At least 56 people were killed in northeast Nigeria on Tuesday when two female suicide bombers blew themselves up in a refugee camp, officials have revealed.
According to Reuters reports, the death toll could be over 60 people. The tragedy at the Dikwa refugee camp was only disclosed Wednesday because a breakdown in the telephone system had prevented the information being made public earlier.
Some 50,000 people currently live at the Dikwa camp in the Borno State. The camp is located just 85 kilometers from Maiduguri, the biggest city in the region and birthplace of Boko Haram.
A third woman bomber was arrested, according to AP. She has reportedly disclosed plans for additional bombings.
Witnesses report indicated that the suicide bombers infiltrated the camp unnoticed and set of the blasts while breakfast was being served on Tuesday morning.
Nigeria’s Channels Television reports:
“Between 6:00 am to 7:00 am when people were trying to line up for breakfast an explosive went off. In the ensuing confusion another blast went off again,” Mustapha Ali, one of the survivors, told Channels Television.
“We do not have control over our movement – only the government decides where we stay, but we wish they would relocate us to Maiduguri because we are in a war zone. Even though we are surrounded by soldiers,” he added.
The victims were mostly women and children. Mass burials took place on Wednesday.
The attack took place some 85 km (50 miles) outside the capital of Borno state, center of the seven-year insurgency, they said.
The attackers were reported to have detonated their explosives while the refugees were queuing to collect food rations.
