Mosque targeted in Nigeria bombing

Three explosions rocked a mosque and the surrounding area in the Nigerian city of Maiduguri on Sunday. Speaking anonymously, a source inside the local hospital said that at least eight bodies had been recovered from the site of the blasts, and 50 more wounded were being treated, according to Reuters news agency.

Although there were no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack, Maiduguri, the capital of northeastern Borno state, is the birthplace of the Islamist insurgency Boko Haram.

Military spokesman Colonel Sani Usman said that "although details are not clear, it is important to note the attacks signify a high level of desperation on the part of the Boko Haram terrorists."

Local residents told reporters they heard the first blast, which went off in the city's restive Binta Sugar area, shortly before they entered the mosque for the last prayers of the day, at around 7:40 p.m. local time.

Boko Haram's six-year jihadist rebellion has claimed 150,000 lives, 800 of whom have been killed since President Muhammadu Buhari was inaugurated on May 29.

The Nigerian military recently claimed some gains against the terrorists, but this was disputed on Saturday in an audio message purportedly by Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau. He called the army liars for saying they had regained territory from the Islamist group.

es/cmk (AFP, Reuters)