Aftermath of Nigerian bus bombing
Aftermath of Nigerian bus bombingReuters

A large explosion near a bus station in northern Nigeria left five people dead and 12 others injured, police said Thursday morning.

The blast occurred Wednesday night in Azare town in Bauchi state, about 600 kilometers (370 miles) north of the capital, Abuja, police spokesman Mohammed Haruna wrote in an e-mailed statement.

A man left a bag filled with explosives outside a bus station in the town, which went off, witnesses stated.

Residents reported hearing loud explosions at around 9:45 p.m. local time, and said that the scene was chaotic with dead bodies being loaded onto trucks.

“We heard a loud explosion at the motor park and we rushed to the area and found some people caught by the blast,” resident Muttaka Usman said by phone to Business Week.

Security forces soon surrounded the area. 

"We are investigating the matter and we'll get the culprits behind it," said Haruna."It's premature to comment on whether Boko Haram are behind the attack."

Azare is the second-largest town in Baruchi state. Boko Haram terrorists have attacked the town several times, particularly in 2011 and 2012.

The militant Islamist group, which aims to institute Sharia law, has targeted northern areas including Yobe, Kano, Bauchi, Borno and Kaduna since they began their campaign in 2009.

Nigerian Government officials announced on October 17 that they had agreed to a ceasefire with the terrorist group.