BREAKING! Huge Explosion Rocks Muna In Maiduguri

A bomb explosion that occurred on Tuesday morning, at the busy Monday Market close to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) building in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, has left at least 18 people dead with 55 others severely injured.

Suspected suicide bombers have struck in the Muna area of Maiduguri, capital of Borno state.

A source disclosed this to TheCable, saying the incident happened around 2:50pm on Wednesday.

Details of the attack are still sketchy but officials of the Borno state emergency management agency (SEMA) and security agencies have reportedly moved to the scene.

This is coming 24 hours after President Muhammadu Buhari presided over a security meeting where he ordered service chiefs to tackle security threats in the north-east and other parts of the country.

In a nationwide address on Monday, Buhari had said his government would “reinforce and reinvigorate the fight against elements of Boko Haram which are attempting a new series of attacks on soft targets “.

The sect carried out a series of attacks during the president’s 103-day medical vacation in the United Kingdom.

A security source, who spoke to a journalist said: "After we heard the loud bang, we immediately moved into the area and found 10 people dead and the 27 persons who were in pains from injuries we took to both University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) and the State Specialists Hospital." Meanwhile, Pmnews reports that witnesses and a brief online statement from the defence ministry revealed that the explosion was caused by an explosive concealed in charcoal laden truck. It said the explosion caused a huge fireball at the roundabout area of the state capital. According to the Twitter account of the defence minister’s office "A van loaded with charcoal and IED exploded at Monday Market in Maiduguri this morning.
 The location has been cordoned". However, Habiba Adamu, a BBC reporter in Maiduguri, said a medical worker has reported that in addition to the 18 killed, 55 people were wounded in the blast.   "I heard a very loud explosion right from my house and rushed to the place" a resident, who gave his name as Babagana Hausari said. "When I got there I saw many people lying after they were hit by explosives".    Reuters reports that the blast was carried out by a suspected suicide bomber, adding that cars and taxis which were offloading goods and passengers were also affected .    Alakija Olatunde, a student who told reporters that he rushed to the scene of the blast said: "I saw police and troops picking out victims".
 Although the radical Islamist sect, Boko Haram who crave to create an Islamic state, is yet to claim responsibility for this attack, it is however, generally believed that the deadly sect is responsible. The Islamist has claimed over 2,000 innocent lives this year in several deadly attacks. On Monday July 30, the Director of Defence Information Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, announced the arrest of a businessman  Babuji Ya’ari, a suspected leader of the group. The Islamist is also believed to concentrate more on the north-eastern part of the country because that is its stronghold.