It was bloody yesterday when a suicide bomber entered a mosque during the subh (early morning prayer) and detonated her bomb, killing all the people at prayer, except the Imam, who was seriously injured.
The scene of horror was Umarari village near Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Another bomb was detonated outside the mosque. At the end of it all, 24 people, including the suicide bombers, died.
They were girls but the one who entered the Mosque dressed like a man to gain access at about4.45am.
The second bomb was detonated near the Imam’s house. The bomber was said to have carefully waited for sympathisers to gather into their midst and blew off herself.
Only the Iman survived the first blast. All worshippers there at the time died instantly, a vigilante member who gave his name as Hassan Ado, said.
The Imam is receiving treatment at the Borno State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri.
Molai-Umarari, where the killings took place is 10 kilometres from Maiduguri.
An official of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said 22 bodies were evacuated from the blast scene and taken to the morgue.
“We have concluded evacuation and rescue. We have retrieved 24 bodies including those of the bombers from the village mosque near Maiduguri,” he said.
The mosque was closed after an attack last October. It was only reopened three days ago, residents said.
Umar Usman said he escaped because he was late to worship. “We were just a few meters away from the mosque when a loud bang erupted and all we could see was dark smoke and bodies littered around,” he told The Associated Press.
The last bomb attack in the area took place in January when six people were killed.
In a statement yesterday the military confirmed that 22 people were killed.
Spokesman of the Army, Col. Sani Usman, said: “22 people were killed and 18 others sustained various degrees of injuries.”
He said the suicide bombers attacked the village mosque, where about two dozens of worshipers were killed, with 18 people sustaining various degree of injuries.
The statement added: “These twin mosque explosions occurred at Ummarari village near Molai, a settlement at the outskirts of Maiduguri metropolis, Borno’s capital.
“Troops, security agents and care givers have been mobilised to the affected village, while the injured worshippers have been evacuated to Molai General Hospital for treatment.”
Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima was at the village to condole with the villagers. He commended them for not fleeing the village despite the attacks, describing their action as a show of gallantry.
He assured the villagers that the mosque will be secured, by building a perimeter fence with a locking system to prevent any future attacks from terrorists.
The governor also directed the Commissioner of Water Resources, Dr. Zainab Gimba, to commence the drilling of a borehole in the village for the provision of portable water in the community.
He also donated N500, 000 cash to the affected villagers.
The village head, Modu Ba Mallum, told the governor that yesterday’s mosque attack was as a result of the replacement of military commander last week and lack of patrol vehicles to the 70 vigilante youths assigned to patrol the village for 24 hours.
