A twin-blast has been reported in Maiduguri, Borno State capital on Monday morning,
The blasts were said to have occurred at the Polo area of Maiduguri with one of them in a Mosque.
An hospital source at the General hospital told our correspondent that many dead bodies were brought in early in the morning, along with injured persons.
More details later.
The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in Borno, said it had begun the training of 2,500 women displaced by insurgency in the state on various skills.
Executive Chairman of the agency, Alhaji Satomi Ahmad, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri on Wednesday.
Ahmad said that the beneficiaries were vulnerable groups, drawn from Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in 20 local government areas, who were currently taking refuge in the state capital.
He said that the measure was to boost entrepreneurship skills of the women to enable them to generate income and carter for themselves and family when they returned to their communities.
He explained that the training was geared toward impacting relevant knowledge and skills to boost the socio-economic activities in the state.
“One of the cardinal policies of Gov. Kashim Shettima is youth empowerment, job creation and poverty reduction among the teeming population in Borno.
“That is why we are showing great concern to empower the IDPs who have suffered great losses in their various communities.
“At the end of the day, we want all the women to go back home with the skills acquired so that they could generate income, carter for themselves and engage in meaningful socio-economic activities,’’ Ahmad said.
According to him, in the course of the four months training, the beneficiaries will be exposed to various skills, including tailoring, leather works, knitting, beads making and soap making.
He added that some persons would also be trained on computer programs, GSM repairs and installation of satellite dish.
Over 2,500 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and families currently accommodated in public schools in Maiduguri are to be relocated to a new camp to enable the reopening of schools shut down over a year ago following incessant attack by the Boko Haram fundamentalist sect.
The new camp is sponsored by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in partnership with the Borno state government.
It is expected to be completed within two weeks.
The UNHCR Field/Protection Officer in Borno state, Mohammed Tejan-Cole, said at the launch of the new camp structure in Maiduguri that the camp will have toilets, boreholes and health facility.
He said: “After this high powered committee of the Borno State government has completed its relocation and resettlement strategies of IDPs living in public schools, the Bakasi camp was extended for the construction of 2, 500 family shelters.
“In the first phase, 1,250 shelter units are to be built by local engineers on ground, while the remaining 1,250 are to be completed during the second phase of massive relocations and re-settlements of these displaced persons currently living in some of the secondary and primary schools in Maiduguri.
“This committee has been assured that all the displaced persons taking refuge in public schools are to be relocated and resettled in these family shelters to enable government re-open schools this month.”
Also speaking, the UNICEF representative in the state, Dr Franck Ndaie, said steps have being taken to forestall all forms of diseases in the camp.
“With the relocations of displaced persons in primary and secondary schools camps of Maiduguri, UNICEF is to build 150 toilets, sinking of boreholes and the provision of health care centres, including the security of IDPs. Each block of the family shelter units will also have 28 classrooms, so that children of IDPs return to school this month.”
The Nigerian Army said yesterday it had cleared a suspected Boko Haram camp in Duwabafi village, Borno State.
A statement in Maiduguri, the state capital, by the Army’s Acting Director of Public Relations, Col. Sani Kukasheka, said: “In continuation of the fight against Boko Haram terrorists, on Sunday, troops of 243 Battalion, 5 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, on fighting patrol, encountered some suspected elements of terrorists at a primary school in Duwabafi village in Borno State.”
The statement said the Army killed four suspected terrorists in a heavy gunfire, recovered two AK-47 rifles, four sizes of solar energy panels, various types of drug and five motorcycles.
“There was a heavy exchange of gunfire in which the patrol killed four suspected Boko Haram terrorists, recovered two AK-47 rifles, four sizes of solar energy panels, several types of drugs and five motorcycles,” the statement added.
The Army said the patrol had returned to base and to plan for more onslaughts on the remaining vestiges of Boko Haram elements in the area.
The Nigerian Army said that it had cleared a suspected Boko Haram camp in Duwabafi village, Borno.
This is contained in statement issued by Col. Sani Kukasheka, the Army Acting Director, Public Relations on Monday in Maiduguri.
“In continuation with the fight against Boko Haram terrorists, on Sunday, troops of 243 Battalion, 5 Brigade Nigerian Army on fighting patrol encountered some suspected elements of the terrorists holed up at a Primary School in Duwabafi village in Borno.”
The statement stated that the Army killed four suspected terrorists in a heavy gunfire, recovered two Ak-47 rifles four various sizes of solar energy panels, different types of drugs and five motorcycles.
“There was heavy exchange of gunfire in which the patrol killed four suspected Boko Haram terrorists, recovered two AK-47 rifles, four various sizes of solar energy panels, several types of drugs and five motorcycles,” Kukasheka said.
It stated that the patrol had returned to base and to further restrategise for more onslaughts on all remaining vestiges of Boko Haram elements within the area.
The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday declared Alhaji Babakaka Garbai of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the by-election for Borno Central Senatorial District.
The election was conducted on Saturday.
INEC’s Returning Officer, Prof. Mohammed Fannami, who announced the results in Maiduguri, the state capital, said Garbai had 120,639 votes against the 32,347 votes of Alhaji Kaka Bolori of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who came second.
The Returning Officer said Alhaji Bukar Muhammed of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) had 324 votes and Malam Babakura Modu of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) had 660 votes.
The INEC chief said the number of registered voters was 908,114 and the number of accredited voters was 174,329.
He said: “The number of votes cast was 159,998; the number of valid votes was 155,443 and the number of rejected votes 4,555.”
Garbai described his victory as an “act of God”.
He said: “The people have spoken; the victory is a clear testimony of the fact that the people have confidence in my ability to deliver.
“It is also an indication that the people have confidence in the government of Borno, because the administration has been working for them. So, any candidate presented by the APC in the state will always have the peoples support.
“By God’s grace, we are going to work for the people.
“I intend to pursue an agenda to rehabilitate my people, who are badly affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. Borno Central is the major population area in the state.
“Aside from Maiduguri, all the other population centres in the zone have been displaced by Boko Haram and my major task is to work towards rehabilitating them.”
Also, the election on Saturday witnessed low turnout in the town but impressive turnout at the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs’) camps.
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress Hon. Kaka Baba Bashir Garbai has been declared winner of the Borno Central Senatorial election held last Saturday.
Declaring the result in Maiduguri on Sunday evening, the Returning Officer INEC for the Borno Bye Election, Professor Mohammed Fannami of the University of Maiduguri announced that Garbai won the election with 120,639 votes to defeat the PDP candidate, Mohammed Umar Kaka Bolori who scored 32,346 out of the total votes.
He explained that out of the total registered voters of 908,114 only 174,329 voters were accredited by INEC for the said Election.
The certificate of return was presented to Garbai who in his acceptance speech thanked all his supporters for electing him to represent them at the National Assembly.
He assured that he will uphold the confidence vested on him by the people of Borno central and will not disappoint them.
Other results announced include Kowa Party 1042, PPA 136, PPN 79, SDP 660, NCP 207.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Samuel Madaki Usman praised all stake holders for making the election a success.
The Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai on Wednesday declared 100 members of the Boko Haram insurgents wanted.
According to him, the arrest of the wanted members of the sect would help a great deal in the final push against the Boko Haram terrorists in the Northeast region and the country in general.
Lt Gen Tukur Buratai who spoke at the lunching of the Anti-Boko Haram Terrorists Campaign materials at the Maimalari Barracks, Maiduguri, Head-quarters of the 7 Division Nigeria Army also displayed the photographs of the 100 Boko Haram militants.
He solicited for the support of the general public to assist in the arrest and prosecution of the suspected insurgents who have allegedly unleashed terror on the people in the region.
His words: “The fight against Boko Haram insurgency is a collective responsibility of all, including the media. These photographs of terrorists’ suspects are to be identified with their numbers attached to each of the 100 photos, while members of the general public could send in more information on the locations or whereabouts of these Boko Haram sect members that appeared in these special photo identifications. Each of the suspects must have either participated or involved in the ongoing war in the theatre operations of Lafiya Dole.
“If any member of the general public identifies the location and whereabouts of these suspects, please contact these three telephone numbers in this launched anti-terrorism campaign materials in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital,” Buratai requested
He disclosed that most of the suspects are teenagers, adding that only three are above the age of 70 years.
Though he was not specific with an amount of any ransom placed on the wanted terrorists, Buratai however announced a handsome reward for any person with useful information leading to their arrest.
The Chief of Army Staff assured that all information provided will be treated with utmost confidentiality of the informant.
The public were therefore enjoined to use the following GSM nos to reach the military, the nos are; 0818155888, 08160030300
and 07053333123.
Concerned over the recent spate of suicide attacks on mosques in Maiduguri and its environs, the Borno State Government Governor Kashim Shettima on Sunday held a meeting with the Shehu of Borno and all stakeholders to device ways of countering the attacks.
The meeting which was held at the multi-purpose Hall of the Government House Maiduguri, had in attendance Head of the Army in the State, the Police, Department of State Security, the Shehu of Borno Abubakar Ibn Umar Gabai Elkanami, Imam of mosques in Maiduguri metropolis and Jere, district heads, Ward Heads and others.
Governor Kashim Shettima along with the security chiefs held a closed door meeting with Imams of mosques in Maiduguri, Jere and surrounding areas as well as district heads (Aja) and ward heads (Lawans) for a crucial security discussions aimed at developing fresh strategies to prevent recent tricks by Boko Haram insurgents who attacked worshippers at predawn prayers at mosques in Maiduguri.
Addressing the gathering, Governor Shettima told the participants that similar meetings will be held by the Emirs of Biu and Shani who will inform imams in local government areas not yet attacked to prevent worshippers from being taken unawares.
Shettima noted that the participants were carefully chosen because of the strategic role they play in their various domains, in all the mosques and the 30 wards in the town.
He charged them to ensure that worshippers abide by the recommendations of the outcome of the meeting for the benefit of all.
In his remarks, the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Elkanemi described the timing of the meeting as apt, adding that “Governor Shettima demonstrated wisdom in summoning the meeting. Every son and daughter of Borno has a role to play in fighting the Boko Haram insurgency that has left in its wake, deaths and destructions across the State”.
Security representatives also briefed the participants on the importance of their collaboration. They also used occasion to educate them onuseful security tips aimed at preventing further attacks on mosques.
Metal detectors were handed over to some of the Imams which are to be deployed in screening worshippers.
Four female suicide bombers died, killing one other person and wounding 10, when civilian guards prevented them from entering Maiduguri, yesterday.
Spokesman of the National Emergency Management Agency Sani Datti, said the women blew themselves up when they were stopped for a body search by self-defense fighters on the outskirts of the city.
The morning attack is the latest in a wave of suicide bombings blamed on Boko Haram terrorists that have killed hundreds in recent months.
Suicide bombers killed up to 55 people in mosques in Maiduguri and Yola on Friday.