Three suicide attacks simultaneously in Nigeria, 18 people including women and children killed

The first blast occurred at a wedding ceremony in the northeastern town of Gwoza, followed by explosions at a hospital and a funeral, said Barkindo Saidu, director general of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency. In the past, Boko Haram has used women and girls in suicide bombings.

Suicide bombing in Nigeria

Female suicide bombers targeted a wedding, a funeral and a hospital in Nigeria on Sunday, killing at least 18 people. Barkindo Saidu, director general of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, said the first blast occurred during a wedding celebration in the northeastern city of Gwoza.

Saidu said another explosion occurred minutes later near the General Hospital. The third attacker was disguised as a funeral attendee. The dead included children and pregnant women. At least 30 others were injured.

Use of women in suicide bombings

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks. Borno state has been badly hit by an insurgency launched by the Boko Haram Islamist extremist group in 2009. In the past, Boko Haram has used women and girls in suicide bombings, raising suspicions that some of the attackers were among the thousands of people the extremists have abducted over the past few years, including schoolchildren.

Nigerian President offers condolences

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu described the attacks in a statement as a desperate act of terrorism. The insurgency, which has spread across the borders around Lake Chad, has killed more than 35,000 people, displaced more than 2.6 million and created a major humanitarian crisis.

Islamic State in Nigeria

Boko Haram, with an offshoot linked to the Islamic State group, seeks to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria. The West African oil giant's population of 170 million is divided almost evenly between the mainly Christian south and the mainly Muslim north.

1,500 students kidnapped

The recent suicide bombings in Borno have raised significant concerns about the security situation in the region. Authorities have imposed a curfew in the town. Gwoza is just a few kilometres from Chibok, where 276 schoolgirls were kidnapped in 2014. About 100 girls are still hostages. Since then, at least 1,500 students have been kidnapped in Nigeria as armed groups find the practice a lucrative way to finance their criminal activities and take control of villages.