By Desire Emmanuel with Agency Reports
An explosion tore through a mosque during evening prayers on Wednesday inside Gamborun Market Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, and many worshippers are feared dead, a witness told Reuters News Agency.
There was however no immediate word on casualties or official comment.
The blast occurred in a city that has been at the heart of an Islamist insurgency waged by Boko Haram and its offshoot Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) for nearly two decades which has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions across the northeast.
No group has claimed responsibility, but militants have previously targeted mosques and crowded places in Maiduguri in suicide bombings and improvised explosive device attacks.
Some eyewitnesses also said the blast ripped through part of the mosque, killing some worshippers instantly and leaving others with varying degrees of injuries.
Traders and residents in the area were seen fleeing the scene as thick smoke billowed from the mosque, while others attempted to assist victims before emergency responders arrived.
Security operatives cordoned off the area shortly after the incident to prevent further casualties and to allow for preliminary assessment of the situation.
Boko Haram launched its uprising in Borno State in 2009, seeking to establish an Islamic caliphate. Despite military offensives and regional cooperation, sporadic attacks continue to threaten civilians in the northeast.
