A minor female bomb­er yesterday detonated explosive devices in a local market at Dama­turu, Yobe State capital, killing no fewer than 19 people. Witnesses said the bomber, whose age was put at about 10 years by the police, had sneaked into the sugar cane mar­ket in the state capital at about 9.30am yesterday, and shortly an explosion occurred.

The Police Public Re­lations officer (PPRO) in the state, Toyin Gba­degesin, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), who confirmed the incident, said the sui­cide bomber detonated an Improvised Explo­sive Device (IED), “at the main entrance of the market.” Gbadegesin put the casualty figure at 14 though the state govern­ment said 19 were killed, adding that 47 other people injured were re­ceiving treatment at the Sani Abacha Special­ist Hospital in the state capital.

The PPRO also re­vealed that five units of un-detonated IED were recovered from the scene of the blast, even as he cautioned residents to be careful with people carrying bags, saying the militants had resorted to using bags to convey ex­plosive devices. Meanwhile, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam has de­scribed the explosion as ‘horrific’, saying it was another sad day in the state in which innocent people were again, the target of bloodthirsty terrorists. He sym­pathised with the fami­lies of victims and those who sustained injuries.

A statement issued by the Director of Press Affairs to the Gov­erno, Abdullahi Bego, read in part: “The gov­ernor has condemned the attack as callous, barbaric and unjustifi­able. He has also called on security agencies in the state to step up sur­veillance and the people to remain very vigilant about happenings in their areas and report any suspicious person or movement to the nearest security point or juris­diction.”