Nigeria bombing kills 30, injures 80 in Borno state

Residents gather at the scene of a bombing attack in Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria on July 17, 2017. (Photos by AFP)

At least 30 people have been killed and some 80 more wounded in a bombing attack in Nigeria’s northeastern state of Borno.

According to a member of the local civilian defense forces, the attack was carried out in the town of Mandarari, located some 25 kilometers from the state capital Maiduguri.

“Three female bombers triggered their explosives outside of the IDP (internally displaced persons) camp... killing 28 people and wounding 82 others," said Baba Kura. “People were trying to close their shops when two other female bombers triggered their explosives, causing most of the casualties," he added.

A local medical source said that following the blasts a "huge number" of people were admitted to the Maiduguri hospital. Two of the wounded succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.

No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet, but such incidents are usually blamed on the Takfiri Boko Haram terrorist group, which is particularly active in the country’s northeast region.

In recent weeks, a number of bomb attacks by suspected members of Boko Haram have taken place in the capital of Borno state and its environs. Mosques, markets, camps for those displaced by the conflict in Nigeria and civilians have been targeted across the region.

In December 2016, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who came to power in 2015 with a pledge to eradicate Boko Haram, announced that the army had “crushed” the terror group by retaking its last key bastion, deep inside the thick Sambisa Forest in Borno.

The group has, however, resorted to sporadic shooting attacks and bombings in the northeast of the African country, spreading panic among local residents.