Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, has summoned officials of all markets, motor parks and other places of public gatherings in Maiduguri, for an emergency security meeting with heads of security agencies and the civilian JTF.
The meeting, which is expected to take place on Monday at the Government House, is in response to the attacks on the Maiduguri Monday market, which resulted in the death of one person while 17 others sustained various degrees of injuries.
Governor Shettima visited the scene of the suicide attacks around the market and was at the Accident and Emergency Ward of the Maiduguri Specialist Hospital, where he met each of the survivors.
Three out of the injured victims were said to be undergoing emergency surgery at the hospital’s theater.
“Tomorrow, we will be having an emergency security meeting involving management of all the markets, motor parks, shopping centers, football fields and other attack prone areas and the we will invite the Civilian JTF and of course our security officials, so that we cross pollinate ideas and come up with some new measures that will strengthen our existing security structure around markets.
“We have been taking different steps as the insurgents change their ways. We will all meet and come with measures that will not be made public,” he said.
The Borno State Commissioner of Police, Damian Chukwu, who received the governor at the scene, said the suicide attacks were carried out by two women in two close spots, both outside the market at about 8:48 on Sunday morning.
One of the witnesses at the scene of the blast, Adamu Haruna, said the suicide bombers pretended to be customers buying groceries before detonating their improvised explosives.
“What I saw is an explosion; a woman came to buy onions (but) she was holding a sack. As soon as she moved away, we heard the explosion.
“The impact of the blast flung me aside and the metal from the bomb missed me. I was still on the ground in pains when the second explosion went off,” he said.
In December 2014, Governor Shettima had ordered the barricade of most markets while youth volunteers under the civilian JTF were posted to man security around markets in Maiduguri.
The Boko Haram insurgents have continued to target the Maiduguri Monday market, using persons who conceal bombs and pretend to be customers.