50 people have been confirmed dead in the twin explosions that rocked Damaturu, the Yobe State capital on Friday morning, the Nigerian Army has announced.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by the Acting-Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, who confirmed that the explosions occurred at screening areas of the Eid prayer ground.
Usman said many other persons were injured in the explosions suspected to have been masterminded by some insurgents.
“This is to confirm that there were two suicide bomb explosions today at about 7:40 a.m. 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,’’ he said.
According to him, 43 persons died in the first explosion while seven people died in the second explosion.
He however assured that the relevant authorities had brought the situation under control, adding that no amount of terrorist act would deter the Nigerian Army’s resolve to stamp out terrorism and insurgency.
He said both Gov. Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe and the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, had called on the residents of the area to stay calm and be security conscious.
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