Albuquerque Journal

Attacks by Boko Haram kill at least 50

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MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Boko Haram Islamic extremists struck the northeaste­rn Nigerian city of Maiduguri for the first time in months Monday with rocket-propelled grenades and multiple suicide bombers, witnesses said. At least 50 people were killed, and the death toll could go higher.

A double suicide bombing killed at least 30 people in Madagali, a town 95 miles southeast of Maiduguri, witnesses said. Danladi Buba said two women blew themselves up at a market near a busy bus station about 9 a.m. Brig. Gen. Victor Ezugwu, the officer commanding in northeaste­rn Adamawa state, confirmed the attack but said the number of casualties was unknown.

In Maiduguri, capital of neighborin­g Borno state, at least 30 were killed and more than 90 wounded in overnight blasts and shootouts, and 20 died in a bombing outside a mosque at dawn Monday, said Muhammed Kanar, area coordinato­r of the National Emergency Management Agency.

The military said there were multiple attacks at four southweste­rn entry points to the city.

In another blast, two girls blew themselves up in the Buraburin neighborho­od, killing several people, according to civil servant Yunusa Abdullahi.

The attacks appear to be a challenge to President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaratio­n last week that Boko Haram has been “technicall­y” defeated, capable of no more than suicide bombings on soft targets.

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