Authorities blamed jihadists and bandits for the bar attack. (Representatives)
Kano, Nigeria:
An explosive device exploded at a bar in the northeastern Nigerian state of Taraba on Tuesday, killing three people and injuring 19, police told AFP.
The explosion happened at a popular moonshine pub near a cattle market in the village of Iware, on the outskirts of the state capital, Jalingo.
“We have confirmed that three people were killed and 19 seriously injured in the explosion,” Usman Abdullahi, a spokesman for the Taraba state police, told AFP.
“The explosives were planted by people who have not been identified but (an) investigation is underway,” Abdullahi said.
Taraba is one of a number of northern states ravaged by criminal gangs of cattle thieves known as bandits that raid villages, killing people and looting homes as well as kidnapping people for ransom. .
Although residents blamed robbers for the attack, Mr Abdullahi said it was too early to “point out accusations before a thorough investigation.”
The use of explosives by robbers is rare.
Jihadist groups waged a 12-year insurgency in the northeast to form an organization that used the explosive Caliphate and carried out gun attacks on bars and drinking establishments.
There is growing concern about the growing relationship between jihadists and bandits, who are motivated by financial motives but not by ideological leanings.
Last month, gunmen bombed a railway track, derailed a train and crashed into VIP carriages, killing at least eight passengers and kidnapping dozens.
Authorities blamed jihadists and bandits for the attack.
The bandits, who were officially declared terrorists in January, maintain camps in a vast forest between the states of Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Niger.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from an aggregated feed.)
