Police arrest four suspected bombers in Maiduguri

Posted by admin Borno, Elections 2011, Nigerian Police, State News, Top Stories Saturday, April 16th, 2011

The Nigeria Police have arrested four persons who threw an improvised explosive device at a police patrol convoy in the Borno State capital, Maiduguri on Saturday morning.

The police said in a statement that the suspects were arrested at Galadima Junction in Lamisula area of the state capital around 8.30am.

INEC and the National Emergency Management Agency also confirmed that there was an attack on a police convoy on Saturday morning.

The police said in a statement, ”Today, 16.04.2011 at about 0830hrs, at Galadima Junction of Lamisula division, while the convoy of Anti-bomb squad and mobile police were patrolling and visiting polling units in order to detect any I.E.D, some hoodlums threw a bomb at them; the impact shattered the windscreen of the rear vehicle.

”No casualty/injury recorded. Four suspects arrested.”

INEC said in a Twitter post on Saturday morning that a bomb was directed at a police vehicle at Kashim Ibrahim Galadima Junction at 8am on Saturday.

INEC said, ”An explosion has been confirmed at 8am this morning, in Lamisula Maiduguri Metropolitan, Borno State. Venue: Kashim Ibrahim Galadima Junction.

”The attack on the police vehicle was carried out with improvised explosive devices. The culprits have been apprehended.”

The News Agency of Nigeria had reported that an explosion was recorded at INEC‘s Maiduguri office on Friday night. It, however, said no casualty was recorded.

INEC and the police did not comment on the reported attack on the agency‘s office.

But NEMA said a fresh explosion was reported in Abba Garam neighbourhood of the state capital on Saturday morning.

The NEMA spokesperson, Yushau Shuaibu, confirmed the developments in an SMS to THE PUNCH. He also said there were reports of sporadic gunfire in the state capital.

He said, ” Yet to determine if they are politicians, fanatics or armed robbers. Emergency and security officers are moving in to control the situation.”

Last Saturday, two separate explosions in Maiduguri reportedly claimed about six lives.

On April 8, an explosion at INEC‘s Suleja, Niger State office claimed about 13 lives.

The Borno State Police Command had during the week banned people from carrying polythene bags to polling stations during elections.

-Punchwp_posts