Many persons were feared dead on Tuesday evening following a heavy explosion and a gun duel between Boko Haram insurgents and security operatives in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, the Nation is reporting.
It is not clear the casualty at the moment, but reports indicated the insurgents tried to launch an attack on the University of Maiduguri from the northeast behind the military trench which is behind the university.
Residents said the attack has caused pandemonium around settlements like Mairi, Kaleri, and Constein which are sharing fences with the University.
A resident of Kaleri informed explosions were being detonated within the area but cannot tell if there are fatalities.
“People are just running in no direction. The explosions were coming from our area. What I cannot say is if people have died,” the source said.
Meanwhile, Channels TV, is reporting that the military is said to have deployed gun trucks to the area as earlier reports indicated that worshippers in a mosque on the street called “layin bori” may have been killed.
This is the first attack on Maiduguri town in a long time and this may not be unconnected with the sustained onslaught on insurgents in the Sambisa axis of the state.
Channels television observed that there is an air patrol going on now as the military comb the marked area around Gwange.
Also, it is gathered that this has forced many residents in the affected areas to scamper for safety.
The explosion and firing of Rocket Propelled grenades which started at about 5:45 pm up to the time of filing in this report were heard around Kaleri behind the University of Maiduguri, Adam Kolo, Limanti, and Kagarmari wards of the metropolis. Sources also said sounds of gunshots were heard around Fori and Cashew plantation general area near Giwa military barracks.
One of the fleeing residents of Kagalmari, Ahmed Abba near Pole wire Biyu of Gwange General Area in the heart of the city said “a heavy explosion, which was detonated in one of the public gatherings led to the killing of scores and injured.
Also, sources said, one of the Rocket Propelled Launchers fired by the insurgents into Kaleri has killed an unspecified number of residents with others sustained injuries.
