Nigeria bomb attack claims 6 lives

Gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram on Friday launched bloody bomb attack in northeast Yobe State, leaving six people dead, a military source told Xinhua on Saturday. The headquarters of the Police Anti-Terrorism Squad and Yobe State Police Command, both in Damaturu, the state capital, were the targets of the Friday attack. Six bombs went off in different parts of the town, the main targets being the 360 Housing Estate, the Anti-Terrorism Squad office and the Police headquarters. At least one church - St Mary's Catholic Church - was burnt by the rampaging men. The parish priest was reportedly taking refuge at a police station. Gun shots shook the town for much of last night, forcing residents to stay indoors. Meanwhile, three suspected suicide bombers died on Friday in northeast Nigeria when the explosives they attempted to use exploded prematurely. The suspected bombers driving a black SUV sped up at the gate of the Joint Task Force (JTF) Headquarters in the state capital Maiduguri when the device exploded, the News Agency of Nigeria reported. The bombers were believed to be members of Boko Haram. JTF spokesman Hassan Mohammed confirmed the incident, saying no one other than the bombers was killed. He said the gate and some parts of buildings around the entrance to the headquarters were damaged in the blast. Two other explosions were reported in the Bulumkutu and Nganaram Bulabulin areas of Maiduguri on Friday, but there were no casualties, Mohammed said.