A major attack on the office of the State Security Service (SSS) in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, was averted on Saturday, but the suicide bomber detonated the explosives close to the office of the secret security agents killing some residents and injuring others.
The incident happened in front of Elkanemi College, opposite SSS office in the state capital.
The suicide bomber rode a tricycle laden with explosives and headed for the SSS office, according to a witnesses.
But the bombs exploded just before the tricycle, which was following a police van closely, could reach its target following a delay caused by the traffic situation of the road.
Though police confirm that the incident resulted in the death of three people and injured another three, witnesses believe the casualty figure is underestimated as some expressed belief that the occupants in the police van were also badly affected.
One of the witnesses said the tricycle attempted to hit a vehicle that was coming out of the Borno Motor Garage.
A witness who said he was at the motorpark to board a vehicle when the explosion occurred, explained that the park where the incident occurred is close to the SSS office.
“A tricycle was targeting a bus that just left the motor park but triggered off the explosion before it could get to bus. Four people, including the bomber, were killed,” he said.
A Twitter user, Yax Mandara, who said he narrowly escaped the incident, said the bomb shattered the bodies of the dead as human flesh flew everywhere.
“My driver just narrowly escaped a bomb blast. Human flesh all over my car. It sent chills down my spine. God thank You for keeping us safe,” he said adding that though the driver was showing him dents made by the impact of the bomb on the car, he was more concerned with the human flesh on my car splattered on the car.
“Seeing the blood and pieces of flesh on my car bumper and roof got me nauseated. I couldn’t even take a picture of it,” he added.
He said they were behind the suicide bomber and were honking at him to give them way to overtake him.
“He obliged and in matter of seconds they exploded,” he explained.
Meanwhile the shake-up in the leadership of the service has taken its toll on the former spokesperson of the service, Marilyn Orgar.
Ogar was transferred to Maiduguri, Borno state, but the posting was reversed and put on hold following insinuations that it was “punitive”.
Sources reveal that Orga is now in limbo, not having a posting currently.
It is believed that she is passing through her current predicament because of some anti-All Progressives Congress (APC) comments she made while in office under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.