Nov. 21 (UPI) -- At least 50 people died in northeast Nigeria Tuesday when a teen suicide bomber set himself off inside a mosque, authorities said.
Police said the blast in the town of Mubi, which bore similarities to other Boko Haram attacks, was triggered by a 17-year-old bomber who mingled with worshipers in the mosque shortly after morning prayers.
"The roof was blown off," witness Abubakar Sule said. "People near the mosque said the prayer was midway when the bomber, who was obviously in the congregation, detonated his explosives."
Police spokesman Abubakar Othman said the death toll was at least 50 but could rise "as those seriously injured could add to the figure."
Authorities and experts suspect Boko Haram in the attack.
"It fits with the increasing lethality and potency of suicide attacks of the organization's current 'hot streak', which started approximately four weeks ago," counterterrorism specialist Yan St-Pierre said.
Mubi is located in a state once held by Boko Haram militants until they were pushed back by troops in 2015
Boko Haram has killed more than 20,000 people since waging an insurgency war in northeast Nigeria since 2009.
