Over 40 feared dead in NE Nigeria bomb blast

Kano 

More than 40 people were feared dead in Gombe city, northeast Nigeria, on Wednesday after a series of bomb blasts ripped through two bus stations, a rescue worker and a witness said.

The first blast happened at about 7:30 pm (1830 GMT) near the entrance to the Dadin Kowa terminus, while the second occurred some 20 minutes later in the Dukku area. 

Witnesses reported hearing two blasts at both sites but lack of electricity made it impossible to say whether they were suicide attacks or homemade bombs left at the scenes. 

The blasts bore the hallmarks of Boko Haram, which has previously targeted crowded bus stations, markets, mosques and churches during its bloody six-year insurgency. 

Gombe city was hit last Thursday, when a series of improvised explosive devices went off in a market, killing 49. 

"So far we have recovered 12 dead bodies from the blast scene," said one rescue worker, who asked not to be identified, at the first site. "The bodies are badly mutilated and we have several people injured. 

"Our main focus now is to save lives." 

Gombe state police spokesman Fwaje Attajiri confirmed the blast but did not give a death toll.