TheCable

A suicide bomber struck in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, on Thursday afternoon, killing an unspecified number of people.

A security source confirmed the attack to TheCable, saying it occurred around 4:00pm at sector 1 area of Baga road in the town.

“One of my colleagues who just handed over duty sustained injuries in the attack and some were also killed,” he said.

The security source added that explosives were uncovered in a market around a place called Customs bridge in Maiduguri.

“Some suspects with improvised explosive device were arrested at the market. A little boy whom they were trying to assign to carry out the mission was also caught,” he said.

“They are all in the custody. The situation in Maiduguri is getting worse by the day.”

Aderemi Opadokun, the state police commissioner, confirmed the attack, saying two persons died.

“It  happened near a military checkpoint. Two persons are confirmed dead and three others injured.”

A similar incident occurred at the Jimeta market in Yola, capital of Adamawa state, some four hours later.

A resident of the town confirmed the attack but could not give clear details.

“There was an explosion in the main market in Yola town but I don’t have the exact details,” he said.

But Sa’ad Bello, coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the state, said 32 persons were killed while 53 others were injured during the blast.

Bello said both the dead and injured victims had been taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Yola, and the Specialists Hospital, still in Yola.

Othman Abubakar, police public relations officer of the state, confirmed the incident but gave no details of the casualties.