Dozens killed in double mosque blast

YOLA, Nigeria — A pair of explosions killed at least 28 worshippers at a mosque in northeastern Nigeria and wounded at least 56 others, with many of the victims caught in the second blast while trying to flee, police said on Tuesday.

Some reports put the death toll at more than 60.

The attack in Mubi town came a day after President Muhammadu Buhari met with US President Donald Trump at the White House and discussed the threat from the Nigeria-based Boko Haram extremist group. Its fighters were quickly blamed for Tuesday’s blasts.

This is the second time in six months that dozens have been killed in an attack on a Mubi mosque. In November, a teenage suicide bomber attacked worshippers as they gathered for morning prayers, killing at least 50 people in one of the region’s deadliest assaults in years.

Resident Isa Danladi said he had been about to leave his house near the mosque when he heard the blast.

“The mosque roof was blown off and the prayer was midway when the bomber, who was obviously in the congregation, detonated his explosives,” Danladi said. “This is obviously the work of Boko Haram.”

Haruna Hamman Furo, the head of the state emergency management agency, called the attack “devastating”.

In recent months, Boko Haram activity has been concentrated in the far north of Adamawa state, around Madagali, near the border with Borno state. That area is not far from the Sambisa Forest area where the extremists had a stronghold.

Boko Haram fighters are also said to be hiding in the Mandara mountains to the east near Cameroon.

The United Nations says the terror group has killed more than 20,000 people since 2009.

KIM HONG-JI / REUTERS Novice monks who had their heads shaved pose for photographs with Buddhist monks during an event to celebrate the upcoming Vesak Day, the birthday of Buddha, at Jogye temple in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday.