The U.S. has condemned the suicide attack at a mosque in Mubi, Adamawa, which killed at least 50 people and injured several others on Tuesday.
The U.S. Department of State, in a statement by its Spokesperson, Ms Heather Nauert, described the blast as a terrorist attack.
The U.S. extended its sincere condolences to the Nigerian people and the families of the victims killed in the attack.
“That the victims were targeted and killed in a place of worship demonstrates yet again the brutal nature of the terrorists whose sole aim is to threaten the peace and security of Nigerian citizens.
“Such ruthless attacks on innocent civilians only serve to strengthen our resolve towards meeting these threats in cooperation with our Nigerian and regional partners.”
The blast happened during early morning prayers at the Madina mosque in the Unguwar Shuwa area of Mubi.
President Muhammadu Buhari also describing it as “very cruel and dastardly.”
President Buhari, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Tuesday, commiserated with families of the several victims, government and people of the state.
He assured that government would do everything required to secure the state from the deadly menace of Boko Haram.
The President enjoined the people in the entire North-east to be more vigilant and report suspicious persons to security agencies in order to avert further attacks on soft targets by the terrorist group.
The statement also stated that President Buhari has directed the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to deploy more police personnel to prevent further attacks by armed bandits in Zamfara.
While noting the current moves by the IGP to review police personnel and strategy in the state, the President directed him to visit the state and report back his findings about the deadly attacks.
The directives followed recent killings and wanton destruction carried out by unknown gunmen on communities in Shinkafi and Maradun Local Government Areas of the state.
President Buhari prayed that God would console the bereaved families in the Adamawa and Zamfara incidents, heal the injured, and grant rest to the souls of the departed.
The Adamawa Police Command had confirmed that the death toll in the Mubi mosque suicide attack rose to 50.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Othman Abubakar, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that a young boy was responsible for the blast which occurred during the early morning prayer.
“We have 50 dead and we are now trying to get the exact number of those injured ,” Abubakar said.
The attack happened in Dazala area of Mubi town in Adamawa on Tuesday around 5 a.m. when Muslims were observing the early morning prayer.
The incident was the first in three years since the liberation of Mubi town from Boko Haram insurgents in 2014. (NAN)
