No fewer than 11 people were reportedly killed on Friday night after a deadly bomb explosion occurred in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State. The blast happened at a busy location near the Konduga fish market, right in front of a small local cinema where many people usually gather to relax and watch films in the evening.
The Borno State Police Command has confirmed the incident. According to the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Kenneth Daso, the explosion was caused by a female suicide bomber who carried an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and targeted a crowd at the market. Contrary to earlier unconfirmed reports claiming about 20 deaths, the police said 10 people lost their lives in the blast, while others sustained various injuries.
“We received a distress call yesterday evening at about 10:00 pm. A female suicide bomber carrying Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) sneaked into a crowd at a local food market and detonated her explosives, leaving 10 people dead, with others injured,” Daso said during a conversation with a journalist on Saturday.
The injured victims were immediately evacuated from the scene and taken to medical centers in Maiduguri, where they are currently receiving treatment. Security personnel quickly arrived at the location after the explosion to secure the area and help with the rescue mission.
The Police Public Relations Officer also used the opportunity to urge residents to be more alert and report any suspicious activities or strange faces in their surroundings. “Let me use this opportunity to call on the members of the public to continue to give useful information to the police and other security agencies on the movement of any suspected criminals, as the war against terrorists should not be left in the hands of security agencies alone,” he noted.
