50 Killed In Damaturu Eid Praying Ground Bombing

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A bomb blast scene

By Ibrahim Imam, Kaduna.

Fifty persons have been killed in the bomb blast that ripped through a crowd of worshoppers at the Eid praying ground at Layi Gwange, this morning in Damaturu, Yobe capital.

Acting director of Army Public Relations, Sani Usman, confirmed in a statement that the explosions occurred at screening areas of the praying ground. Many people also sustained various degree of injuries in the incident.

Damaturu, in Yobe state northeast Nigeria, had been worse-hit by the wave of bombing by the Boko Haram islamist sect.

Confirming the incident, the Army Public Relations said: “This is to confirm that there were two suicide bomb explosions today at about 7:40 a.m. in Damaturu, Yobe, in which two female suicide bombers — one elderly woman and a ten year-old girl –detonated the devices.

“It occurred at screening areas for intending Muslim worshippers at Layin Gwange, Damaturu and at phase1, in front of former state secretariat, Damaturu,” he stated.

According to Usman 43 persons died in the first explosion, while seven bodies were recovered in the second explosion.

Agency report quoted one eyewitness named Mohammed as saying, “I was sitting down when I heard two bomb blasts. I saw the bodies of five people and many were injured,” he told Reuters.

The report of the latest bombing got to us few hours back following a call from Damaturu.

Information on the incident is sketchy. But a caller who identified himself as Idris told News Investigators that the incident occurred before the commencement of prayers, sending a wave of shock across other praying locations in the city.

“Security people have already been drafted,” he said. Adding,” We haven’t started praying. l cannot say what exactly happened, l just heard a loud sound that shook the ground and people started running.”