Eight people were allegedly killed at a mosque in northeast Nigeria on Monday, July 23, when a suicide bomber reportedly detonated his explosives, a civilian militia member and a local resident said.
According to The Punch, Ibrahim Liman from the civilian militia force assisting the military in the fight against Boko Haram said that the blast happened in the Mainari area of Konduga, in Borno state.
“The male bomber walked into the mosque at about 5.15 am (0415 GMT) while prayers were on and exploded, killing eight worshippers and injuring five others,” he said.
“Seven of the victims died in the mosque while another died on the way to (the Borno state capital) Maiduguri.”
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Suicide bombings against “soft” civilian targets such as mosques, markets and bus stations are the hallmark of the Boko Haram faction led by Abubakar Shekau.
Many of the bombers used are reportedly young women and girls.
Liman said the latest attack appeared to be carried out by a man in his early 20s.
Another witness, Umar Goni, who lives in Konduga, said he was on his way to the mosque when the blast occurred and he helped to rescue victims with members of the civilian volunteer force.
“We pulled out seven dead bodies and six injured worshippers. One of the six injured died on the way to hospital,” he added.
Goni said the bomber was disguised as a worshipper, adding: “There was no way anybody could have known his mission.”
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NAIJ.com previously reported that the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Rogers Nicholas said that some Boko Haram members are regrouping around Bama local government area of Borno state.
Nicholas told journalists in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital on Monday, July 16, that some of the terrorists attacked the nation’s military troops in Bama village on Saturday, July 14.
The troops were attacked while conducting clearance operations in the area.
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Source: Naija.ng