July 01, (THEWILL) – Gwoza’s hilly terrain provides cover for Boko Haram terrorists, says Study ● 30 feared dead, 100 injured
President Bola Tinubu has condemned Saturday’s suicide bomb attacks in Borno State, describing it as a desperate act of terror. In the same vein, the United States and the United Nations have joined the President in condemning the attack as mindless and cruel.
THEWILL reports that at least 17 people were killed on Saturday, and several others injured following multiple suicide bomb attacks in Gwoza, Borno State. As at press time on Sunday, the number of the dead had risen to 30 with 100 injured.
Commiserating with the victims’ families, as well as the Borno State Government in a statement issued on Sunday, by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, “President Tinubu describes the attacks as desperate acts of terror and a clear manifestation of the pressure mounted against terrorists and the success achieved in degrading their capacity to launch offensives.”
The President said the “purveyors of wanton violence shall have a certain encounter with justice and that these cowardly attacks are only but an isolated episode as his government will not allow the nation to slither into an era of fear, tears, sorrow, and blood.”
THEWILL checks show that the pattern and location of the bomb attack in Gwoza in Gwoza Local Government Area, is familiar. The first blast reportedly took place at a wedding ceremony in Mararaban, Gwoza. The second one took place at a security checkpoint, killing a soldier and two civilians and the third incident happened at a shopping mall and the fourth one at a burial ground. The Gwoza terrain is rocky and hilly with Mandara Mountain, which provides a natural barrier between Nigeria and Cameroon. In fact, Gwoza has been described as “a natural hideout for Boko Haram terrorists.”
Interestingly, in an study, Pattern of Suicide Attacks Incidence in Borno State by Boko Haram Insurgency by Mustafa Ibrahim Alhaji, Ezeamake Cyril Kanayochukwu, all of the Defence Academy Kaduna, Nigeria, the authors in the study published in the International Journal of Arts Humanities and Social Sciences Studies, Vol 5 Issue I, January 2020, noted that “the high rate of suicide attacks experienced in these areas , Gwoza, Bama and Damboa was as a result of the presence of hideout which gave the insurgency a conducive environment to manufacture the equipment used for the suicide missions.”
Boko Haram seized Gwoza in 2014 after taking over parts of Borno State, but the town was retaken by the Nigerian army with the help of Chadian forces in 2015. The renewed onslaught by the Nigerian Military had checkmated the activities of the terrorists making suicide bombing rarer until Saturday’s renewed onslaught.
The study therefore recommended that security agencies should adopt the use of modern technologies in detecting suicide bombers, improving right record of the security forced, regular seminars of counter extremism programme.
President Tinubu maintained that his administration is taking necessary measures to secure citizens, stressing that efforts will be redoubled to ensure that those who trouble the nation, dispatching precious lives, and disrupting law and order are completely removed.
Meanwhile, the United States Government has condemned the attack, describing it as horrific. The United States reiterated its commitment to collaborate with the Nigerian government to defeat terrorism and bring the perpetrators of the heinous acts to justice.
According to its mission in Nigeria, “The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the horrific attacks that took place in Gwoza, Borno State on June 29. These reprehensible acts of violence show a cruel and heartless disregard for human life.
“We offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those killed and wish a full recovery to the injured. These abhorrent attacks are a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by terrorism in the region.”
For the United Nations, the suicide bomb attacks on civilian populations in the Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State on Saturday, is dastardly.
The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Mohamed Malick Fall, on Sunday said he was personally horrified by the attacks
“I am horrified by this attack on civilian populations and condemn such acts in the strongest terms. I stand in solidarity with the Government of Nigeria and the families and communities of all those affected,” he said , adding that
“On behalf of the United Nations, I remind all parties to the conflict to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians from harm.”
“I have reached out to the Borno State Government to express my condolences and offer any support that the United Nations and the humanitarian community can provide to aid the victims of the attack”, Mr Fall stated.
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar and Amnesty International have also condemned the attack.
No fewer than 15 persons were killed and many others injured when female suicide bombers attacked Gwoza town in the Southern part of Borno State on Saturday.
It was learnt that the first incident occurred at a wedding reception in Mararaba, Gwoza town, headquarters of Gwoza Local Government Areas of the state.
“A woman suicide bomber detonated her explosive with two small children in the busy area in Gwoza where there was a wedding ceremony, killing eight persons with many others injured,” a source said.
According to the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) source, updates revealed that over 15 people were killed, while several others suffered varying degrees of injuries. Another bomber, who disguised as a mourner, detonated another explosive device in Gwoza LGA as the people were preparing for the funeral of the victims killed in the attack a few hours before then.
“The victims, who were all civilians, were gathered to pay their respects to the deceased when the attack occurred. At least one additional person died while 16 others were injured and rushed to the hospital,” the source said.
The source added that the third suicide attack happened in the Hausari area of Gwoza with the lives of an unspecified number of people terminated.
Meanwhile, a curfew has been announced in Gwoza by the military to enable sanitisation of the town from any further threat.
About the Author
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
