Villagers describe horror of Nigeria market bombing

Nigerian villagers on Wednesday described the carnage unleashed by a huge blast at a market in jihadist group Boko Haram’s northeastern heartland as the death toll rose to 50.

The blast - caused by explosives concealed in a crop-spraying backpack - ripped through the weekly market in the village of Sabon Gari, around 135 kilometres (85 miles) south of Borno state capital Maiduguri, during peak trading on Wednesday.

The Nigerian military described the attack as a “suicide bombing” although no local authorities have confirmed this and witnesses said the bag had been “abandoned” before it exploded. “When the blast happened, people in the market fled in fear. They abandoned their wares. Some managed to return for their <g data-gr-id="18">wares</g> but some never came back,” <g data-gr-id="17">Samaila</g> Biu, a local trader, said.

“The market was littered with all sorts of articles. The mobile phone section was a mess with many dead and pieces of flesh and blood splattered all over.”