6 Killed in Bomb Attack At Police HQ in Borno State of Nigeria

Update, June 10th- Total death count from this attack was 6 by Saturday, including 2 police officers and 4 civilians.

June 8th, 2012

PressTV– At least two people have been killed in a bomb explosion that targeted a police headquarters in the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno.

The incident occurred on Friday when a bomber attempted to drive his explosive-laden car in the police headquarters in Borno’s capital, Maiduguri, AFP reported.

A police official said bomber tried to force his way into the police headquarters, but the car hit the sand-filled drums outside the building and exploded.

“We have some casualties, but we’re trying to sort out the extent of fatalities and the injured,” the source said.

Witnesses, however, reported seeing the bodies of two policemen and five more officers who were wounded in the blast.

The northeastern city of Maiduguri has been the hotbed of militancy by Boko Haram extremists. The insurgency has killed more than 1,000 people since mid-2009.

The group’s mosque and headquarters were located in Maiduguri until they were destroyed in a 2009 military assault.

File photo shows a bomb attack on the police headquarters in the Nigerian city of Abuja.

File photo shows a bomb attack on the police headquarters in the Nigerian city of Abuja.

 

The city has seen additional security measures, including checkpoints and traffic restrictions, especially following an attempted bombing attack in August on the state police headquarters, which was foiled by authorities.