Bombs in north Nigeria bus station, market kill 27

By
AFP
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Bombs in north Nigeria bus station, market kill 27
ABUJA/MAIDUGURI: Two bomb attacks at a bus station and a market in north Nigeria on Monday killed at least 27 people and wounded around 60, officials said.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for either attack.

Boko Haram insurgents have repeatedly set off bombs targeting civilians, especially in the northeast where they are trying to carve out an Islamic state.

The first one, in the city of Gombe, involved two explosions in quick succession.

"The second blast was worse than the first one because many people rushed to the scene and were affected. Many were killed and many injured," witness Mohammed Fawu told Reuters by phone.

An emergency services official put the toll at 20, with twice as many wounded. Setting off twin bombs is a classic guerrilla tactic which seeks to maximise casualties.

Hours later, an explosion shook a market in the north Nigerian city of Bauchi, killing at least seven people and engulfing it in flames.

Police spokesman for Bauchi state Haruna Mohammed said 19 people were also wounded.

Large sections of the central market area were on fire, sending plumes of smoke into the air, a Reuters witness said.

Medics were driving some wounded away in ambulances. Bauchi state and Gombe state are next door to each other.

The blast had been caused by bombs but it was not yet known whether a suicide bomber was involved.

The military did not respond to a request for comment. (Reuters)