It was another bloodbath in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State when an Improvised Explosive Devices, (IEDs) laden Peugeot 505 saloon car conveying charcoal exploded in the busy Monday Market.
More than 50 people, including 16 members of the Civilian JTF Vigilante outfit were killed, in the blast, while about 68 others were seriously injured.
The explosion occurred t at about 7 am at the Elkanemi Roundabout, less than 40 metres away from the office of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in Maiduguri.
“The bombs were concealed under bags of charcoal in a Peugeot 505 saloon car, which was parked by a suspected Boko Haram member in the busy area,” Mallam Umaru Jubrin, a wheel barrow pusher at the market, who also sustained an injury recounted to newsmen.
“Some people, who noticed the vehicle parked and abandoned in the area were suspicious and decided to alert some Civilian JTF men. Unfortunately, when about 20 of the Civilian JTF men approached the vehicle, it exploded, leaving about 16 of them dead along with several other innocent civilians.”
Jubrin said they were all rushed to various hospitals in Maiduguri for treatment.
“The people, who parked the vehicle knew that the area was a busy place for all kinds of traders as well as people who pass through the place on their way to their offices,” he said.
Traders and workers who witnessed the blast said many people were killed, while several vehicles went up in flames.
Mallam Hussaini Sani, another trader in the market said he had been at the market very early waiting for it to be opened.
“We were discussing and all of a sudden we heard an explosion. We ran towards the area and saw many people dead on the ground before the security men came and pursued everybody away. But so many people died in the blast,” Sani said.
One eyewitness claimed to have seen the person who parked the car.
“The owner of the vehicle parked here (pointing at the place). He later alighted from the vehicle and disappeared into the crowd,” he narrated refusing to allow his name to be mentioned in the media.
“When we realised that the vehicle was parked wrongly, we were suspicious and began to look for the owner but to no avail; we, therefore, asked some of us to volunteer and push it to a normal parking space along the road. When we realized that the owner had locked the two doors and wound up the glass we were left with no option than to leave it where it was.
“When I left the place and was about 200 metres away, I heard an explosion apparently from the vehicle which scattered everywhere with mangled bodies of human beings”.
He said if it was not for God, many more would have died in the blast, observing that the explosion occurred at the time when the market was not fully open and business was yet to commence.
Shops, vehicles many tricycles, tubers of yam, groundnuts and fruits were destroyed. other items destroyed were petty food items usually displayed along the main road by aged women, fresh fish sellers and yam dealers popularly known as Yandoya in Hausa.
Hospital managementdeclined to speak to the press about the welfare of the victims rushed in.
“We are not authorized to speak on the incident, but so many people lost their lives while a lot more were wounded,” a hospital staff at the the State Specialist Hospital said.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Gideon Jibril assured that the Police is already investigating the issue.
“Our officers and men are already at the scene of the explosion as evacuation of corpses is ongoing as such, I don’t have details yet until our men are back with detailed report,” Jubril said.
However, another security source, who was at the scene said the situation was pathetic as security operatives have cordoned off the area to evacuate corpses and clear the area before people are allowed into busy areas of Maiduguri city centre.
Governor Borno State, Kashim Shettima has visited the scene of the explosion after leaving the State Specialist Hospital, Umaru Shehu General Hospital in Bulumkutu, where most of the victims were rushed to.
Shettima assured that government will be responsible for all the medical bills of the victims, while the families of those who lost their loved ones or relatives, particularly the Civilian JTF will be given N1 million each.
He, condemned the perpetrators of the heinous act, describing the bombing as anti-Islamic, barbaric and wickedness against humanity.
“In this period of Ramadan, which is a holy month for prayers and fasting and total submission to Allah, why should some miscreants use the period to cause havoc to lives and property?” He quizzed .
Chairman of the Civilian JTF attached to Sector 3, Mallam Iliya Saidu while briefing Governor Kashim Shettima said, his men were able to identify nine of their members, who died in the blast.
Chairman of Monday Market Traders Association, Alhaji Bukar Jere, while giving the breakdown of the number of casualty to the Governor insisted that 16 Civilian JTF men were among the dozens of people killed.
“16 civilian JTF members were among those killed in the blast, while 68 sustained serious injuries,”Jere said.
He added that 49 shops were razed in the blast.
