MAIDUGURI – Bombs exploded in at least three locations in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno state Monday night, killing and injuring scores of people, the emergency services told The Associated Press, citing possible suicide bombings.
Explosions were heard in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, where Nigeria’s homegrown jihadi Boko Haram extremists have waged an insurgency for more than a decade.
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The blasts occurred at the entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and two local markets, known as Post Office and the Monday Market, according to Sirajo Abdullahi, head of operations at Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency, or NEMA, in Maiduguri.
“There are casualties and they are still managing the causalities at the hospital,” Abdullahi said. “We can’t give the actual figure until we count.”
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the suspected bombings.
The Nigerian military said in a statement earlier it had repelled attacks by suspected Islamic militants in the early hours of Monday on the outskirts of Maiduguri.
For years, Nigeria has been battling a complex security crisis from different armed groups, especially in the northern part of the country.
Jihadi extremist groups, including Boko Haram and one of its factions, have been blamed for intensified attacks targeting Nigeria’s military bases in the northeast of the country this month. But attacks in Maiduguri in Borno state, which is the epicenter of Nigeria’s 17-year struggle with extremist armed groups, have been rare in recent years after military operations.
Bagoni Alkali, an eyewitness to the blast, told The Associated Press he brought wounded people to the hospital for emergency treatment.
“Right now, over 200 people have been injured and are receiving care in the accident and emergency department,” Alkali said.
"While I could tell you so many people have died, to be honest, many lost their lives at the scene immediately after the bomb exploded. It’s disheartening,” he added.
Mohammed Hassan, a member of a volunteer group that often assists the security forces in the conflict against armed extremists, said he evacuated 10 bodies from the Post Office and Monday Markets.
“Many victims were rushed to the emergency ward, but some died at the hospital. We’re in dire need of blood," he said. “This attack’s been one of the deadliest in Maiduguri in years.”
Borno’s Governor Babagana Umara Zulum said in a statement Monday he condemned in the strongest terms the explosions.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims and those injured as a result of the blast. The act is utterly condemnable, barbaric and inhumane,” Zulum said.
He called on residents to remain calm, go about their usual activities and report any suspicious movement or activity to security agencies.