Deadly grenade attacks rock Nigeria's Borno state

The north-eastern city of Maiduguri in Nigeria’s Borno State has been hit by a number of explosions, according to eyewitnesses.

Emergency services say three people have died and six injured. Residents in the city had been preparing for Muslim holiday celebrations of Eid al-Adha.

The explosions are reported to have taken place inside the city early Thursday evening.

The head of security for Borno State’s Emergency Management Agency, Bello Danbatta, said that four rocket-propelled grenades were fired from outside the city, landing on separate sites.

Eyewitness Mohamed Abubakar told the BBC that the explosions took place in a busy part of the city close to the customs house, when traders and residents were heading home.

In recent years, areas outside the city of Maiduguri have been attacked by Islamist militants from the Boko Haram group, but it is unusual for an attack to strike inside the city.

This article and photo were originally published by BBC News.