2 blasts hit northeastern Nigeria market
Two blasts
killed more than 10 people on Saturday in
a busy marketplace in Maiduguri, the
biggest city in northeastern Nigeria, say
witnesses.
The first explosion came from a suicide
bomber in a tricycle taxi who blew himself
up outside a fish market and killed at least
10 people.
"I saw many dead bodies lying on the
ground, many dead, and several others
badly injured," said fish seller Idi Idrisa.
People are still counting the dead but a
security officer said the explosion at Baga
fish market was massive. He said he
counted at least 10 corpses. He spoke on
condition of anonymity because he is not
authorized to speak to reporters.
About an hour later a second explosion
rocked the area.
The second blast happened at the Post
Office shopping area, close to the fish
market where the first bomb went off,
according to witness Baban Musa, who
said there were many casualties.
No one immediately claimed responsibility
for the explosions but they have all the
hallmarks of the Boko Haram Islamic
extremist group. It has increased suicide
bombings and village attacks recently as
forces from Nigeria and Chad have driven
the insurgents from a score of towns along
Nigeria's border with Cameroon.
Boko Haram also has attacked villages in
Cameroon and Niger as Nigeria's
neighbors are forming a multinational
force to confront the spreading Islamic
uprising.
Chad's President Idris Deby this week said
his forces know the whereabouts of Boko
Haram leader Abubakar Shekau and
warned him to surrender or face certain
death.
