At least nine people were killed and 24 injured in two explosions in the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri on Saturday, according to the country’s National Emergency Agency (NEMA).
Female suicide bombers are believed to have carried out the attacks on the city’s Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons camp, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp.’s Mega Filling Station, the Nigerian army said in a statement.
The terror group Boko Haram is suspected to be behind the attacks, said Maiduguri military chief Brig. Gen. Victor Ezeogwu, and NEMA’s northeast region head Mohammed Kanar.
Pictures posted on NEMA’s Twitter account show rescue workers at the scene of one of the bombings, amid debris and destroyed cars.
In the attack on the Bakassi IDP camp, the bomber ran into a group of people who were at the entrance, killing five of them, the army said.
At the filling station, the attacker killed three occupants on a tricycle at the entrance. The army puts the total number of dead at 8.
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“While we commiserate with the families of the late victims of this cruel act and wish those injured speedy recovery, we would like to assure the public that efforts are ongoing to track those behind the dastardly acts,” an army spokesman said.
“However, it is equally important to reiterate the need for more vigilance and security consciousness among all.”
