Fight against insurgency, terrorists must continue, says Ag Borno governor

The Acting Governor of Borno, Alhaji Umar Kadafur , has said that the fight against insurgency and terrorism must continue.

Kadafur made this known when he visited victims of the Saturday suicide bomb blast in Gwoza, Borno.

NAN reports that the attacks, carried out by suspected female suicide bombers, struck a wedding, a hospital, and a funeral in Gwoza, a town near the border with Cameroon.

NAN reports that the Borno Police Command spokesman, Nahum Daso, said on Sunday that three blasts took place on Saturday in Gwoza.

The deputy governor condemned the attacks on the people.

He said the perpetrators of the act took advantage of the laxity of vigilance by the people following the relative peace achieved in the state.

The acting governor appealed to the people to be more vigilant and report any suspicious movement or persons they notice in their area to security personnel so as to avoid similar occurrence of the incident.

Kadafur was accompanied by Sen. Ali Ndume, Ahmadu Jaha, Member Representing Damboa, Gwoza and Chibok Federal Constituency, and other government officials, visited the State Specialist Hospital where the injured victims are receiving treatment.

He announced that the state government has settled the medical bills of the victims and is ensuring they receive adequate medical attention.

Kadafur said that 42 victims were admitted to the hospital. He said that two people lost their lives while 16 people have been discharged.

He said 24 were currently receiving treatment in the hospital.

NAN reports that the Director-General of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Barkindo Saidu, said he witnessed the first blast.

“In my presence, at about 3 pm, the first bomb blast in Gwoza occurred, detonated by a female suicide bomber during the marriage ceremony celebration,” he wrote in a situation report later in the day.

“It affected more than 30 persons with various levels of injuries and instant death. Some minutes later, another blast occurred around General Hospital.”

The wedding was held at Tashan Mararaba near the Fire Service in Gwoza town.