About 27 persons have been confirmed killed and 62 others injured after a bomb attack in Monguno, about 135 kilometres from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.
A member of the youth vigilance group, Idris Baba, said on Tuesday evening that a bomb exploded in the body of a suicide bomber at the onion section of a local market at Monguno on Sunday evening, which resulted in the death of not less than 27 persons, mostly traders.
A medical officer at the State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Five vehicles conveyed 62 injured persons from the Monguno attack to the Specialists Hospital in Maiduguri (on Monday afternoon) but we quickly asked them to go to the University Teaching Hospital because our facilities are over-stretched.”
A resident of Monguno, Baana Abubakar, who accompanied some of the injured persons to Maiduguri, confirmed that 27 persons were killed.
“I was at the onion market after the bomb explosion to help in the rescue operation. I counted 27 dead bodies at the scene.
“We lost 27 people in the bomb blast. Our people have started burying the dead ones. But one of the injured ones we brought to Maiduguri today also died,” he said.
The Borno State Commissioner of Police, Aderemi Opadokun confirmed the explosion. “Yes, at about 13.30 hours (1.30pm) of Monday, 21/9/15, caretaker Chairman of Monguno Local Government Area reported an IED Explosion at Monguno Onion Market at about 21.30 hours (9.30pm) of Sunday, 20/9/15.
“Some people died on the spot while others sustained varying degrees of injuries. Injured victims were transferred to UMTH Maiduguri, while the dead were buried by their relations. The scene has been visited. Investigation is presently in progress.”
Monguno is the birthplace of the National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno.
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