Dozens killed in Nigeria suicide blasts

Suicide bombers killed dozens of people at a mosque and a market in northeast Nigeria on Tuesday, in a twin attack bearing the hallmarks of Boko Haram.

The blasts, said to have been carried out by young boys happened in Mubi, some 200 kilometres from the Adamawa state capital, Yola.

Imam Garki, from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said a joint assessment with the police and Red Cross found that 26 people were killed and 56 were injured, 11 of them critically.

But medical staff and eyewitnesses say the death toll could be much higher. 

Suspicion for the attack immediately fell on Boko Haram, the group whose quest to establish a hardline religious state in northeast Nigeria has left at least 20,000 dead since 2009.

TRT World's Phil Ihaza has more.

Mubi has been repeatedly targeted in attacks blamed on Boko Haram since it was briefly overrun by the militants in late 2014.

Nigeria's government and military have long maintained that the Daesh group affiliate is a spent force and on the verge of defeat.

But there has been no let-up in attacks in the northeast, particularly in Borno state, adjacent to Adamawa, which has been the epicentre of the violence.

Last Thursday, at least four people were killed when suicide bombers and fighters attempted to storm the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, raising fresh questions about security.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has been in the United States this week and met his US counterpart Donald Trump, who pledged more support in the fight against Boko Haram.

Nigeria has bought a dozen A-29 Super Tucano light fighter aircraft in a $496 million deal.

Chaotic scenes

In Mubi, local volunteer Habu Saleh, who was involved in the rescue effort, described the aftermath of the bombing as "chaos".

Health workers from the hospital mobilised to attend to the victims, despite being on strike over pay and conditions.

Abdullahi Labaran said the first bomber mingled with worshippers who had gathered for prayers at the mosque at the edge of the market.

He detonated his explosives "five minutes before the prayer started", he added.

The second bomber blew himself up among the crowds of worshippers, traders and shoppers as they fled the first explosion.

On November 21, 2017 at least 50 people were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a mosque during early morning prayers in the Unguwar Shuwa area of Mubi.