Over 20 people were killed in an attack by two suicide bombers on Tuesday, the incident occurred at a mosque and a market in Mubi, northeast Nigeria, residents said.
“We have evacuated dozens of dead and injured people to the hospital and the rescue operation is still ongoing,” local volunteer Habu Saleh told AFP.
A medical source at the Mubi General Hospital said they had “so far received 37 dead bodies and dozens of injured from the two blast scenes”.
The official number of dead is unknown, Police and government officials in the Adamawa state capital, Yola, were not immediately available for comment.
A member of staff at the hospital who wishes to remain anonymous because he is not authorized to speak to the media, added: “The death toll may mount because evacuation is not completed.
“Many of the injured who are in critical condition may not survive.”
Hospital workers are battling to attend to the victims, despite being on strike over pay and conditions.
An eyewitness and resident of Mubi, Abdullahi Labaran stated that the first bomber positioned himself with worshipers who had gathered for prayers at the mosque at the edge of the market.
He detonated his explosives “five minutes before the prayer started” at about 1:20 pm (1220 GMT).
The second bomber blew himself up during the rush of worshipers, traders and shoppers who were fleeing the mosque and heading to the butchery section of a nearby market.