Female suicide bomber kills more than 10 persons in Yobe

A female suicide bomber believed to be 10 years old on Sunday struck
at the Damaturu Central Motor Park, killing herself and nine other
people.
The state Police Command Public Relations Officer, Toyin Gbadegesin,
said 31 others were critically injured in the blast which occurred
at about 12.20pm.
Gbadegesin explained that the bomber had targeted security personnel
on patrol at the park who suspected her movement and turned her away.
He said, "At about 12.10pm, a Hijab-wearing female suicide bomber came
into the park and went to the security vehicle there. She was turned
back by our men. She then went to a commercial Volkswagen vehicle
that was half-loaded and suddenly, the bomb exploded
"Ten people died and 31 were critically injured. The wounded people
are at the Gen. Sani Abatcha Hospital in Damaturu. We have condoned
off the area and investigation is currently ongoing."
When journalists visited the scene of the blast at about 3.30pm on
Monday, operatives and men of the state fire service were still
battling to put out the fire from the bus.
An eyewitness, Ibrahim Mohammed, said he was the only person close to
the scene of the explosion that was not wounded.
"The sound of the explosion was deafening. I was shaken by it and as I
talk to you, I am still hearing strange sounds. I suspect the bomber
could not have been more than 10 years."
Sunday's blast is the second targeting a densely populated area in
Damaturu. The first was last June when nine football fans watching
the Brazil 2014 world cup tournament at a viewing centre were
killed by a bomber.
Meanwhile, the United States Department of Defence has said there is
no discussion between Washington and President Goodluck Jonathan on
deployment of American troops in Nigeria.
It however clarified that discussions on troops to combat the
Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, was just beginning based on the
formation of the Multi-national Joint Task Force.
Jonathan had in an interview with theWall Street Journalon Friday
criticised the US for being unwilling to support the Federal
Government in fighting insurgents in Nigeria's North-East.
He said the country had in early 2014 reached out to the US for
assistance, adding, "Are they (America) not fighting ISIS? Why can't
they come to Nigeria? …they are our friends. If Nigeria has a problem,
then I expect the US to come and assist us."
But the US Department of Defence spokesman, John Kirby, said, "There
is a discussion but it is of a multinational task force that the
international community is working with certain African nations to
establish. That is right now still in the discussion phase.
"I don't have a timeline for that. But we believe that we support the
discussion and dialogue toward establishing a multinational task force
that can operate there to help improve partner capacity, to improve
counter-terrorism capabilities.
"But these are discussions (that) are really just now starting. I
can also tell you that there are no plans as I speak here to send
unilaterally, to send or to add US troops into Nigeria. There are no
US troops operating in Nigeria."
Kirby, however, noted that the US was not ruling out sending ground
forces as part of the multinational task force.
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"There's nothing being ruled out or ruled in. These discussions are
really just starting. So, I think it'd be premature to say I know
exactly what the US component would be or to characterise it. We're
just not there, yet," he added.
The United Nations Security Council has condemned "in the strongest
terms," the continued escalation of attacks by Boko Haram terrorists
on Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger.
"The members of the Security Council reaffirm that terrorism in all
its forms and manifestations, including the actions of Boko Haram,
constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and
security," it said in statement on Friday night.
It described the attacks as "criminal and unjustifiable," regardless
of their motivation.
The council also reiterated its determination to combat all forms of
terrorism, in accordance with its responsibilities under the UN
Charter.
The UN body also stressed the need to bring perpetrators, organisers,
financiers and sponsors of acts of terrorism to justice.
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