UPDATE - 16 killed, 82 injured in Nigeria suicide blasts

UPDATES WITH TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY'S STATEMENT

By Olarewaju Kola

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AA) - At least 16 people were killed and 82 others injured in multiple suspected suicide attacks in northeast Borno state late Tuesday, police said Wednesday.

Police Commissioner Damian Chukwu told reporters three suspected bombers, including two females entered a car parking lot in Konduga town on Tuesday evening and detonated their explosives.

Details of the blasts remained sketchy until Wednesday morning due to lack of communication facilities at Konduga, some 35 kilometers (22 miles) from state capital Maiduguri.

"Two female suicide bombers and a male counterpart approached a mini motor park/market at Konduga town.

"They all detonated IEDs [improvised explosive devices] strapped to their bodies, killing themselves and 16 others while about 82 persons were injured," Chukwu said.

The injured were shifted to a public hospital in Maiduguri.

The death toll may rise further as more bodies are recovered from the blast scene, a hospital official told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but similar attacks in the past were said to be carried out by Boko Haram, which is behind most of the violence in the country's northeast.

Meanwhile, Turkey condemned the latest attack.

"We strongly condemn these attacks targeting innocent people and attempting to destabilize the region," Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

It wished Allah’s mercy upon those who lost their lives and speedy recovery to the injured.

"We wholeheartedly share the grief of brotherly people of Nigeria, reiterate our support to Nigeria in its fight against terrorism and wish peace soon gets restored in the region," the statement added.