Suicide blast in Nigeria kills 7 as Boko Haram pursues deadly campaign

A suicide attack by a female bomber killed at least seven people at a market in northeast Nigeria on Thursday, the latest bloodshed in a region where multi-national forces are trying to crush Boko Haram fighters. 

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the assault in the town of Biu, Borno state, but it resembled a spate of similar bombings blamed on Boko Haram. 

The blast followed a foiled suicide attack on Wednesday and a raid on police earlier this week in neighboring Yobe state. 

Violence involving Boko Haram has killed more than 13,000 since 2009 and become an increasing regional threat, forcing a six-week delay to Nigeria's general elections, as neighboring countries mount a campaign to crush the group.

Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger this month launched an unprecedented joint effort to crush the uprising, raising hopes that this new cooperation could turn the tide.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday vowed that "serious advances will be made" over the next six weeks, meaning security will have improved by the new election day, March 28. 

"But I'm not saying (we will) wipe out Boko Haram," he added.

In Niger, attacked by the insurgents for the first time last week, the ruling coalition called for a national protest on February 17, urging people to "close ranks" against "the terrorists of Boko Haram." 

The latest blast, at about 3:15 pm in Biu, 110 miles south of Borno's capital Maiduguri, hit a market packed with hundreds of buyers and traders, witnesses said. 

A nurse in the town's main hospital gave a death toll of seven, in an account supported by two others. 

Trader Auwal Yusuf said the suspected bomber appeared to have been riding in a van that was bringing goods to the market. 

Four witnesses identified the bomber as a woman, including Zakka Emmanuel, who said that he also counted 20 others who were "seriously bleeding" after the attack.

Boko Haram has been blamed for using women and young girls as human bombs as part of its deadly campaign to create a hardline Islamic state in the country's far northeast.

Biu is the biggest town in southern Borno and Boko Haram fighters have made repeated attempts to bomb the market, which is open on Mondays and Thursdays.

Last month, scores of insurgents tried to raid Biu but were pushed back by the military.

Agence France-Presse