Nigeria bomb attack targets military patrol

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — A bomb blast rocked the troubled northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri on Sunday in an attack on a military patrol vehicle, the army and residents said.

Although residents reported seeing an ambulance speeding away from the area, the army said there had been no casualties.

The city has previously been targeted by scores of bombings blamed on an Islamist sect known as Boko Haram.

"There was a bomb attack targeting a military patrol vehicle, but there were no casualties," said Colonel Victor Ebhaleme, commander of operations for a task force assigned to the city.

Residents described a large explosion, and one said he saw an ambulance driving at speed away from the area.

"There was a loud explosion," said resident Hammadi Yakubu. "The explosion was the loudest I've heard so far in the city."

He said "nobody knows the extent of the damage because the area has been cordoned off by soldiers."

Another resident gave a similar account, speaking of a heavy explosion and smoke billowing.

"The sound was really terrifying," said Ahmad Gana.

Another resident, Bunu Zarabe, said he saw a siren-blaring ambulance speeding out of the area with a military van behind it.

Residents in the neighbourhood known as Bulabulin Ngarnam were later said to be fleeing out of fears of a military raid in response to the blasts.

Soldiers have in the past been accused of rampaging though neighbourhoods after such explosions, killing residents, burning homes and claiming locals cooperated with the sect.

Maiduguri has been hit by scores of attacks blamed on Boko Haram, which also claimed responsibility for the August suicide bombing of UN headquarters in Abuja that killed at least 24 people.

Earlier this month, the military in Borno state, where Maiduguri is the capital, set a deadline of October 31 for residents to turn in illegal weapons and explosives.

At the time, the military claimed criminals were "hiding under the pretence of Boko Haram to commit crime in the state."

"Those who refuse to surrender their arms would face consequences after the expiration of the deadline," the statement had said.

Thousands of residents have already fled Maiduguri out of fears of further violence. The city, located in Nigeria's far northeast near the border with Chad, Cameroon and Niger, has seen the brunt of the violence blamed on the sect.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gGa_XWUntZqtYDurPzgZoaAGarsQ?docId=CNG.da3f6e58764d826ac0b9ee28d0e73a75.9a1

it is becoming normal

Its really heart breaking, that my secondary school chemistry lab is more equipped than my present uni chemistry lab. The country is a mess.
I wish BK can be more specific with there target, like start taking out the bas tard(governers, ministers, ex-governers too, etc). Infact, just kill them all the politician. Everything is just ugly, no electricity, no portable water, nafdac is even worse granting all this pure water license and yet no control.
In my next world, I pray I don't land in any country that start with letter N

I think Northern Nigeria is getting worse than Iraq.

I think Northern Nigeria is getting worse than Iraq.

very true

all4naija:

I think Northern Nigeria is getting worse than Iraq.

IMO, Northern Nigeria is descending into Somalia-style anarchic state. Iraq is governable, while Somalia is not

^^^^
You need to reread my comment pal.

may God help us all in this matter of boms here and there,

In Africa, Military is needed during peace, send all go home and use the budget for development.

Core North =  Evil

nakedall:

In Africa, Military is needed during peace, send all go home and use the budget for development.

[size=16pt]True[/size] talk, only if the govt will use the budget for development, it always loothing.

well is the Cultural and Ethnic Fundamentalism:

Normally, the news would have read- "A bomb blast rocked A CHURCH in the troubled
northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri on Sunday in an attack on a military patrol vehicle, residents said".

Boko's are now going after media men for mis-representation and the headlines are starting to change!

na news be dis?

there is time for every thing,god will never leave them unpunished.