Suicide bomber attacks military checkpoint in Maiduguri, kills soldiers

Soldiers at a checkpoint near a military barracks have been killed by a suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber who detonated a vehicle laden with explosives as he was being frisked by the personnel, security sources and witnesses said Thursday.

The attack came more than a hour after another suspected suicide bomb attack occurred in neighbouring Adamawa State.

Both attacks came barely 24 hours after a bomb planted by unknown persons at a crowded commercial area in Maiduguri exploded and killed innocent civilians.

The scene of the Maiduguri blast, Thursday, was about 2km away from the location of Wednesday’s attack.

Witnesses said some soldiers were killed.

We could not establish the kind of vehicle said to be used by the suicide bomber as sources gave conflicting accounts. Some said it was a pickup van loaded with fire wood, others said it was Volkswagen Sharon bus.

A senior officer, who would not want his names mentioned because he was not permitted to speak, confirmed the incident to journalists but with a different account on the location and affected casualties.

“Of course there was a blast today, but it was not exactly at the military checkpoint as you said; it was some 60meters away from it; and it was civilians that were affected”.

Bashir Malam, who is also a member of Civilian-JTF , told journalists that some soldiers were killed by the bomb that was detonated by a suicide bomber who was driving a car coming into the town from the Baga town.