Boko Haram suicide attack kills eight at mosque

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KANO, Nigeria, July 23, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Eight people were killed at a
mosque in northeast Nigeria on Monday when a suicide bomber detonated his
explosives, a civilian militia member and a local resident said.

The blast happened in the Mainari area of Konduga, in Borno state, said
Ibrahim Liman, from the civilian militia force assisting the military in the
fight against Boko Haram.

“The male bomber walked into the mosque at about 5:15 am (0415 GMT) while
prayers were on and exploded, killing eight worshippers and injuring five
others,” he told AFP.

“Seven of the victims died in the mosque while another died on the way to
(the Borno state capital) Maiduguri.”

Suicide bombings against “soft” civilian targets such as mosques, markets
and bus stations are the hallmark of the Boko Haram faction led by Abubakar
Shekau.

Many of the bombers used are young women and girls. Liman said the latest
attack appeared to be carried out by a man in his early 20s.

Umar Goni, who lives in Konduga, said he was on his way to the mosque when
the blast occurred and he helped to rescue victims with members of the
civilian volunteer force.

“We pulled out seven dead bodies and six injured worshippers. One of the
six injured died on the way to hospital,” he added.

The bomber was disguised as a worshipper, he said, adding: “There was no
way anybody could have known his mission.”

The latest attack comes as Nigeria’s government is encouraging people
displaced by Boko Haram’s Islamist insurgency to return home.

But aid agencies providing food, healthcare, clean water and shelter across
the conflict-ravaged region have warned that security has not improved.

Last week, at least six traders were killed when a convoy of lorries under
military escort were ambushed in Borno state near the border with Cameroon.

There have also been a number of attacks on military convoys and bases in
Borno and neighbouring Yobe state, with undisclosed casualties.

Soldiers and civilians have also been targeted in separate attacks in
neighbouring Chad and Niger.