KANO: A girl thought to be aged just 12 detonated explosives she was carrying at a market in northeast Nigeria on Tuesday, killing 10 people and injuring dozens, a relative of one of the injured told AFP.

The blast bore all the hallmarks of Boko Haram Islamists, who have used young women and girls in the past as human bombs and regularly attacked “soft” civilian targets such as markets.

The explosion happened at around 11:00 am (1000 GMT) at the weekly market in Wagir, in the Gujba district south of the Yobe state capital Damaturu. “It was a suicide attack by a girl of around 12 years,” said Hussaini Aisami, whose relative was among at least 30 people injured.

“She went into the market and headed straight to the grain section. She detonated her explosives in the middle of traders and customers.”