Bomb blasts kill six in northeastern Nigeria

By Olarewaju Kola

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AA) – Six people -- including four suicide bombers -- were killed in multiple attacks in Nigeria’s restive Maiduguri city, police said on Friday.

Suicide bombers targeting a lorry station and crowded areas of the city in the early hours of Friday morning detonated explosive devices which also killed two civilian security volunteers, police chief Damiah Chukwu told reporters at a news conference.

Chukwu said one bomber died in the Jiddari-Polo area and a further two attackers died near Muna Garage along the Maiduguri-Gamboru Ngala road. A fourth died at a third location.

He said the first explosion occurred at about 4 a.m. local time (0300GMT), as one of the two suicide bombers targeting a police post in the Jiddari-Polo area detonated his device.

"The other, a female who may be jittery, unstrapped her IED vest and was promptly arrested," he said.

He said the second explosion occurred near Muna Garage where two bombers were trying to enter the lorry station but were prevented from gaining access. They detonated their explosive devices, dying on the spot.

A third blast took the life of the bomber and two civilian security guards.

The explosions bring to six the number of bomb blasts linked to Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria’s volatile northeastern Maiduguri city in recent times.

Three separate explosions in the city killed at least nine people barely two weeks ago.

Boko Haram has also renewed attacks on remote communities and military troops. An army officer was killed in the area early in the week. Nearly two weeks ago, a military commander and six soldiers were also killed in clashes with Boko Haram.