Just In - Three 'Huge' Explosion Hit Maiduguri - Red Cross

Three blasts hit the city of Maiduguri in northeast Nigeria on

Tuesday, October 14, killing at least seven people, locals and the

Red Cross said.

The “huge explosions” happened in the Ajilari Cross area of the city,

the AFP reports. The area has been targeted by similar attacks twice

in the last month, including on September 20 when at least 117 were

killed.

The previous attacks were blamed on Boko Haram who used suicide

bombers and improvised explosive devices.

“Seven dead bodies have been evacuated from the scene of the blasts,”

said a Red Cross official.

It was not immediately clear what caused the latest blasts, which

happened in quick succession from 8:10 pm, said Bashir Mohammed,

whose house is near the scene.

 

“We are all confused and people are running helter-skelter,” he said.

Sheriff Ahmad, a cleric in the area, said: “Many people have been killed.

I don’t know how many and I don’t think anyone can tell you

now.” Ahmad said he has seen body parts on his house.

Hafsat Sani, a nurse at the nearby Umaru Shehu Hospital, said:

“There are many houses around the area and the blasts have affected

many of them.”

The hospital quickly began receiving the injured while police, soldiers,

the Red Cross and officials from Nigeria’s National Emergency

Management Agency (NEMA) were mobilised, he said.

The police and military haven’t made any public announcements

yet. Details remain sketchy as Maiduguri is subject to a night-time

curfew.

On October 1, at least 10 people were killed and 39 injured when four

suicide bombers blew themselves up in a wave of attacks in Ajilari

Cross, which is near Maidugiri airport and a military base. At least

two bombs were strapped to teenage girls.

The September 20 attack targeted a mosque and killed football fans

watching a televised match as well as bystanders.