A bomb blast in the northern Nigerian town of Potiskum, killed at least 15 people and wounded over 50 others.

Shia Muslims in Nigeria continue to mourn the death of 15 of their worshippers and 50 others wounded in a bomb blast during the Shia religious Ashura ceremony in the town of Potiskum in north eastern Nigeria on Monday, November 3, 2014, BBC reported.

In all, 20 people died in the area and reports say, the five others were killed by security forces who arrived at the scene and opened fire. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack but the Islamic sect Boko Haram that denounces the Shias as non-Muslims and has equally been responsible for myriads of attacks and kidnappings especially in north-eastern Nigeria is highly suspected.

The bomber detonated himself after joining worshippers who were marching to mark Ashura, a solemn day when Shias mourn the martyrdom of Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in 680 AD at Karbala in modern-day Iraq, witnesses reportedly told the BBC Hausa service. A police officer at the scene who requested for anonymity is quoted as saying that, “It was a huge crowd and many of them were affected."

Yusuf Abdullahi, a resident of Potiskum is reported to have told Reuters that "I heard a very heavy explosion as if it happened in my room. It took place just 200 meters from my house," he said. He reportedly said another person carrying an explosive that did not go off was arrested.

The beginning of this week has been bloody in north eastern Nigeria as in a separate overnight incident on Monday, gunmen using explosives  blew their way into a prison in the city of Lokoja in central Kogi State  killing one person and freeing 144 inmates, Reuters said citing Adams Omale the prisons coordinator for the State.