Officials in Nigeria’s Borno state say 10 people have died from explosions around the northeast city of Maiduguri. Residents in affected areas have fled their homes. Local officials suspect Islamist militant group Boko Haram was behind the blasts. 
 
There was relative calm on Wednesday and residents who fled their homes last night returned to the affected areas of Adam Kolo, Gwange, and Kaleri.  FILE – Babagan Umara Zulum, governor of Nigeria’s Borno state, is seen in Maroua, Feb. 20, 2021. (Moki Edwin Kindzeka/VOA)The Borno state governor, Babagana Zulum, visited two hospitals in the morning and confirmed in a statement that 10 people were killed in the attack, including children who were playing in a field. He said 47 others were injured. 
 
No one has claimed responsibility, but Maiduguri resident Sani Adam blamed the blasts on the group Boko Haram.  
“The deaths was as a result of projectiles fired by Boko Haram which landed in three different locations,” said Adam.Maiduguri is the capital of Borno state, the epicenter of the Boko Haram insurgency. For years, the group has carried out bloody raids and suicide bombings here. The last one until Wednesday occurred one year ago. Governor Zulum said authorities are taking measures after the explosions. He said the military has repelled the insurgents. But Maiduguri resident Andy Rufi said he heard multiple explosions and was terrified. 
 
“When I came back from work, I started hearing the explosions which was close to my area. Later there was gunshots and multiple bomb blasts, more than ten,” he said.
 
The Borno state health ministry says it is taking care of all the injured people. 
 
An estimated 36,000 people have been killed since the Boko Haram insurgency started in 2009. Boko Haram has been fighting to create an Islamic state based in Nigeria.   
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