The death toll in the early morning bombing of a Mosque in Mubi, Adamawa State has increased to 50, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Othman Abubakar, has told The NEXT EDITION.
Mr. Abubakar, said the state Deputy Governor, Martins Babale, the Commissioner of Police, Moses Jitoboh and other heads of security formations in the state were already on the way to Mubi.
“As at now the number of people killed in the blast has risen to 50 and many people are in critical condition,” Mr. Abubakar said on the telephone.
“The deputy governor and heads of security formations in the state are heading to Mubi as I speak to see what actually happened. It is a very sad incident.”
Mr. Abubakar said emergency workers and security operatives are currently evacuating victims of the attack to nearby health facilities for treatment.
Read also: Boko Haram: Suicide bomber hits Adamawa, scores feared dead
Continuing, he said, “While we are yet to confirm those behind the attack, we know the trend and we know those who could carry out that kind of attack.”
Witnesses confirmed that A 17-year-old boy suspected to be a member of the Boko Haram group detonated explosives strapped to his body after the early morning prayers in a Mosque.
The attack occurred at about 5 am at Kunu Araha, a suburb of Mubi North Local Government Area.
Speaking to journalists earlier in the day, the PPRO had said, “We were made to understand that there was a bomb blast at a mosque in Mubi and over 30 lives were lost.
“A boy about 17-year-old wearing a suicide vest entered the mosque along with other worshippers. Immediately after the prayers, he detonated the bomb. Many of the wounded are receiving treatment at various hospitals in Mubi North where the attacks occurred around Kunu Araha area.”
He noted that several other persons wounded in the attacks are receiving medical attention at various medical hospitals in Mubi Town.
The attack has also been confirmed by Haruna Furo, head of the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency, and Musa Hamad Bello, chairman of the Mubi North Local Government Area, both confirmed the attack.
A resident of the area, Abubakar Sule, told the Punch he had just returned home when he heard the blast.
“I was there when the rescue was on and 40 people died on the spot and several others were taken to hospital with severe and life-threatening injuries,” he added.
“The roof was blown off. People near the mosque said the prayer was mid-way when the bomber, who was obviously in the congregation, detonated his explosives.This is obviously the work of Boko Haram.”
In 2014, Boko Haram had overrun Mubi and renamed it Madinatul Islam, or “City of Islam” in Arabic.
But the Nigerian military had retaken the town and restored peace to the area and neighbouring areas that were captured by the insurgents.
