Suicide attacks on University of Maiduguri delays commencement of UTME

The attempted suicide bomb attacks at the University of Maiduguri, on Saturday, delayed the commencement of the Computer-Based Test for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, candidates at centres in the university.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that three suicide bombers, early today detonated their explosives, at the gate of the University killing a security guard and injuring one soldier.

NAN reports that the six test centres in the university recorded low turn out following the incident.

Mrs. Kaka John, a JAMB staff, said that the exam did not commence on time because of the early morning bomb blast, which made many candidates stay away.

“We were supposed to start very early at 9:00 a.m. but I think because of the fear, the students did not show up. This made us start around 10am.

” Also, the security agencies did not also show up on time because many of them had moved to the scene of the blasts. Also, the NSCDC did not show up on time,” she said.Haliru Umar, The JAMB Supervisor, at the ETC Centre one and two said that about 4,000 students would be sitting for the exam in the centre.

“In this centre this morning, we started with about 250 students. We still have about 17 more sessions for the exams.

” So far, the exercise was very successful as some of them have started coming out.

“We have taken good security measures by providing sufficient security to protect the students to enable them to write their exams successfully,” he said.

Halima Isa, one of the Candidates said she wrote the test in fear but said it was successful.

“We were scared because there was bomb last but I think everything is fine now,” she said.

Source: (NAN)