Lagos: At least 18 people have been killed and 48 seriously injured in three suicide attacks in north-eastern Nigeria. According to the regional State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), all three attacks occurred in the city of Gwoza. There was an explosion in the middle of a wedding ceremony at around 3 pm (1400 GMT) on Saturday, SEMA Director General Barkindo Muhammad Saidu told dpa. A second explosion hit the city’s hospital, where some of those injured in the wedding ceremony had been taken. The third attack took place at a Muslim funeral ceremony. According to the Nigerian police, the attacks were carried out by female suicide bombers, one of whom was carrying a baby on her back. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but it is suspected that the jihadist group Boko Haram is behind it. Boko Haram has repeatedly used women for suicide attacks in the past. Some of these female attackers are prisoners of the group, who sometimes carry out the attacks under the influence of drugs and coercion. The north-east of Nigeria has long been plagued by terrorist attacks. Both the terrorist groups Boko Haram and Islamic State are active in the region. (dpa)
