Two suicide bombers yesterday lost their lives in separate attempts
to bomb mobile phone facilities belonging to Airtel and MTN in the
merchant city of Kano.
One eyewitness said one of the suspected suicide bombers was seen at 8
a.m. attempting to park his car rigged with explosives at Mallam Kato
Square, where the Airtel office was located. Unknown to the suicide
bomber, he was being closely monitored by security operatives patrolling
the area. Alert security officers shot and instantly killed him as he
made a desperate attempt to smash his vehicle into the mobile phone
carrier’s office.
Moments after the suicide bomber was shot dead, his primed vehicle
reportedly exploded, with the impact causing damage to Airtel’s
reception area as well as three vehicles parked near the premises.
Within fifteen minutes of the explosion, more security operatives
arrived at the scene and cordoned off the entire area, barring the
free-flow of pedestrian and vehicular movement within the vicinity. The
situation forced some businesses to close shop.
News of the explosion spread across the city, causing panic and fear
among residents, some of whom ran to the safety of their homes. The
incident led to increased street patrols by operatives of the Joint Task
Force (JTF). Some of the task force members patrolled with armored
tanks as others mounted emergency check points at strategic spots,
particularly in Sabon Gari and Burma Road.
In the midst of that heightened alert, the city witnessed another
futile suicide bombing, this time targeted at the MTN Switch at the industrial area of Bompai, around Maimalari road. The suicide bomber, who rode on a motorbike,
reportedly rammed his primed motorbike onto the MTN fence. The motorbike
exploded on impact, killing the suicide bomber on the spot before he
could hit the target.
A top security source in Kano confirmed both incidents as suicide
bomb plots. “Yes, soldiers shot and killed the suicide bomber at Airtel
office before the bomb he was carrying exploded, while the other suicide
bomber attempting to bomb MTN office hit a pole near the MTN office,
causing his bomb to explode and kill him instantly,” said the source.
He added that only the two suicide bombers were known to have lost their
lives.
JTF spokesman, Lieutenant Ikedichi Iweha, also confirmed the incidents.
He stressed that operatives of the task force were in firm control of
the situation, adding that city residents were going about their
business without molestation.
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