*Total death toll in Borno blasts on Sunday now 81

Bomb blast victims in hospital. Photo Daily Trust

Fresh reports have now indicated that a total of 81 people were killed in Borno State on Sunday, 54 in Maiduguri and 27 at a checkpoint in a market in Monguno, 135 kilometres away.

The latter bombing has been largely unreported. It was caused by a suicide bomber, two hours after the multiple attacks on the outskirts of Maiduguri.

Locals residents and a hospital source said the Monguno attack killed 27 people and injured 62 others.

“I counted 27 dead bodies from the scene,” said Malum Sunoma, a local resident who helped with rescues. He was speaking on the phone from a hospital where his brother was being treated.

“Five vehicles conveyed 62 injured persons from the Monguno attack to the specialist hospital in Maiduguri,” said a doctor, who spoke on condition on anonymity.

Maiduguri has been free of attacks for about a month. It was last hit by a bomb at the end of July and there was a skirmish with suspected Boko Haram militants on the outskirts of the city in mid-August.