At least 34 people have been killed in an attack on a cattle market in north-eastern Nigeria, security officials have told the BBC.

Another 29 people were injured, said Nigerian military spokesman Col Dahiru Abdussalam.

The market in Potiskum, Yobe state, was set on fire by gunmen armed with explosives.

Police say the attack may be in revenge for the killing by traders of a man who had earlier tried to steal cattle.
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The joint taskforce, a combined operation between Nigeria's army and police, is pursuing the "unidentified gunmen", Col Abdussalam said.

"A group of gunmen armed with around 20 explosives and assault rifles attacked the Potiskum cattle market," police spokesman Toyin Gbadegesin told the AFP news agency.

"They threw explosives and shot indiscriminately, setting fire to the market, killing lots of livestock and wounding many people, mostly cattle dealers," he said.

A gang of men locked the gate of Potiskum's fenced cattle market, trapping many traders and livestock inside, residents told the BBC.

The market - a bustling trading hub, with cattle on sale from neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger - was razed to the ground late on Wednesday and many animals were also burned to death, residents say.

Witnesses say they saw several bodies being removed from the market.

Correspondents say the attack does not appear to be the work of the radical Islamist group Boko Haram, which has carried out deadly bombings and shootings across northern Nigeria, including Potiskum, in the past 20 months.

Calebsky: Northern Nigeria is under siege.

bakila:

Aha that was what you intended when you started this thread.

1025: how on earth is a country with a president go this low in history. jonathan has contributed more bloods than any other past president of this country to their cult blood bank.
there is every tendency that nigeria will be reduced to half of its population by the time jonathan finish his first tenure.
i remembered as far back as 2003 when the then Gov of abia state(orji uzor kalu) said that pdp is a blood thirsty party and no one took him serious.
it is only pdp that has solution to this problem.
someone took an oath to protect the lives and properties of nigerians and that he is not doing in any manner - why can't this man resign and save our lives?

achi4u: Just 34!,
next time make una do am like...500

honeric01: I feel like just cursing all those who allowed this situation to happen, i mean everyone, both those who voted for this situation and those who were voted for, also those involved right now and those who have the "capacity" to do something positive about this scenario.

seunlayi: What do you mean by those who vote for this situation?

MrOldskool (JP):
plz continue in d rampant boombin,my hapiness is dat it onli happens in d north n d more d kill dem d beta for us we 4rm d south cos we will hav few abokis 2 KILL wen d 2nd civil war begins

ak47mann: http://www.?u=http%3A%2F%2Fdailytrust.com.ng%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D161438%253Agunmen-kill-33-injure-many-in-yobe-livestock-market%26catid%3D1%253Anews%26Itemid%3D2&h=FAQG8pam2AQG4TeRQssWjqIbNtxEw9RAuLH873OiJsl5AMw