"They gave us N200 each to buy food" - 18-year-old suicide bomber intercepted in Maiduguri

The female suicide bomber, who was intercepted by men of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, on Tuesday in Maiduguri, admitted to had been given N200 to embark on the mission, adding that she was abducted two years ago and later married a Boko Haram commander named 'Amir'

The suicide bombers tried to attack motorists at the NNPC Mega Station along Damboa Road. One was shot dead while the other was arrested.

Speaking to Daily Nigerian in Borno, the 18-year-old identified as Amina claims was abducted two years ago by Boko Haram in Madagali, Adamawa, and taken to Sambisa forest.

“They gave us N200 each which they said we should use to buy food for ourselves," she said.

"It took us three days to come to Maiduguri on a motorcycle. We were directed by the sect members to detonate our explosives anywhere we saw any form of gathering. They said if we press the button, the bomb would explode and we will automatically go to heaven. I was scared, so I told them that I could not detonate any explosive. So, they said if Zainab detonated her own, it would serve the purpose. On our way to Maiduguri, we encountered the military and they were shooting. I was very scared and the people that brought us ran away.

"I am from Imam Shekau’s faction of Boko Haram, even though I have never seen Shekau. But I hear about him in Gobarawa," Amina added.

She said that her father, mother and younger brother, Umar, were all killed when they tried to escape from the Boko Haram enclave where they were held hostage.

"We came from Gobarawa along Damboa, Madagali and Algarno axis, a community where a lot of us were held hostage and married off by the sect members. I also am married to a Boko Haram Commander known as “Amir”.

The NSCDC Commandant in Borno, Abdullahi Ibrahim, said the command had handed over the suspect to the Garrison Commander, 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, “for proper investigation”.

The theater commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maiduguri, Lucky Irabor, confirmed that the suspect was in custody of the Army, and that she would undergo investigation.

"We are going to profile her as she would give us the lead to get to other insurgents," he said.