When the Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009, its membership comprised only men. The activities of the dissidents have taken a different dimension – they have introduced young women bombers into their fold. The suicide bombers are now on the prowl, especially in Kano.
The feminine gender is known for its kindness and humane nature. These days, the traits have been undermined as many have learnt the art of killing and destruction.
Recently, their target was the Kano State Polytechnic where some students were killed and others injured. One of the victims was 43-year-old Nurudeen Deneji, who had completed his course of study and was waiting to be awarded the Higher National Diploma (HND) in Public Administration by the Kano State Polytechnic.
Indeed, Nurudeen was among those to be honoured. He was in high spirits on that fateful Wednesday, July 30, when graduates of Kano Polytechnic had gathered to check their names on the call-up list.
But fate played a cruel trick on Nurudeen and others who did not survive the bomb-blast masterminded by a female teen-suicide-bomber at 3:30 p.m. She sneaked into the crowd and detonated an Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) that killed no fewer than three persons and injured seven, according to police authorities.
The 43-year-old Nurudeen from Kano City left behind a young wife and five children. His first child, Najib, is just seven years old.
Speaking to our correspondent, his elder brother, Alhaji Ibrahim Ado Deneji, a Senior Reporter with Radio Kano described his late brother as peace-loving, amiable, easy-going and generous.
Alhaji Deneji said: “I feel very sad, even though my belief is that life has its own destiny from God. We come to this world through the will of Allah and through the same means, we go. I believe this is part of pre-destination. We have lost a very great brother who was determined to excel in life. But God knows the best. He gives and He takes.
“His dream was to live a peaceful, comfortable and Godly life with his family; but death has snatched him away through a very tragic means. He left behind a wife and five children; and only God can take care of those he has left behind.”
Speaking to reporters at the scene of the incident, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Aderenle Shinaba, condemned the act, saying: “We are in very difficult times. A situation that is assuming a new dimension of suicide bombing in the state is what we are witnessing. This one that happened here at the Administrative Block of Kano State Polytechnic on Bayero University Kano Road is frightening.
“This situation calls for vigilance on the part of every one of us because we have tried as much as possible for the deployment of police officers in every strategic location.
‘’ So, at this critical time, what is required is intelligence and vigilance on the part of everybody. Even when we have policemen everywhere, we require information as well as vigilance of everyone of us. A situation where somebody is carrying explosives, what business does such person has where graduates assembled to check their results of the Batch A NYSC deployment? It is disheartening to see somebody, looking like a primary or secondary school student, ladened with explosives and disguised in hijab in our midst without anybody taking note.
“We have been telling people about female teenage suicide bombers, which calls for the law enforcement agencies to be on the alert. Look for hijab-wearing female suicide bombers. Sentiments and religion should not be the issue. We should face the reality of tackling it head-on so as to avoid future occurrences,’’ he warned.
The Kano Polytechnic incident was not the first time female suicide bombers terrorised the ancient city during the Sallah festivities. On Monday, July 28, a female suicide bomber killed three persons at NNPC Mega Station at Hotoro Quarters.
The suicide bomber joined the kerosene queue at the station and detonated the bomb minutes later. The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Adenerele Tasheed Shinaba confirmed the blast, adding that three persons were killed and 10 others injured.
On the same day, another female suicide-bomber hit Zoo Road, near Kano International Trade Fair. Though the 19-year old female bomber killed herself in the process, six innocent Nigerians sustained various degrees of injuries. According to an eyewitness account, the female suicide bomber dressed in a Hijab got to the gate of the trade fair, but just as she tried to gain entrance, security men at the gate insisted she must be frisked; and, in the process, she detonated the bomb and blew herself up. Two policemen were among those who injured in that incident.
Before the Monday incident, there was another bomb blast on Sunday, July 27 in Kano. In another suicide attack at Kofar Nasarawa area of the city, a female bomber, in an attempt to lure some security men who were stationed at the North West Gate with Sallah food, ended up blowing up herself.
Also, it was gathered that the female bomber, who arrived at the scene under the newly constructed flyover at 12:30 p.m. made an attempt to deceive the security operatives that she brought Sallah food for them. But the security men, who were alert, suspected foul play, because of the female bomber’s desperation.
The security operatives, it was further gathered, took to their heels when they noticed that the female bomber was fast advancing towards them, even as they threatened to gun her down.
However, luck ran out on the bomber who concealed the explosives under her hijab. The bomb suddenly exploded and consumed her.
On the same Sunday, St. Charles Catholic Church on Zungeru Road, Normansland in Sabon Gari area of Kano witnessed a blast that claimed the lives of seven worshippers and left 16 injured, while three suspects, including a cripple were arrested.
The suspected terrorists, at 1:29 p.m., according to eyewitness account, laid siege to a primary school, adjacent to the church, from where they threw the explosives on the innocent worshippers through the window of the school.
Briefing reporters at the scene of the attack, Shinaba said the suspects had gone to a church on Zungeru Road where they hid themselves at a primary school close to the church and threw explosives on the unsuspecting worshippers. The incident left no fewer than five people dead, eight injured, while three suspects were arrested.
In a chat with our correspondent, The Catholic Bishop of Kano, Bishop John Namanza, said the community had protected themselves beyond imagination in the vicinity.
Condemning the attack on his church members, Bishop Namanza described them as uncalled for. Although he commended the security operatives for their response, he lamented that it was belated, despite the early information passed on to them that the church was a target. He, therefore, called on security agents and the state government to beef up security around the vicinity.
The scenario in the ancient city of Kano is that residents are now scared of women dressed in hijab. Such incident was reported in Sabon Gari area of the metropolis which is mostly inhabited by non-indigenous.
Some traders noticed a woman who dressed in hijab. She stood at the same spot for over 20 minutes. One of the brave traders walked to her and told her to keep moving, stressing that they are not comfortable with her presence; a situation that informed the decision of the women to leave the scene to avoid embarrassment.
As she relocated to the ever-busy France Road, close to Galadima Junction, where vendors sell newspapers, she started flagging down some tricycle operators for an unknown destination. They zoomed off when they saw that she was clad in hijab. The woman was embarrassed and sneaked away without drawing attention to herself.
