6 killed in Borno bomb blasts

• Nigeria Air Force strikes at Boko Haram location in northern Borno

The Nigerian Army on Friday confirmed the killing of six persons in two separate suicide bomb attacks in Damboa, Borno State.

The confirmation is contained in a statement issued by the acting spokesman for  the army, Col. Sani Usman.

He said that the attack, which occurred at 5.15 a.m. on Friday was targeted at the Damboa Central Mosque.

“In the early hours of today, precisely at 5.15 a.m., two Boko Haram suicide bombers attacked Damboa.

“The first suicide bomber targeted Damboa Central Mosque but due to stringent security measures, he could not gain entry but he eventually exploded and died near the mosque.

“The second bomber veered off and gained entry into another smaller mosque and detonated the bomb killing him and six other worshippers and injuring one other person.

“The wounded have been evacuated to a hospital while efforts are on to clear the rubble and secure the area.”

Usman said that suspected Boko Haram terrorists, in another development, attacked Gaskeri village ahead of Dalori on Thursday evening.

He said that the insurgents killed three civilian vigilantes and looted food items from the village.

He said that troops had been mobilised and were on the suspected terrorists’ trail.

The spokesman added that the army had commenced escort of motorists as part of the efforts to keep the Maiduguri-Dikwa-Gamboru Ngala road open and safe.

He said that troops of 3 Battalion, 22 Brigade on Thursday escorted four trailers and 44 other vehicles from Dikwa to Gamboru Ngala.

He said that the troops also ambushed the terrorists at Gajibo crossing point and recovered one AK-47 rifle, a transistor radio and a knife.

Nigeria Air Force strikes at Boko Haram location in Northern Borno

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says the Air Component of Operation Lafiya Dole has carried out air strikes on a Boko Haram location in northern Borno.

A statement signed by its Director of Public Relations and Information, Group Capt. Ayodele Famuyiwa and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Friday, said the strikes represented another major success in NAF’s air campaign against the insurgents in Northern Borno.

According to the statement, the latest strike is part of the air operations conducted by NAF in support of the efforts by own surface forces and the Multi National Joint Task Force.

The statement said the location in northern Borno “lies between Tumbum Rego and Malkonory and is about 25km from Kangarwa, where own surface forces are currently harboured.

“The location, as can be seen from the enclosed footage, harbours the insurgents’ makeshift structures and about 4 to 6 clusters of solar panels, which are used by the terrorists to power communications equipment and for lighting.”

Famuyiwa further said the latest strike was to rid the northern part of Borno of the remnants of insurgents in an operation codenamed “OPERATION GAMA AIKI”.