SAN FRANCISCO, July 16, (THEWILL) – Twin explosions have hit the main market in Gombe city, northeastern Nigeria, leaving many people dead and several others with injuries.
The Thursday evening blasts, witnesses said occurred minutes apart.
No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts, which have the hallmark of the Boko Haram, a terrorist group operating mostly in northern Nigeria.
Red Cross officials who helped evacuate the dead and wounded said at least 50 persons were killed in the bombings at the central market, which occurred about 5.20pm.
The blasts occurred in a section of the market dominated by shoes and clothes sellers just as patrons were making purchases in celebration of the Muslim Eid-el-Fitr celebration.
Ibrahim Mohammed, a fruit seller at the market said the first bomb rocked at about 5.20pm, while the second bomb exploded few meters away minutes later.
Emergency officials said bodies of the dead have been transported to the
Specialist Hospital and Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe.
Gombe state Commissioner of police, Mr. Kudu Nma, told journalists that the explosions were either caused by suicide bombers or planted EIDs. He said investigations would reveal the exact cause.
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