At least 30 killed, 65 injured as blasts hit mosque in NE Nigeria

The bombs, suspected to have been planted in the mosque, went off twice as worshipers arrived for prayer at the religious center in Sulemanti ward, located along Jiddari-Polo area of the Maiduguri city, said Mohammed Isa, a security officer in the province.

"They were heavy blasts, even people living in nearby houses were affected," said the security officer. A source at the Borno Specialists Hospital said 30 corpses have been deposited at the morgue, adding a total of 65 persons injured were already receiving treatment at the accident and emergency ward. The incident jolted Maidguri as fear of more blasts enveloped the city, a resident said. Boko Haram, a militant group, which has since 2009 waged a campaign of violence in Nigeria in an effort to establish an Islamic state, is suspected to be responsible for the blasts. It has killed some 13,000 people and kidnapped hundreds, with surrounding countries such as Niger, Chad and Cameroon affected. At least 14 people were killed, dozens injured and an entire village burned down in an attack perpetrated on Christmas day by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State. Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said efforts are underway to persuade the insurgent group to embrace peace in the interest of the nation. Buhari had earlier given military chiefs a December deadline to end the insurgency of Boko Haram.

Source: Xinhua Photo: © AP Photo/ Gbenga Olamikan