Female suicide bombers suspected in Nigeria presidential rally blast

Two female suicide bombers were suspected of being behind a blast on Monday outside a stadium in northeast Nigeria, where President Goodluck Jonathan had given a speech, officials and rescue workers said.

"We have evacuated two bodies of females we believe were suicide bombers behind the blast," said one rescue worker after the explosion in Gombe city.

"One of them was blown to pieces... Eighteen people were injured in the blast and have been taken to hospital," said the worker, who asked to remain anonymous because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Jonathan, who is campaigning for re-election in February 14 polls, had just left the venue after giving an address to supporters of his ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when the blast occurred.

A federal government official involved in the rescue operation and a medical source at the Gombe State Specialist Hospital gave identical tolls.

"Two bodies have been brought to the hospital along with 18 people wounded victims in the stadium explosion," said the hospital source.

"The dead bodies were of females," the source added. Reporters who visited the hospital gave a similar account.