Female Suicide Bomber, Four Others Killed In Gombe Twin Explosions

BEVERLY HILLS, February 01, (THEWILL) – A female suicide bomber and four other persons Sunday died in a double explosion which rocked Gombe, the Gombe State capital.

The huge explosions, which occurred within five minutes intervals rocked the state capital to its very foundation even as residents of the town scampered for safety.

Local residents disclosed to THEWILL that the first explosion went off at the entrance of the old Gombe market at about 2:50 pm while the second occurred at the timber market directly behind the 301 Artillery Regiment Quarter Guard of the Nigerian Army.

An eyewitness to the first blast said a man and woman on a motorcycle at the main road opposite one of the gates of the market were killed by the explosion. The explosives were said to have been concealed inside a food flask the woman on the motorcycle was carrying, lending credence to the suspicion that the two victims may have been on the same mission.

The spokesman of the State Police Command, Fwaje Atajiri, confirmed the two explosions, saying investigation was underway.

Corroborating the first account of the explosion at the market, another eye witness, Ibrahim Salisu, said the man and woman came down from the motorcycle and headed towards the market gate, refusing to be searched by the security operatives.

They were said to have gone back to their bike and the inquisitive security man who followed them to inquire why they refused security check was said to have sustained serious injuries as the explosives went off.

Five minutes after, the second blast went off about a kilometre away directly opposite a military check point and claimed the lives of three people, a kiosk owner, a food vendor and a passerby. Several other people including a soldier were said to have sustained injuries during the second blast.

Meanwhile, the state Police Command has banned the use motorcycles in the State capital from Sunday until Wednesday, February 4 .

This, according to the police, is to nip any untoward development in the bud during the presidential campaign rally of President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday, February 2 and that of General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, February 3.

The state Police Command's spokesman, Atajiri, who announced the ban , also confirmed the second explosion, saying men and officers of the Command had commenced investigation into the blast.