At least 32 people have been confirmed dead and more than 50 injured in an explosion on Saturday night after the Eid-el-Fitri celebration in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State.
But while security agencies believed the blast was by Boko Haram members, a local source, who asked not to be named, told SaharaReporters that the military artillery gun wreaked more havoc than the blast itself.
“There was bomb explosion in Shuwari village, not far from Damboa town on Saturday night,” he said. “The military responded by firing artillery gun towards the direction and many civilians were hit.”
However, Borno State Police Commissioner, Damian Chukwu, gave a different account.
“At about quarter to nine, yesterday night, a loud explosion was heard at Abacahri village, along Damboa/Chibok road. The DPO mobilised with our men from the SARS and civilian JTF to the scene and found 20 people dead and 48 others injured,” Chukwu said.
“Some of the bodies were found chattered, indicating that the explosion came from an explosive device.”
Chukwu said further that the Police was yet to confirm if the explosion was as a result of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) or a rocket-propelled grenade.
The injured persons have since been rushed to Damboa General hospital while some others were conveyed to the Teaching Hospital in Maiduguri for specialists’ attention.
He said the number of victims is on the high side because most of them were returning from celebrating the Eid-el-Fitr holiday when the attackers struck.
The military, however, said the attack was carried out by suicide bombers.
Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Rogers Nicholas, dispelled reports that the explosion was from military artilleries. He said six suicide bombers were to blame.
He assured the public that the troops were on the ground to stabilise the affected area and forestall any further untoward occurrence.
Also, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) disclosed that 12 out of the injured are in critical condition, while the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is organising a chopper to evacuate them to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
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Crime