54 feared dead after explosions in Nigeria

MEMBERS of a Nigerian civilian defence group say suspected Islamic extremists have killed at least 54 people by detonating explosive devices in crowded places in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, in the north-east.

A spokesman blamed the Islamist militant group Boko Haram for the attack on Sunday night. The group was founded in Maiduguri.

The police said yesterday that a further 90 people were injured in the blasts.

One bomb exploded at a mosque, while the other two detonated at an area where people gather to watch football, said emergency services spokesman Muhammad Kanar.

The blasts in Maiduguri reflected the “high level of desperation” in Boko Haram, spokesman Sani Usman said in a statement.

The group wants to establish Islamic rule in the north-east. Two million people have been forced from their homes since the militants launched their insurgency in 2009.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari made combating the group a key campaign pledge as he sought election this year.

The city has been free of attacks for about a month. It was last hit by a bomb at the end of July and there was a skirmish with suspected Boko Haram militants on the outskirts in mid-august.

“A suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber detonated IEDS at a mosque in Ajilari and some insurgents threw IEDS at a viewing centre. The total casualty figure is now 54,” Victor Isuku, a police spokesman in Maiduguri, said.

A Nigerian army spokesman said on Sunday that three bombs had gone off.

Maiduguri is the birthplace of the insurgency that has killed thousands.