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Over the weekend, an alleged 10-year-old Nigerian girl detonated explosives that were strapped to her body in a crowded market in Maiduguri, Nigeria. The explosives detonated as the girl was being screened with a metal detector at the market’s entrance, he said. It’s standard procedure for people to be screened before entering the market, as this has been the fourth attack on the market since July.

The explosion not only killed the young girl, but at least 16 people perished along with her and 20 people were injured. As of today, Boko Haram has not claimed responsibility for the bombing. According to reports, on the next day, two female suicide bombers — their age has yet to be confirmed — set off a separate attack in the city of Potiskum, killing three people and injuring 43. These two young women bombers were said to have blown up before reaching their target.

As both of the incidents were eerily similar and very close in occurrence, many are wondering if they’re related and the beginning of trend suicide bombing killings, using young girls (who may have been kidnapped by Boko Haram) as the catalyst.

MUST READ: Deadliest Massacre In History: Boko Haram May Have Murdered Over 2,000 Civilians In Nigeria

The marketplace in Maiduguri has been a frequent target. More than 45 people were killed in late November in an attack, and more than 10 others died in another blast a week later, on December 1. Another bombing on July 1 left at least 15 people dead and several injured.

Boko Haram has been terrorizing Nigeria since 2009–leaving no stone unturned on who they attack. Women, children, churches, you name it, Boko Haram ravages it. According to CNN, the group is attacking villages, killing older men and women and rounding up the young to “do their dirty work,” or to be used as bombers.

Both of these suicide bombings come after what’s being called one of the deadliest attacks in history–the bloody massacre in Baga, a fishing town about 125 miles from Maiduguri. It’s being reported that Boko Haram slayed as many as 2,000 civilians. This tragedy has been overshadowed by the Charlie Hebdo executions that left 12 employees from the satirical publication dead. While we all mourned the fallen journalists and cartoonists, many of us missed the massive killing in Nigeria because many media outlets weren’t covering it. In fact, when #TeamBeautiful posted the story about the massacre on Friday, our only source was Amnesty International–the only publication reporting from Nigeria.

Many celebrities, like Boris Kodjoe, Eric Benet  and more have been on social media sharing their disdain with the media for ignoring a killing of such epic proportions:

But guess who still hasn’t said a word? Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has been completely mum about the 2,000 plus people who have lost their lives in Nigeria; not to mention the tens of thousands who have been displaced because their village has been ravaged. Goodluck Jonathan’s been campaigning instead. We wish this wasn’t real, but it is. What kind of world do we live in where 2,000 people violently die and the world focuses on an alleged terrorist attack in France and Nigeria’s own president is only caring about himself? We guess it’s too later to chant, #BringBackOurGirls! Sound off in the comments below.

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Boko Haram Kidnaps Dozens Of Boys From Nigeria In Latest Raid

 

Is Boko Haram Using The Kidnapped Nigerian Girls As Suicide Bombers?  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com