financial reforms adding that the topics for discussion were carefully selected to ensure that the participants benefits and key into the current financial reform of the Federal Government.