Suspected Boko Haram bomb attacks kill dozens in Eastern Nigeria

At least 24 people have lost their lives in suspected Boko Haram bomb attacks in and around a mosque in Nigeria’s Eastern Province of Adamawa, police and officials say.

According to Press TV quoting Provincial Police Spokesman, Othman Abubakar, two terrorists, suspected to be members of the Boko Haram Takfiri terrorist outfit, detonated their explosive belts at a mosque and at a crowded market in Mubi, a town some 200 kilometers from the provincial capital of Yola on Tuesday.

He further said that both the attacks were carried out almost simultaneously at about 01:20 p.m. local time (12:20 GMT), adding, “For now (the death toll) is 24.”

However, other sources gave much higher figures. Rescue worker, Sani Kakale, said at least “42 dead bodies” and 68 injured people had been taken to a hospital in his presence, whereas an unnamed source at Mubi General Hospital told AFP that “so far, 37 bodies” and dozens of wounded people, many of them critically, were received in the hospital.  

Abdullahi Labaran, an eyewitness, said the first terrorist had managed to mingle with worshippers, who had convened for prayers at the mosque at the edge of the town’s market, and detonated his explosives “five minutes before the prayer started.”

After the first blast, panicked survivors rushed out towards the butchery section of the market, where the second bomber blew himself up among the worshipers, traders and shopkeepers, Labaran added.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the deadly attacks, but they bear the hallmark of the Boko Haram terror group, as in the past it has employed extremists, mostly females, on multiple occasions to conduct bombing attacks against people or army troops.

Back in late 2014, Mubi was briefly overrun by the Takfiri terrorists and since then it has been repeatedly targeted in terror attacks blamed on Boko Haram, which pledged allegiance to Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in 2015.  

In November 2017, at least 50 people lost their lives when a Boko Haram bomber detonated his explosives at a mosque during early morning prayers in the Unguwar Shuwa area of Mubi.

ME