Nigeria Bomb squad detonates explosive found in State capital.
Tension rose sharply in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, as the military detonated an explosive found by residents. The explosive was found in the part of the city known as “Customs.”
In addition to detonating the explosive, soldiers accompanied by civilian members of the Joint Task Force conducted house-to-house searches in some parts of the city early Friday morning.
A correspondent of SaharaReporters who went round the city reported that there were stop-and-search roadblocks all over the metropolis, causing a heavy traffic gridlock. The reporter added that many residents were panicking because of the explosive that was detonated by the military. Several residents said they were afraid to go out, describing Friday as the main day insurgents belonging to Islamist group, Boko Haram, like to shed blood.
“We saw an explosive near our house and we quickly alerted the military and they detonated it,” said Hadiza Kolomi, a housewife who spoke to our correspondent. She added that the discovery had hiked tension in their neighborhood, disclosing that many people were scared to go to their various businesses.
Bana Ibrahim, a member of the civilian JTF, said his group had received information that some people had brought some explosives into the city. “That was the reason we joined the soldiers to search some houses at Modugalari area today,” he said. “As you can see, an explosive was discovered at Customs area today,” he added.
Mr. Ibrahim said residents of the area were fortunate that the explosive had not blasted off before it was discovered. “By the grace of Allah we are going to finish off all the Boko Haram members,” he stated.
