2 Suicide bombers die in Borno Hospital attack as Vice President Osinbajo visits IDP camp in Maiduguri

Two suicide bomb attacks on the General Hospital Molai, in Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital left two dead and two others injured.

Witnesses said the first bomber, a female, suspected to be in her teens, had explosives planted around her body, concealed with her garment.

She was seen near the main gate of Mulai General Hospital, 10 kilometers southwest of Maiduguri.

Samaila Babayo, a witness, told journalists, “I saw the woman while she was trying to find her way into the hospital. She covered herself with a Hijab and wanted to enter the hospital but was forced to stop while approaching the facility.

“I strongly suspect that the explosives in her body were remotely controlled because while guards at the gate of the hospital were shouting at her, we heard a loud bang and that was all, she was completely torn to shreds by her own explosive,” he said.

Al‎most immediately, the second bomber, who was riding a bicycle arrived a spot near the perimeter fencing of the hospital and immediately detonated the explosive on him.

One of the security operatives at the hospital said, “The two bombers wanted to enter the hospital, one was a lady and the other a man of about 20 years who rode on bicycle through the back of the hospital.

“But when the gate guards denied them entry, the explosions in their bodies detonated and killed them,” he said.

Witnesses said no one was injured in the two blasts because they were sent back by the security guards.

Mato Abdulmuminu, a trader who has a stall across the road opposite the hospital, said “from the way the lady was advancing towards the hospital, it was immediately suspected that the lady had a sinister motive. The people began to shout at her so she began to turn back and then the bomb went off. The second bomb blew almost immediately”.

Last Saturday a similar attack was carried out at a mini market.

Wednesday’s attack occurred when Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, was visiting Internally Displaced Persons at Dalori camp in Maiduguri.

Molai is barely ten kilometres away from the city centre.  

Credit: Channels/Premium Times