About 42 dead as twin bomb attacks hit northeastern Nigerian mosque

At least 42 people have lost their lives when two bomb explosions ripped through a mosque in Nigeria’s restive northeastern state of Borno.


 
 
According to AFP, witnesses said the bombs went off in quick succession at around 6.30 p.m. local time (1730 GMT) on Thursday as two bombers, disguised as worshippers, slipped into the place of worship in the western Molai neighborhood of the city of Maiduguri, located approximately 870 kilometers (540 miles) north of the capital, Abuja, where people had converged for evening prayers.
 
Muhtari Ahmadu, a trader near the scene of the blasts said: “All the people in the mosque died. Not a single one escaped. The mosque can accommodate at least 40 people at a time but I don't know whether many people were inside at the time of the incident.”
 
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. However, Nigerian officials usually blame such assaults on Boko Haram Takfiri terrorists.
 
The development came only two days after triple bombings killed at least seven people in the Ajilari Cross area of Maiduguri.