Scores of Muslim faithful who attended the special prayer session to mark Friday’s Eid-el-Fitri celebration were murdered as suicide bombers invaded the praying ground in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.
Witnesses say it was a twin blast at the praying ground and that the blasts were carried out by an elderly woman and a 10-year old girl.
A statement released by the Acting-Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, confirmed the attack and also said the attacks were carried out by an elderly woman and a 10-year-old girl.
“This is to confirm that there were two suicide bomb explosions today at about 7:40am in Damaturu, Yobe, in which two female suicide bombers — one elderly woman and a ten year-old girl -detonated the devices.
“It occurred at screening areas for intending Muslim worshippers at Layin Gwange, Damaturu and at Phase1, in front of former state secretariat, Damaturu,” the statement said.
However, Usman the situation has been controlled.
The Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Geidam and the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Tukur Yusuf Buratai have also sympathised with the victims and the people of the state and urged residents to stay calm and be security conscious at all times.
“No amount of terrorist acts would deter our resolve to stamp out terrorism and insurgency in our fatherland,” he added.
