Eight killed as Boko Haram bomber detonates explosives at mosque in NE Nigeria
At least eight Nigerian civilians have been killed after a bomber from the Boko Haram Takfiri terrorist group detonated his explosives at a mosque in the country's troubled northeast, a local militia and residents say.
Ibrahim Liman, from a civilian militia force assisting the military in the fight against Boko Haram, told AFP on Monday that the blast happened in the Mainari area of Konduga in Borno state. He added that the latest attack appears to have been carried out by a man in his early 20s.
"The male bomber walked into the mosque at about 5:15 a.m. (0415 GMT) while prayers were on and exploded, killing eight worshippers and injuring five others," Liman said, adding, "Seven of the victims died in the mosque while another died on the way to (the Borno state capital) Maiduguri."
Umar Goni, a Konduga resident, also said he was on his way to the mosque when the explosion occurred and he helped rescue victims.
"We pulled out seven dead bodies and six injured worshippers. One of the six injured died on the way to hospital,” he said.
The bomber was disguised as a worshipper, Goni said, adding, "There was no way anybody could have known his mission."
Bombings against "soft" civilian targets such as mosques, markets and bus stations are the hallmark of Boko Haram. Many of the bombers used by the group are young women and girls.
In recent days, there have also been a number of attacks on military convoys and bases in Borno and neighboring Yobe state, with undisclosed casualties.
Last week, at least six traders lost their lives when a convoy of lorries under military escort were ambushed in Borno state near the border with Cameroon.
Earlier this month, Boko Haram Takfiri terrorists also overran a military base following a ferocious gun fight with Nigerian troops in Yobe state.
Since 2009, Boko Haram militancy has left at least 20,000 dead and made over 2.6 million others homeless.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, a former general, came to power in 2015 on a platform of stamping out Boko Haram.
However, despite losing swathes of territory to government forces, the group continues to stage attacks targeting both civilians and military targets.
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