There was palpable fear this morning in Maiduguri and environs following sporadic sound of arsenals fired by army artillery.

Most residents were panicked after hearing multiple sounds of explosions.

A top military officer, who confirmed the development said they are “test running” their equipment.

“There was nothing to fear, what you heard were friendly sounds from our equipment,” he said.

Our correspondent reports that a heavy sound was first heard around 7:20 a.m., a development that sent jitters into the hearts of residents who thought it was Boko Haram fighters that were at work.

Few minutes after the first sound, about 13 others followed intermittently; further heightening fear among residents.

Khadija Mukhtar, a civil servant said she retreated into her house after hearing a loud bang.

“I was about going out of my house when I heard the first deafening sound . . . this was followed by several others that made me to believe they were bomb explosions orchestrated by the Boko Haram,” she said.

“I put a call to a friend of my husband who is an officer in the army. He was the one who told me that there was no any incursion into Maiduguri,” she said.

Throughout the period of the test running, most people remained indoors, while those who thought they live in “red spots” moved to other places seen as safer.

At the time of filing this report, normalcy has returned and people have started going out to their places of work.

•Source: Daily Trust. Photo shows Nigerian troops on duty in Borno State.