At least 11 killed as suicide attack hits Nigerian mosque

ABUJA, - At least 11 dead bodies have been evacuated following a suicide attack on a local mosque in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno early Monday, local residents said.

Eight others were wounded in the attack at about 5:15 am in Konduga area of Borno, Abubakar Khalid, a survivor said.

According to Khalid, a male suicide bomber who entered the mosque during the morning prayer had pretended to be a worshipper before detonating his improvised explosive device.

All of the victims were worshippers, said Yunusa Bala, another witness.

Bala said seven of the victims died inside the mosque, while two bodies were found at the entrance of the building.

"One died on the way to the hospital and one other died at the hospital," he said after assisting victims to the hospital in his van.

Victims of the suicide attack were rushed to the Univerity of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) in the capital of Borno, located 43 kilometers to Konduga.

Hospital sources told Xinhua by telephone that the victims were admitted at the emergency unit of the facility.

Local authorities, including the police, are yet to issue any official statements on the attack.

According to local residents, the Nigeria-based terror group Boko Haram, which launched its bloody campaign in 2009, might be responsible for the suicide attack.

Despite the efforts by the government and the armed forces to destabilize the group, Boko Haram has been attacking soft targets recently, mostly in the northeast region of the country.