20 feared dead as explosion hits Maiduguri mosque

About 20 persons are said to have died in Maiduguri, Borno State today, December 28, 2015, after a bomb exploded in a mosque.

Most of the victims are believed to be residents of the area who gathered around the building to investigate rumours that a bomb had been abandoned there, Premium Times reports.

“I have never seen such foolishness when people would go peeping into a mosque to find out if truly there was an explosive deposited in a place. But sadly, the bomb went off and over 20 persons were killed and many injured," a police officer told Premium Times.

The incident was also confirmed by a resident, Malam Suleiman who however said that the residents usually gather around the mosque every morning.

“The people normally sit down around the mosque in the morning. The place is like a meeting point where neighbours converge to relax,” Suleiman said.

“After the morning prayers they just sat down outside the mosque as usual and then the bomb went off. It was not suicide bombing like that of last night. It may have been planted. Many people died but I can’t give actual figure of the casualties,” he added.

Maiduguri has been under attack from Boko Haram since yesterday and a female suicide bomber is said to have killed 15 members of a family after they allowed her into their home believing that she was running away from the terrorists.

The attack was eventually repelled by the army.

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