Bomb Explosion Kills 50 At Screening Area for Eid Prayer in Damaturu

Boko Haram‎ suicide bombers have killed scores of Muslim worshippers in Damaturu, Yobe State capital when they detonated bombs strapped to their bodies amidst large crowd of worshippers.

The start of Eid can vary in different parts of the world, but Muslims in Nigeria this year observed the holiday on Friday, beginning with morning prayers and a small breakfast before gathering with family and friends for feasts and celebrations.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja by the Acting-Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, who confirmed that the explosions occurred at screening areas of the Eid prayer ground.

Several other people were also said to have sustained varying degrees of injuries from the two explosions.

The Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim Geidam and the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Tukur Yusuf Buratai have sympathised with the victims and the people of the state and urged residents to stay calm and be security conscious at all times.

Some 300 people have been killed this month.

Colonel Usman assured Nigerians that the Nigerian army have the situation under control, and that the attack does not in anyway weaken the resolve of the Nigerian army to rid the nation off terrorism and insurgency.

The bombs went off about 8am at one of the Eid grounds located in an area called Phase-1 Secretariat along Damaturu-Maiduguri road.

Since a new government came to power in May, the terrorist group had intensified attacks on communities and places of worship, with more carried out by suicide bombers.

The first bomb was said to have exploded by 5:20pm, as customers were busy making last minuets Ramadan purchases.