ISTANBUL

At least five people were killed and 35 injured on Wednesday in a bomb explosion at a mosque during evening prayers in Nigeria's northeastern Borno state, police spokesperson ASP Nahum Daso Kenneth said on the US social media platform Facebook.

According to a statement, authorities suspect the explosion in Maiduguri, the state capital, resulted from a suicide bombing, based on witness statements and the recovery of fragments from a suspected suicide bomber's vest.

Officials are continuing an investigation to determine the cause and circumstances surrounding the incident, said Daso.

The state has been plagued for years by the terrorist group Boko Haram and similar groups.