A bomb explosion in the Gidan Dambe district in restive Maiduguri killed one person in the early hours of Friday morning, the Joint Task Force confirmed.

According to reports, the victim is suspected to be a member of the Boko Haram sect who died while trying to plant an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The bomb was concealed in a bag and kept under a public shed, the AFP reported.

Residents put the time of the explosion at about 6 a.m. and JTF commander in the Borno State capital, Col. Victor Ebhaleme, said operatives were immediately deployed to the area.

“They found a man we believe to be a member of Boko Haram, dismembered by the explosion.

“Preliminary investigation has shown that he was killed when he was trying to plant the device,” he stated.

However residents identified the victim as a known drug addict named Dalwa, who “went into the shed and tried to open the bag to see what was inside it”.

The area has been cordoned off by security operatives, reports said.