Blasts Rock Northern Nigeria City as Insurgency Flares Up
Blasts Rock Northern Nigeria City as Insurgency Flares Up
Multiple blasts killed six people and injured 27 in the capital of Nigeria’s northeastern state of Borno, where a decade-old Islamist insurgency is flaring up after a string of attacks.
The three explosions were carried out by suspected militants on the outskirts of Maiduguri on Thursday evening ahead of a Muslim celebration, Borno Police Commissioner Mohammed Aliyu told reporters. Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the blasts, he added.
Security agencies deployed 7,000 personnel to secure the city as the Muslim region celebrates Eid al-Adha, Aliyu said.
Islamist group Boko Haram and jihadists allied to the Islamic State have stepped up attacks in recent months, including the execution of several aid workers last week. This is despite a military offensive the government claims has killed hundreds of militants this year.
The convoy of the governor of Borno state, Babagana Zulum, was attacked by suspected militants on Wednesday while visiting a camp of civilians displaced by the conflict that has killed nearly 40,000 people since 2009, local media reported.
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