Bomb blast rips through bus station in Maiduguri

A blast rocked a bus station in the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri on Monday, a civilian vigilante assisting the military against Boko Haram and a local resident told AFP.

Heavy casualties were feared after the explosion near a fish market in the Baga Road area of the city at about 3:50 pm (1450 GMT), said vigilante Danlami Ajaokuta.

The Borno Police Command on Monday confirmed that it was a twin blast that killed 12 persons. Aderemi Opadokun the Commissioner of Police gave the confirmation while speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri.

“Today at about 1500 hours there were twin Improvise Explosive Device (IED) explosions in Maiduguri.

“The first was at the centre of Baga Road fish market while the second took place at Biyok along Baga Road about one kilometer to the market,” Opadokun said.

He said that the attack was carried out by two suspected suicide bombers. “The IED was conveyed by two female suicide bombers.

“Twelve people died including the bombers and many others were injured,” Opadokun said.