Teenagers Attempt Bomb Attack At Maiduguri Teaching Hospital

Teenagers Attempt Bomb Attack At Maiduguri Teaching Hospital
Security intervention prevents major damage at hospital entrance
Tinubu orders security chiefs to relocate to Borno

Fresh details have emerged on how three teenagers allegedly attempted to bomb the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital using explosives concealed in a food flask before security personnel intercepted them at the hospital entrance.

EDITOR’S PICKS

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the incident occurred on March 16, when the suspects were reportedly stopped at the gate, triggering explosions during the encounter.

The attempted attack formed part of a series of bomb blasts in Maiduguri that left at least 23 people dead and 108 others injured.

A security officer at the hospital, Ali Musa, said the suspects arrived in a tricycle, posing as relatives bringing food to patients.

He said the teenagers attempted to bypass security checks, raising suspicion.

“We had heard about the bomb blast at the post office and immediately tightened security at our post. We were two on duty at the time, while others had gone to break their fast,” Musa said.

He added that the suspects approached the gate at speed.

“They were three in number, two boys and one rider of the tricycle. I think they were around 13 or 14 years old. They looked very unkempt. I suspected something was wrong with the way they drove in,” he said.

Musa said he asked them to reverse, but one of the suspects threw the flask containing the explosive device.

“They were reversing the tricycle and, while doing that, one of them holding the flask threw it at me. I kicked the flask back, and it fell. I then heard a loud explosion and immediately lay flat on the ground,” he said.

The blast left Musa injured and also affected his colleague.

“After the blast, I tried to rush to where my colleague was standing to check on her, but I met her with a broken leg. I also saw an Almajiri boy lying on the ground,” he added.

He said another explosion followed shortly after near the hospital entrance.

A shop owner near the hospital, who spoke anonymously, said the attackers appeared to have targeted the facility.

“They wanted to blow up parts of the hospital,” she said.

Authorities have yet to release specific casualty figures linked to the hospital incident alone.

Investigations also indicated that the Monday Market explosion, which occurred later that evening, may have been carried out by a separate suicide bomber.

An eyewitness, identified as Fati, described the incident as frightening.

“That night was terrifying. I have never seen anything like it in my life,” she said.

“I later heard that they found a boy whose body was completely destroyed. The impact on that boy was worse than on others, so they suspected he was the bomb carrier.”

Following the attacks, President Bola Tinubu directed service chiefs to relocate to Borno State to address the security situation.

In response, the Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, and the Chief of Army Staff, Waidi Shaibu, arrived in Maiduguri on March 18 to coordinate security operations.