Over 58 persons were killed when two female suicide bombers attacked an internally displaced persons camp in Borno State on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, Ahmed Satomi, said.
Satomi said the incident which occurred at the camp established in Dikwa, recently reclaimed from Boko Haram, at about 6:30am on Tuesday, also left 78 persons injured.
The incidents occurred when the IDPs queued up to collect their morning food in the camp which accommodates over 50, 000 people displaced by the Boko Haram terrorism.
Satomi said two female bombers stormed IDPs camp in Dikwa Local Goverment Area of Borno state at about 6:30 am on Tuesday, blew up themselves in the midst of the crowd of displaced persons, killing over 58 persons and causing injuries on 78 others.
“As I am speaking to you I am at the State Specialist Hospital Maiduguri where those injured in the suicide bomb attack by two female were brought for treatment.”
“It was really sad; the injured were brought in today (Wednesday) because of the distance of Dikwa from here?”
He said those killed were buried on Tuesday in the town, adding that the military had beefed up security around the town.
Dikwa is 90 kilometers away from Maiduguri, the Borno state Capital, a town which was recently recently reclaimed from insurgents and have over 70,000 IDPs accommodated in it.
Nigeria’s acting president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo expressed his profound condolences to the families of the victims of the suicide bombing.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Laolu Akande, he prayed that the Almighty God will comfort them and grant the injured persons quick recovery.
Osinbajo who was said this on behalf of the federal government of Nigeria, noted that it is indeed regrettable that the heartless terrorists chose to unleash their wickedness on people who were taking refuge from previous acts of destruction in their homes.
He reassured the nation that the full weight of the federal government’s force will be deployed to hunt down the perpetrators of this evil act and also to confront terrorists continuously in the protection of life, liberty and property of all Nigerians: there will be no hiding place for terrorists.
Prof. Osinbajo has given directives that formidable security in and around the IDP Camps in the country be beefed up and renewed measures put in place to guard against future occurrences.
Finally, the Vice President called on the people of Borno State and all Nigerians that the commitment of the federal government to safety of lives and property continues to be of paramount concern to the Buhari administration.
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