30 dead, 42 injured in Borno suicide attack, says SEMA

Monday, June 17, 2019 1:06 pm

(File photo) Emergency workers taking away the remains of a victim of suicide bomber in Nigeria

Borno Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) on Monday said 30 persons lost thier lives while 42 others were injured when three suicide bombers detonated Improvised Explossive Device (IED) in Mandarari community of Konduga Local government area of the state.

Usman Kachala, SEMA Director Search, Rescue and Operations who disclosed this to news men when he visited the scene of the attack on Monday, said the incident occured around 8pm on Sunday.

Kachala said that the three suicide bombers, comprising two females and a male, detonated the IEDs in a local tea joint and film center in the community.

He said that about 17 persons died instantly, adding that the death toll increased to 30 on Monday as a result of lack of immediate medical attention.

He said that his staff could not reach the spot of the incident as the military had closed the road to traffic and the hospital in Konduga did not have enough facilities to handle the situation.

“When me and my team arrived Konduga early this morning, the military prevented us from gaining access to the community to assist the victims.

“They told us they were given order from above not to open the road untill 9am,”he lamented.

NAN reporter who later visited the scene of the attacks along with SEMA team observed that dozens of the wounded victims were seen being conveyed in pick-up vans by relations to hospitals in Maiduguri, the state capital, a distance of about 80 km from their town.