Breaking: Many feared dead as female suicide bomber blows herself up in Maiduguri market

A female suicide bomber blew herself up Friday at a big market in the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri, a vigilante and a witness said.

“There had been a suicide attack on Gamboru market this morning. It was a female suicide bomber. The attack happened around 6:30 am (0530 GMT) as the grocers were arriving in the market which starts early,” said the vigilante, Babakura Kolo.

There is no immediate information on the number of victims, although witness accounts suggest that there have been casualties.

“From accounts we gathered from people around, the woman arrived on a taxi tricycle, as every woman grocer does. She blew herself up as soon as the tricycle stopped in the midst of other tricycles that were dropping traders off,” Kolo told AFP.

A witness, who declined to be named, corroborated this account.

“I was at home when I heard a loud explosion that sent me rushing out of my house. It was coming from the Gamboru market. I went there, but from afar. The place was littered with victims and burning rickshaws,” the source told AFP.

The Gamboru market is the second largest in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state.

A “mentally handicapped” female suicide bomber killed at least 14 people and injured 47 more last Sunday at a crowded market Damaturu, capital of neighbouring Yobe state.

Damaturu was also the scene of a triple suicide bombing on July 18 when three girls blew themselves up killing at least 13 people as residents prepared for the Eid festival marking the end of Ramadan.

(AFP)