Multiple explosions hit Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on Tuesday, killing no fewer than 20 persons.
DAILY POST gathered that the incident was caused by suicide bombers, who attacked a local community, Ajilari Cross, in the troubled northeastern state of Nigeria.
Attacks on Ajilari Cross, which have occurred three times in one month, have claimed over 250 residents.
Residents of the area who spoke to DAILY POST said the first attack left 214 persons dead, while the second attack claimed 63 persons dead and now 20 people lost their lives.
They blamed the Borno and Federal governments for not being proactive, alleging that some of the suspected Boko Haram members, who were released by government as well as others who found their way back to town and settled in the area may be behind some of the recent atrocities.
“Some of those people they released are Boko Haram members, they all participated in the 2009 crisis and we know them. They have been threatening the area and made a lot of us flee our homes but we were surprised when we saw some of them pardoned by government”, Umar, one of the residents said.
According to them, the area which had been peaceful suddenly woke up to all forms of criminality.
Meanwhile, the explosion, which occurred about 8:00 pm, Tuesday, forced many residents to flee the area, defying the 9:00 pm curfew.
A resident Mallam Goni Usman told DAILY POST that “we are all confused and people are running helter-skelter. Many people have been killed. I don’t know how many as at the time we left but we called some people this morning who told us that they have carried 20 corpses to the state specialist hospital and many other inured ones to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for treatment.”
He said, the rumor making the rounds in the area before the explosion was that the Boko Haram terrorists were training their people in Sambisa Forest.
“We wonder whether what we have been hearing from the military is correct, because if they are fighting, why are these people regrouping.
“Last Sallah, they prayed in the Sambisa and even twitted photos and on Facebook. Why is government failing us?” He queried.
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