Loud explosion hits Maiduguri again

MAIDUGURI (AFP) – A loud explosion hit the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri on Sunday, residents said, with the area targeted by scores of bomb and gun attacks blamed on an Islamist sect.
It was not immediately clear whether there were deaths or injuries linked to the explosion, which came a day before a military deadline for residents to surrender illegal arms.
“There was a loud explosion,” said resident Hammadi Yakubu. “The explosion was the loudest I’ve heard so far in the city.”
He said that “from what I gathered, a bomb detonated targeting a military patrol vehicle. Nobody knows the extent of the damage because the area has been cordoned off by soldiers.”
Another resident gave a similar account, speaking of a heavy explosion and smoke billowing.
“The sound was really terrifying,” said Ahmad Gana.
Military and police officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
Maiduguri has been hit by scores of attacks blamed on the Islamist sect known as Boko Haram, which also claimed responsibility for the August suicide bombing of UN headquarters in Abuja, which killed at least 24 people.
SOURCE: Www.vanguardngr.com