By Sadiq Abubakar
Maiduguri
Three suicide bombers yesterday killed nine people at a military checkpoint in Biu town of Borno state.
The dead included a female member of the Civilian JTF security outfit.
Fifteen 15 other people, mostly hawkers, were injured in the attack that occurred at about 1 p.m. along Biu-Yamarkumi-Maiduguri road.
The bombers, suspected to be Boko Haram members, rode on a tricycle and forcefully beat the security checkpoint and refused to stop for checks.
But a female civilian JTF stopped them at the checkpoint a few metres away from the position of the military men.
Security sources said the blasts hit the woman, hawkers and some passersby.
The chairman of the caretaker committee of Biu local government council, Alhaji Umar Usman Kadafur Biu, who visited the scene of the blast, confirmed to newsmen on phone that nine people were instantly killed while 15 others were injured.
According to him, the casualties were conveyed to the Biu General Hospital for medical attention.
The senator representing Borno South senatorial district, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, also confirmed the attack to newsmen, saying that his sources told him nine people died and 15 others were wounded.
Also, a male suicide bomber killed himself and four other people at a restaurant in Potiskum. Twelve other people were injured.
A hospital source at the Potiskum General Hospital said: “Three people were brought dead to the hospital and 12 are currently on admission at the hospital.”
Yobe Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Toyin Gbadegesin, also confirmed the incident to newsmen, saying the incident occurred at about 12.20 p.m.
An eyewitness, Malam Adamu Tanko, told our correspondent: “The suicide bomber came into the eating place, having alighted from a Keke NAPEP and the rider rode off while the suicide bomber entered the restaurant pretending to want to eat food.
“Within a few minutes, we heard explosion from the restaurant and people began to run away from the scene before security men could reach the place.”