Police confirm twin blast in Maiduguri

The Borno Police Command on Tuesday confirmed a twin-bomb blast at the Monday Market, Maiduguri.

The spokesman of the command, Mr Gideon Jubrin, gave the confirmation in an interview in Maiduguri.



Jubrin said, however, that the casualty figures were not available as at the time of the interview.

"We are just trying to get the details please," he said.

But eye witnesses said that the blast occurred between 11a.m. and 11.15 a.m. after two suspected female suicide bombers detonated their Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) near the entrance to the market.

Mallam Modu Bukar, a bicycle repairer, said that the first blast occurred near the Bula Bulim Round About, while the second one occurred at the one-way road of the market.

"We were busy working at the bicycle market when we heard the first blast.

"People close to the area said that it was only the female suicide bomber that had been disfigured by the blast as we rushed to the scene," Bukar said.

"But as we were trying to get to the scene, the second blast occurred on the one-way, killing many people.

"We all ran to safety leaving our shops open," he said.

Malam Baba Ashama, a shop owner at the Bula-Bulim Round About, also said that the blast had affected many people.

"Nobody can tell you the exact number of casualty now because we all took to our heels on hearing the blasts," Ashama said