At least 18 people were killed and 30 others injured after a series of attacks by suspected female suicide bombers in Nigeria's northeastern Borno state on Saturday, the head of the local state emergency management agency said.
Borno is at the centre of a 15-year Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands of people and displaced millions more. Although the Nigerian military has degraded the capabilities of the militants, they still carry out deadly attacks against civilians and security targets.
Barkindo Saidu, director general of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, said suspected suicide bombers separately attacked a wedding, funeral and hospital, killing and injuring several people in the town of Gwoza.
Saidu said 18 deaths had been confirmed, a toll that included children, adults and pregnant women.
"The degree of injuries ranges from abdominal ruptures, skull fractures, and limb fractures," he said.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Borno state police were not immediately available for comment.
Boko Haram and its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), are the most active militant groups in Borno, a large swathe of rural hinterland the size of Ireland.
Latest Stories
-
MFWA, CFI train 32 female journalists in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire on Women Empowerment
3 mins -
Shafic Osman writes: Cement Prices and the Need to Concretize our Competition Law Regime
9 mins -
Facebook officially expands monetisation feature to Ghana
30 mins -
Minority’s permission for K.T. Hammond to lay cement L.I. a sign of weakness – Murtala Mohammed
1 hour -
GIZ hands over vehicles, equipment to Employment Ministry
2 hours -
AMA highlights rules and regulations for waste management
2 hours -
NPP not copying NDC’s campaign strategy – Frimpong Kodua
2 hours -
Claim that ambulances arrived in 2015 false – AG to Jakpa
2 hours -
Minority allows L.I. on cement pricing to be laid after days of resistance
2 hours -
Ambulances were not defective when they arrived in Ghana – Jakpa clarifies
2 hours -
Frimpong-Kodua: Mahama’s poll numbers likely to drop further
2 hours -
GSS calls for swift intervention to avert overcrowded population in Accra
3 hours -
GRASAG, NCCE sign MoU to promote civic education and governance practices
3 hours -
John Mahama cannot achieve much in 4 years – NPP General Secretary
3 hours -
Climate Loss and Damage: Both developed and developing countries will have to bear cost – Charles Abani
3 hours