Officials say 18 people died Saturday when female suicide bombers targeted people in northern Nigeria, leaving community members on edge.
Barkindo Saidu, director-general of Borno State Emergency Management Agency, said the first explosion happened during a wedding celebration in Gwoza, NBC News reported Sunday.
The second blast erupted minutes later near a hospital, and the third one occurred at a funeral service. The final incident was allegedly carried out by a female bomber who was disguised as a mourner at the gathering.
An image shows an injured child laying on what appears to be a hospital bed:
The NBC report noted that among those who lost their lives were children and pregnant women. The outlet continued:
No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Gwoza is in Borno state, which has been heavily impacted by an insurgency launched in 2009 by Boko Haram, an Islamic extremist group.
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Boko Haram, which has one branch allied to the Islamic State group, wants to install an Islamic state in Nigeria, West Africa’s oil giant of 170 million people divided almost equally between a mainly Christian south and a predominantly Muslim north.
President Bola Tinubu said the attacks were “desperate acts of terror” and promised to take action against the perpetrators, the BBC reported Sunday.
Some of the injuries incurred from the blasts included abdominal ruptures, and skull and limb fractures. Meanwhile, the BBC article noted that Boko Haram used its first female suicide bomber after it kidnapped 270 schoolgirls from Chibok in 2014. There has been speculation that those girls have been used to carry out the attacks.
“Recent numbers suggest that over half of all suicide bombers used by Boko Haram are female. Many suggest that their mode of dressing (usually in hijab — a covering from the head to the feet) offers adequate means for hiding explosives,” the BBC report said.
Aishatu Usman’s son was unconscious after the attack at the wedding happened, AFP reported Sunday. When speaking of the people who were hurt, she said, “I pray that God grant them speedy recovery and to the perpetrators of this heinous act, may God guide them to the right path.”
It is important to note that reports say there has been a recent “surge” in violence against Christians in Nigeria, per Breitbart News.
The NBC report said officials imposed a curfew in the area where the attacks happened and neighbors were on high alert due to reports about another suspected bombing attack in nearby Pulka.