At least 23 killed after suicide bombers hit Nigeria's Maidiguri

Multiple explosions staged by suspected suicide bombers rocked the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, killing at least 23 people and wounding more than 100 others, police said Tuesday.

The blasts on Monday evening occurred at the entrance of University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), and two local markets, known as Post Office and Monday Market.

"Preliminary investigation reveals that the incidents were carried out by suspected suicide bombers," police spokesman Nahum Kenneth Daso said in a statement.

"Regrettably, a total of twenty three (23) persons lost their lives, while one hundred and eight (108) others sustained varying degrees of injuries," he added.

Those wounded were being treated in local hospitals, according to Surajo Abdullahi, the head of Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Maiduguri.

“108 are currently receiving treatment at University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), 20 at Umaru Shehu hospital, and 17 at Maiduguri Specialist hospital,” he said.

Military post attacked

The blasts came after an attack on a military post overnight Sunday to Monday, which authorities blamed on suspected terrorists.

Combined with the attack on the military position the evening prior and a mosque bombing in December, the assaults have wrecked a peaceful stretch in the city, which had become a relative oasis of calm.

Terrorists from Boko Haram and a local affiliate of the Daesh have recently stepped up attacks in northeastern Nigeria.

Police said in the early Tuesday morning statement that "normalcy has been fully restored in the affected areas" and that security forces have increased their "presence and surveillance across Maiduguri and its environs to prevent any further occurrences".

Source: Newstimehub