Twenty persons, including a female suicide bomber were killed in a major market in Maiduguri, the capital of the troubled Borno State following an attack by the Boko Haram sect on Saturday

The female bomber was reportedly a 10-year-old girl. The incident also left 18 persons injured, the Police Public Relations officer of the Borno State Police Command, Gideon Jubrin, has confirmed.

He said the incident occurred at about 12:30pm at a section of the market.

Also, the spokesman of the National Emergency Management Authority, AbdulKadir Ibrahim, said workers from the agency were at the market to help those injured in the blast.

The attack was at the Yen-Kaji area of the market where chickens are sold. The section was immediately cordoned off by the military as tension rose in the troubled town.

Red Cross officials were seen conveying injured persons to the hospital.