New Modus Operandi: Suicide bombers knock on doors to detonate bombs on victims
A prior warning by the Nigerian Army that fleeing Boko Haram members now disguise as regular citizens appears to have been confirmed by a new revelation that insurgents pretend to seek shelter in carrying out their evil acts.
They now knock on doors to blow people up, reports say.
Following the multiple blasts that rocked Maiduguri late Sunday, a member of the Borno State Joint Task Force (JTF) identified as Abba Aji Kalli, has revealed the new modus operandi of suicide bombers in the state.
“This is announcement people should be careful because boko haram members they have started new plans by knocking your door they will blow the bomb so people should be careful this is what they did in kaleri now please be careful and share it to the public,” Abba Aji Kalli shared on his Facebook.
The suicide bombers who killed scores of people in Sunday attack in Kaleri surburb of Maiduguri knocked on several doors begging for hot food or a place to sleep due to the extreme cold weather, witnesses say.
“They came to knock on my door at about 10p.m. And when I asked who was at the gate, a female voice said she was an IDP and that she needed shelter for the night because the outside was very cold. My daughter wanted to go and open the gate; but I had to stop her because it was an odd time for such visit and request,” a resident is quoted as saying.
The unwelcome visitor was said to have moved to other houses to carry out the same plea before her would-be victims obliged her.
“Some minutes later, we heard a female voice and some screaming asking to be let go, then suddenly we heard a deafening explosion,” the witness continued.
“It was much later that we realised that it was the daughter of one of our neighbours that was hugged by the woman pretending to be IDP after the girl had opened the door for her,” she said.
Members of the public have been warned to be cautious in accommodating strangers, as more insurgents are said to be on the run.
