A bomb planted by Boko Haram in car exploded at a military post in a commercial area in the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri on Tuesday, killing 30 people and leaven dozen others injured.
The bomb exploded in front of a large military post called the Joint Task Force (JTF) Sector 4. The Joint Task force has been fighting Boko Haram for more than seven months to end their attacks.
Eyewitness said blood was seen everywhere on the ground as bystanders ran away and vehicles colliding as drivers rushed to flee. A number of cars also got burnt.
One eyewitness told the BBC African service that the situation was chaotic with dead bodies on the ground and troops firing automatic weapons.
“I heard a very loud explosion followed by several other explosions. After a while, I came out of my shop and saw many lifeless bodies lying on the floor”, the eyewitness said.
Soldiers also at the scene were said to have also started firing automatic rifles in the air after the explosion.
Boko Haram immediately issued a press statement claiming responsibility for the attack which left the city very devastated.
But the military also said in a statement that a suspect has been arrested for planting the bomb which caused the blast.
This is the latest in a series of attacks claimed by Boko Haram. On Sunday, Boko Haram said it has carried out an attack on market in the village of Kayamula also in Borno state. Five traders were killed in the attack.
Boko Haram has also claimed responsibility of being behind the deadly attack on 20 December at a military barracks in the town of Bama.
Both the UK and United States have blacklist Boko Haram as a terrorist organization aimed at enforcing their laws and regulatory agencies to block business and financial transactions with Boko Haram.
President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in 3 northern states on May 14, and deployed thousands of troops to halt the insurgency, acknowledging that militants had taken control of some towns and villages in the north.
Boko Haram is believed to have carried out a wave of bombings and assassinations since 2009 which have cost an estimate number of over 4,000 lives, and saying it wants to establish an Islamic state across Nigeria.
Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News
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