Scene of suicide attack

At least, nine persons were killed in two separate suicide bomb attacks on Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State on Saturday morning, according to emergency workers.

Many were also injured in the two explosions in Maiduguri, one at the entrance to Bakassi IDPs camp and the other at the NNPC station along Damboa road.

Dan Bata, a member of the Civilian Task Force assisting the military in the fight against Boko Haram  was quoted by The Associated Press news agency as saying the two suicide bombers tried to enter a refugee camp, which houses more than 16,000 people fleeing fighting between the Boko Haram group and government forces.

The first blast went off around 7am on Saturday morning, said Bata.

He added that the second blast came about half an hour later and about a kilometre away when a tricycle taxi (popularly called Keke NAPEP) carrying at least two people exploded.

Eyewitnesses said the attacks seemed coordinated.

Information officer of the National Emergency Management Authority in the Northeast, Mallam AbdulKadir Ibrahim confirmed that 24 persons were injured in the two separate explosions, while nine lives were lost to the blasts, according to the Punch newspaper.