The military Theatre Command in Maiduguri, Borno State, has alerted the public on fresh tactics adopted by Boko Haram terrorists to draw vulnerable people together in order to accomplish their suicide missions.

Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, Deputy Director, Public Relations of the Theatre Command, disclosed in a statement issued in Maiduguri on Monday, that the new tactics were adopted, “following regular interception of Boko Haram suicide bombers by troops of Operation Lafiya Dole and the serial failure that have trailed the terrorists’ suicide bomb attacks.

He also disclosed that recent developments indicate that the terrorists are now exploiting deceptive tactics to lure unsuspecting members of the public to target areas before detonating their suicide bombs in order to attain maximum casualty.

“It has been observed that one of the tactics employed by the terrorists is to create a scene such as fighting with each other or any other person to attract attention and cause people to gather around them before they detonate their suicide bombs. Another antic is by abducting children who are on errands, strapping them with suicide vests and sending them back home, where the suicide bomb detonates to kill members of the household.”

The Command said these deceptive tactics have been found to have played out in recent suicide bomb attacks carried out by the Boko Haram terrorists.

It therefore, urged members of the public to be wary of these tactics and avoid such unnecessary gatherings that could expose them to preventable danger. “Additionally, all parents and adults are advised to sensitise their children and wards on these new Boko Haram tricks. They are also urged to be conscious of the whereabouts of their children and rein them in where necessary to prevent them from being callously used by the terrorists for the evil mission of suicide bombing.”