Fresh suicide attack kills 7 in NE Nigeria

Abuja, Oct 16: At least seven people were killed in a fresh suicide attack in Nigeria's state of Borno, a rescue team coordinator said on Friday, barely one day after similar attacks hit a local mosque in the province.

Three female suicide bombers detonated improvised explosive devices early Friday near Maiduguri city, the Borno State capital, injuring at least 10 people, a news agency quoted Abdulkadir Ibrahim, coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency in the northeast region of Nigeria as saying.

"Altogether 17 casualties were taken to hospital, among which seven died, including the suicide bombers," Ibrahim said.

This brings to 36 the total number of deaths recorded from suicide attacks in Nigeria's Maiduguri city since late Thursday.

Earlier, rescue workers had given the toll 29 from two suicide attacks on a mosque in Maiduguri on Thursday.

Local police have confirmed the attacks, saying mainly worshippers were killed after two suicide bombers hit the mosque in Maiduguri, detonating their improvised explosive devices in and outside the mosque respectively, causing the building to collapse.

The militant group Boko Haram was blamed for the attacks. The group, fighting against the government to create an Islamic state, has carried out waves of bombings in the region and capital city of Nigeria over the years.

IANS