Five people were killed in a bomb explosion at a mosque in Maiduguri during evening prayers.
Police said at least 35 others were injured in the blast at the Gamboru market area.
Maiduguri remains a key flashpoint in the long-running Boko Haram insurgency in north-east Nigeria.
Bomb Blast In Nigeria's Maiduguri Mosque Kills Five
At least 35 others were injured when an explosive device went off during evening prayers in Borno state
Summary
At least five people were killed when a bomb exploded inside a crowded mosque in north-eastern Nigeria’s Borno state during evening prayers, police said, according to BBC.
The blast occurred at the Gamboru market area of Maiduguri, the state capital. Police spokesman Nahum Daso told local media that at least 35 others were injured in the explosion. According to BBC, the device detonated while worshippers were inside the mosque, leading to panic and chaos in the surrounding market area.
Unverified videos circulating on social media appear to show the aftermath of the blast, with people gathered amid dust-filled air at the market site. BBC reported that no group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
However, militants operating in the region have previously targeted mosques and other crowded civilian locations using suicide bombers and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Maiduguri has been at the centre of a long-running insurgency led by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province.
According to BBC, Boko Haram launched military operations in Borno state in 2009 as part of its campaign to establish an Islamic caliphate. Despite sustained security measures and military operations against the group, authorities have been unable to fully prevent sporadic attacks on civilians in north-east Nigeria, BBC reported.
(With inputs from BBC)
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