At least 50 people have been confirmed dead and several others injured after two bombs ripped through Gombe central market on Thursday.
The incident occurred when customers were making last-minute Ramadan shopping in the evening.
Speaking with newsmen at the scene of the incident, a top member of the Nigeria Red Cross Society, who pleaded anonymity, said he counted over 48 dead bodies.
He said corpses were deposited at the mortuary of the Specialist Hospital and Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe.
Gombe State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kudu Nma, confirmed the incident.
He said, “There was a bomb blast. The (bomber) was either on a suicide mission or (may be) the bombs were kept somewhere with the view to causing panic and apprehension to people.”
According to him, the bomb exploded at the Sabon Layi footwear market.
“People were busy shopping in preparation for the Sallah festival. The casualties are yet to be ascertained. As you can see, people are busy working, trying to save lives; for now we cannot tell you the number of casualties,” the police commissioner said.
He said the police had condoned off the place to avoid looting, adding that relative calm had returned to the area.
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