Suicide blast kills at least 50 at a mosque in Nigeria

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At least 50 people were killed in a suicide bomb blast at a mosque in the northeastern town of Mubi, in Adamawa state, northeast Nigeria, AFP reported.

"So far we have at least 50 dead from an attack at a mosque in Mubi," said state police spokesman Othman Abubakar.

The attack was perpetrated by an unidentified teenage boy who set off the suicide vest he wore to the mosque, police said.

Local media quoted the chairman of Mubi North Local Government Area, Musa Bello, as saying that the blast occurred in the early hours of Tuesday while worshippers were holding a prayer meeting.

The teenage attacker detonated the bomb immediately after the prayers inside the local mosque.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the suicide blast, but the security authorities and local residents are suspecting terrorist group Boko Haram to have carried out the attack.

In October 2014, Mubi was captured and under the control of Boko Haram.

Less than a month later, government forces conquered Boko Haram in the town and recaptured the town from them.

The attack early Tuesday was the first in the town since it was recaptured from Boko Haram three years ago.

Boko Haram has been blamed for the death of more than 20,000 people and the displacement of 2.3 million others in Nigeria since 2009.

(With inputs from Xinhua)

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