UPDATE: Adamawa government says 17 dead, 41 injured in Madagali suicide attack

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The Adamawa state government has said 17 people were killed on Monday when two female suicide bombers detonated explosives at a busy motor park in Madagali town.

The state commissioner of Information, Ahmad Sajoh, who disclosed the casualty figure to PREMIUM TIMES over the telephone, also said 41 others were injured.

“The bombers came to the motor park which also serves as a market in the early hours of today,” Mr. Sajoh said. “The place was busy with people mostly those returning to Madagali after traveling for their Christmas break

“I can confirm to you that 17 people died and 41 were injured.”

Mr. Sajoh said some of the injured victims were taken to a community hospital in the town being run by the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital as an outreach centre, while others were taken to the General Hospital in Mubi.

“About three other victims whose injuries were more severe were however taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Yola for treatment,” he said.

The commissioner said the state governor, Mohammed Jibrilla, dispatched a team of officials to Madagali for an on-the-spot assessment.

The governor, he said, also ordered that the medical bills of the injured victims would be paid by the state government.

“As a government we have also already mapped out sensitization programme through our traditional institutions in which the populace would be sensitized on how to identify suicide bombers and what to do to stay safe,” Mr. Sajoh said.

“We have posters and other materials needed for such sensitization and they would effectively be used in most of our communities.”

The two female suicide bombers had attacked the Madagali motor park around 9 a.m Monday shortly after a similar attack on nearby Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
A witness, Danladi Buba, had told PREMIUM TIMES after the incident that about 30 people were killed with 16 others injured.
The Brigade Commander of 28 Task Force Brigade, Mubi, Victor Ezugwu, confirmed the incident, saying the injured were taken to hospital while the military had cordoned off the area.
The brigade commander said the situation had been brought under control.

The attack followed a series of gun and bomb attacks, between Sunday and Monday, by suspected Boko Haram militants on Maiduguri, the capital of neighbouring Borno State.