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Bomb explosion (Photo: GRAPHITTI NEWS FILE)
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A bomb exploded in a crowded bus
station in the northeast Nigerian city of Damaturu on Sunday, causing
casualties in a region that has been frequently attacked by Islamist militants,
witnesses said.
Witness Adamu Muhammad said he heard
a loud blast and the people at the Damaturu's central motor park
"descended into panic."
According to Reuters reports, Muhammad said there were many casualties,
though he did not know how many. The Nigerian military was not immediately
available for comment. No one claimed the attack, which bore the hallmarks of
Islamist insurgent group Boko Haram.
On Saturday, heavily armed Boko
Haram militants attacked and attempted to overrun the northeastern Nigerian
city of Gombe but were later repelled.
Boko Haram's violent uprising for an
Islamic state has killed thousands, destabilized the northeast of Africa's
biggest economy and is increasingly doing the same to neighbours Cameroon, Chad
and Niger. They are now fighting back in a regional effort to crush the
militant group.
The insurgency has also cast doubt
over the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan, who is seen as not having
done enough to contain it or protect civilians, hundreds of whom have been
kidnapped.
Nigeria has postponed for six weeks a
presidential election that had been due to be held on Feb. 14, citing the
security threat from Boko Haram.
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