Heavy casualties feared after blast at mosque in Nigeria

October 23, 2015 22:53

Heavy casualties were feared today after a blast ripped through a newly commissioned mosque in the Adamawa state capital Yola in northeast Nigeria, rescue workers told AFP.

The explosion happened at about 2:00 pm (1300 GMT) at the Jambutu Juma'at mosque in the Jimeta area of the city, shortly after the imam had finished his inaugural sermon.

Friday's blast came after at least 28 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a mosque in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, shortly after 5:00 am today.

It was not immediately clear whether the Yola attack was also a suicide bombing or caused by an explosive device hidden in the building.

One volunteer at the Jambutu Juma'at mosque, who helped in the rescue effort but asked not to be identified, said: "This mosque was nearly built and this was the first prayers in it.

"While worshippers had risen for the prayers to start after the sermon by the imam, there was a huge blast in the premises. There was confusion and dozens of worshippers lay on the ground in blood. We are still sifting through the victims to separate the dead from the injured."

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