About 20 people have been killed and many others injured in a bomb blast at a market in Nigeria’s troubled northeastern Borno State, security sources say.
The attack took place on Tuesday when a suspected militant detonated his explosives at the crowded Gamboru cattle market in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno.
No group or individual has so far claimed responsibility for the deadly blast; however, Nigerian authorities often blame such attacks on Boko Haram, mostly active in the northeast of Africa’s most populous country.
Maiduguri has been a constant target of attacks by the militants in recent weeks.
On May 30, at least 26 people lost their lives and 28 others were injured following a bomb explosion inside a mosque in the city.
Maiduguri, the biggest city in northeast Nigeria, is considered the birthplace of Boko Haram.
On Friday, Nigeria’s new President Muhammadu Buhari announced his plan to shift the headquarters of the war against Boko Haram to Maiduguri, promising to eradicate the terrorist group.
Boko Haram, who control parts of northeastern Nigeria, are seeking to topple the country’s government. They have also carried out cross-border attacks in Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
The terror group has pledged allegiance to Daesh, which currently controls parts of Iraq and Syria.
A multinational force comprising of armed forces from regional nations has been fighting Boko Haram; however, it continues to carry out bombings and hit-and-run attacks in the region.
Editor's note: This article has been edited from the source material
