By Olarewaju Kola

MAIDUGURI, (AA): Two suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers blew themselves up Monday at the crowded cattle market in Nigeria’s northeast regional capital of Maiduguri, injuring 12 people.

The bombers, both female, sneaked into Kasuwan Shanu Cattle Market in the early morning in the city, where Boko Haram has carried out series of bombings and attacks for nearly six years.

“The explosion by two female suicide bombers occurred at about 0840hrs (local time) [0740GMT] today,” police spokesman Victor Isuku said in a statement, blaming the attack on Boko Haram.

Rescue workers told Anadolu Agency that they evacuated at least 12 injured persons from the market, which opened for the day barely an hour before the blast.

“We received 12 injured and they are responding very well to treatment. Some with minor injuries have been discharged,” said a senior medical officer at the Maiduguri Specialists Hospital, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

The explosions came barely 48 hours after the military captured Boko Haram’s “camp zero” in Sambisa, a major operational terrorist base, in what President Buhari called a great leap in the counter-insurgency war.

The military also warned residents to be more vigilant of Boko Haram, which may have sent out bombers to infiltrate communities in the northeast states after being flushed out of their base by the military.

[Map fo Nigeria showing Maiduguri. By Kemal Delikmen/AA]