An early morning explosion in Maiduguri, Borno state, on Wednesday, has left at least five people dead and many more injured. The car explosion is said to have been caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) commonly used by terrorist group, Boko Haram.
Earlier in the day, a freelance journalist who tweets from Borno state via the handle @DanBorno had mentioned the explosion on his Twitter page but was unsure of its cause and casualties involved.
#Bomb Blast in #Maidiguri Muna Garadge this morning, casualty and cause not known yet.
A report by Vanguard indicates that the IED was placed in a commercial Volkswagen Golf car which exploded at Muna Garage Junction in Maiduguri, killing 5 people including the occupant/driver and a passerby.
One eyewitness told newsmen that dozens of people suspected to be passersby were seriously wounded in the blast, and expressed fear that the death toll may rise.
Police Public Relations Officer, Borno State Command, Emmanuel Isuku, confirmed the blast in a statement, adding that all the five occupants of the vehicle were killed.
“The explosion occurred when the taxi was attempting to join the convoy of other vehicles heading to Gamboru town.
“The suicide bomber who is reasonably believed to be one of the female casualties, was picked along the road,” Isuku said.
The ill-fated Golf car was reportedly heading towards Maiduguri-Dikwa-Gamboru Ngala road at about 9am on Wednesday with cancelled IEDs before it exploded at the outskirt of Maiduguri Metropolis.
The Police Anti bomb Squad, men of the Civilian JTF and other humanitarian agencies like National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) are said to have been mobilised to the scene.
Wednesday’s car explosion comes barely 24 hours after some suspected members of the Boko Haram terrorist group invaded Kwashebe village, the same outskirt with Muna Garage, killing 5 residents and injuring many before looting foodstuff and livestock.
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