By Billy Graham Abel, Yola
Over 30 people were confirmed dead and 67 others wounded in a twin bomb blasts at the Madagali main market in Adamawa State at about 11 am on Friday. The state Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Sajoh confirmed the incident and the casualty figure in a chat with journalists yesterday.
The blasts were suspected to have been carried out by the insurgent group, Boko Haram. The chairman of Madagali local government, Yusuf Muhammed confirmed that the attack happened at about 11am yesterday, adding that “the attacks have become more frequent in the past week.” Yusuf said, “ last week at Wakachakawa town, a man was killed in his farm while another man was abducted by Boko Haram. This last Wednesday, two women were abducted by Boko Haram at Sukur Dorowa. It took the intervention of local vigilantes to kill one of the Boko Haram members.”
As at press time, details of the attack were still sketchy as the military and the police were still working to find the perpetrators. It was however, gathered that the wounded were receiving treatment at Magali and Michika main hospitals.
The market is the biggest in the local government where major commercial activities in the area take place. The military recently launched an offensive against the insurgents in their Sambisa forest enclave. Madagali is one of the local governments that share border with the hide out of the insurgent group.
Madagali lies some 276km from the Adamawa State capital, Yola.
The town, which is close to neighbouring Borno State, was one of several others held by Boko Haram at the height of the group’s brutal insurgency.
The latest blast is the third in Madagali, following attacks by two female suicide bombers on December 28, 2015, at a busy motor park. Thirty people were killed in that blast and 16 were injured.