Maiduguri Suicide Attacks: Shettima Summons Emergency Security Meeting With Traders, Others

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima has summoned officials of all markets, motor parks, shopping complexes, football fields and other places of public gatherings in Maiduguri, for an emergency security meeting with heads of security agencies and the civilian JTF.

The meeting, which is expected to take place on Monday at the Government House in Maiduguri, was in response to twin suicide attacks at the Maiduguri Monday market on Sunday morning which resulted in the death of  three and 18 persons sustaining various degrees of injuries.

Shettima visited the scene of ‎the suicide attacks around the market and was at the accident and emergency ward of the Maiduguri Specialist Hospital where he met each of the survivors out of which 3 were undergoing emergency surgery at the hospital’s theater.

The suicide attacks were carried out by two women in two close spots, both outside the Maiduguri Monday market before 10am, said the Borno State Commissioner of Police, Damien Chukwu who received Shettima at the scene. The CP said one person died with 18 persons injured.

“Tomorrow, we will be having an emergency security meeting involving management of all the markets, motor parks, shopping centers, football fields and other attack prone areas and the we will invite the Civilian JTF and of course our security officials so that we cross pollinate ideas and come up with some new measures that will strengthen our existing security structure around markets. We have been taking different steps as the insurgents change their ways, we will all meet and come with measures that will not be made public. This suicide attack is highly unfortunate, I condole and commiserate with the families of the victims. Insha Allah, we will always the best we can to prevent this kind of blood bath” Shettima said.

It could be recalled that in December, 2014, Governor Kashim Shettima had ordered the barricades for most markets while youth volunteers under the Civilian JTF ‎were posted to man security around markets in Maiduguri. The Boko Haram insurgents had repeatedly targeted the Maiduguri Monday markets using persons who conceal bombs and pretend to be buyers of goods services, targeting traders and customers before blowing themselves up.