Female Suicide Bomber Kills Herself Alongside A soldier In Gombe Barracks

Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Abduallhi Jalo

A female suicide bomber killed herself and a soldier close to the Quarter-guard of the 301 Battalion of Nigerian Army in Gombe, Gombe State.

There were however conflicting reports on how the incident which also injured another soldier happened.

Reports had it that the female bomber, was riding on a motorcycle and on approaching the gate of the military facility, hugged a soldier.

This, leading a bomb concealed in her hijab  to explode, killing both of them.

But the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Abdullahi Jalo, told one of our correspondents on the telephone that the female bomber, who was on foot was asked   by soldiers manning the entrance to the facility to turn back but she declined.

According to him, one of the soldiers ran after her not knowing that she had an explosive device concealed in her hijab   which she immediately detonated.

Jalo said, “A female suicide bomber was approaching the army quarter guard around the railway area; she was heading towards the military post and they kept telling her to stop.

“She however kept advancing and one of the soldiers approached her, perhaps to forcefully stop her. It was at this point that she blew up herself and the soldier at about 10.50am.”

The Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade and the Special Adviser (Media) to the Gombe State Governor, Mr. Ayuba Alukwe, Olukolade told NAN in a telephone interview from Abuja that normal activities were ongoing at the barracks as of Sunday evening.

‘‘Intelligence deduced from credible information earlier received on this plot confirms the vigilance of some members of the public,’’ he said.

“The lady suicide bomber who had primed herself with improvised explosive devices concealed under her Hijjab was intercepted when troops acting on intelligence report indicating that a terrorist group was plotting to attack barracks around Gombe using female suicide bombers, halted her and as she was being searched the bomb detonated killing the lady.

“Unfortunately, one of the troops conducting the search also died while another was wounded in the explosion.”

When contacted, Alukwe  said information on the incident was still sketchy because the military had yet to issue a statement on it.

He said “We’ve been trying to reach out to the military to get a clear picture of what   really happened   but they’ve not given us any information yet.

“There was an incident. We saw people running helter skelter and the military has barricaded the area.

“That is all I know so far. They made me understand that they need to get clearance from the Defence Headquarters before they can speak.”