Police in Maiduguri have confirmed 17 persons dead while 24 others injured when Boko Haram insurgents launched a coordinated attack on Maiduguri, Borno state capital last night.
The Commissioner of Police, Damian Chukwu, told journalists in a press briefing that three Boko Haram suicide bombers were shot dead as security personnel battled to repel the attack.
He said one of the attackers, who was also armed with explosives wrapped around his body, was arrested alive.
He said the police have recovered 14 bodies and 24 injured victims from the scene of multiple bomb attacks in mosques around the Chad Basin Development Authority headquarters.
The injured were being treated, he said.
“We had some incidents of act of terrorism by the BHT yesterday the 7th June 2016, which was a clearly indication that the terrorists who have suffered defeat and rendered incapable of carrying out their usual attacks had resorted to guerilla actions,” said Mr. Chukwu.
“Yesterday 17:55 hours some Boko Haram terrorist attacked at Alidawari village near Jiddari Polo area of Maiduguri, sporadically firing AA (anti-aircraft) rifles across Jiddari Polo and the Federal High Court. They set fire on some houses.
“Reacting to distress call we deployed our counter terrorism unit to engage them. And shortly after, the military moved, mobilized maximally and repelled the attack, after engaging in a gun duel that lasted for about an hour,” he said.
He said the fire service personnel were invited to put out the inferno on the torched house and fleeing residents were able to return to their homes after about two hours.
Mr. Chukwu said one of the attackers was captured alive and was in the custody of the Nigeria army, while “three terrorists including a suicide bomber were killed in action”.
He said several arms cache were recovered while some bombs were recovered and defused.
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