#News: Young Girl Bomber Kills At Least 5, Wounds Dozens In Nigeria

[HuffingtonPost]

BAUCHI, Nigeria, Feb 22 (Reuters) - A young girl with  explosives strapped to her killed five people and wounded dozens  at a security checkpoint outside a market in the northeast  Nigerian town of Potiskum on Sunday, witnesses said.                

"(She) refused to be checked at the gate to the market and  an argument ensued," witness Ibrahim Maishago told Reuters by  telephone. "She let off the bomb, killing herself and five  others, while many were injured."                

No one claimed responsibility for the bombing, which bore  the hallmarks of Islamist militant group Boko Haram. The  insurgents have suffered a string of defeats in a military  offensive by Nigeria and neighbors Cameroon, Niger and Chad.                

Resident Bala Potiskum said he saw dozens of wounded being  rushed to hospital after the blast.                

Both witnesses described the bomber as a "small girl,"  estimating that she could not have been more than eight years  old.                

The Islamist fighters appear to be on the run in many parts  of Nigeria and regions near its borders, after being subjected  to a major offensive on all sides, but retain the ability to  mount deadly surprise attacks.                

The use of female suicide bombers, sometimes young girls,  has been a common tactic of Boko Haram since last year, as have  revenge attacks on civilians when the group is under pressure.                

Nigerian forces backed by air strikes seized the  northeastern border town of Baga from Boko Haram on Saturday,  the military said, a significant victory and one of a string of  recent successes.                

President Goodluck Jonathan, who has been strongly  criticized for not taking tougher action against Boko Haram,  faces an election on March 28 in which security is a key issue.     (Reporting by Ardo Abdallah; writing by Tim Cocks; editing by  Rosalind Russell)
Source: huffingtonPost