26 KILLED, 28 INJURED IN NIGERIA MOSQUE BOMBING ATTACK

Maiduguri, 13 Shaban 1436/31 May 2015 (MINA) – At least 26 people have lost their lives and 28 others have been injured following a bomb explosion inside of a mosque in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri, the capital of the Borno state.

The assailant, who pretended to be a worshiper, detonated his explosives inside the mosque next to the Monday Market of Maiduguri when the Asr (afternoon) prayers began at about 3:30 pm local time (14:30 GMT) on Saturday.

Meanwhile, some reports put the death toll at 30. “The roof was blown off and fire destroyed the mats of the mosque”, market trader Nura Khalid told AFP. Press Tv reports as quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA).

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No group or individual has so far claimed responsibility for the deadly blast; however, Nigerian officials often blame such attacks on Boko Haram, mostly active in the northeast of Africa’s most populous country.

The bombing came hours after the Boko Haram fired rocket-propelled grenades into residential areas of Maiduguri and killed at least 13 people.

Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is forbidden,” has killed over 15,000 people and displaced about 1.5 million others in Nigeria during its six-year militancy.

The group controls parts of northeastern Nigeria and seek to topple the Nigerian government. They have also conducted cross-border attacks in Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

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Boko Haram has pledged allegiance to ISIL, which currently controls parts of Iraq and Syria. (T/P002/NMT)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)