Two killed, market burnt in Maiduguri

Category: News Published on Friday, 22 February 2013 05:00 Written by Hamza Idris and Ibrahim Sawab, Maiduguri

Two persons including an alleged suicide bomber died in Maiduguri yesterday while part of the popular Gamboru market and a filling station were completely razed down.

It was gathered that trouble started after an alleged suicide bomber exploded himself near a passing patrol vehicle of the Joint Task Force (JTF), a development which prompted soldiers to go berserk.

Witnesses said a passenger in a moving taxi cab died instantly after he was hit by a stray bullet while three passengers in the same car sustained injuries.

Some soldiers in the targeted van reportedly sustained injuries too, witnesses said.

Governor Kashim Shettima, who was at the government house in Maiduguri was visibly shocked when he learnt of the incident while hosting members of the committee set up by the Northern Governor’s Forum on reconciliation and security who paid him a courtesy call.

In tears, the governor said: “As we are talking right now on how to put heads together to end this low level insurgency bedeviling us, Gamboru market which is about five kilometers away from here is on fire as a result of an attack,” he said.

Traders alleged that they saw “angry soldiers” setting fire on stalls in the market and some building, including a filling station in the area.

A security source confirmed that the attack was targeted at a JTF patrol vehicle but said none of the soldiers on board died as a result of the explosion.

The attack came less than 24 hours after a similar one at the Post Office area which led to the killing of three people, prompting soldiers to eject all the traders in the area.