Abuja, October 16 (RHC)-- At least 42 people lost their lives when two bomb explosions ripped through a mosque in Nigeria's restive northeastern state of Borno.

Witnesses said the bombs went off in quick succession at around 6.30 p.m. local time (1730 GMT) on Thursday as two bombers, disguised as worshippers, slipped into the place of worship in the city of Maiduguri, located approximately 870 kilometers north of the capital, Abuja, where people had gathered for evening prayers.

"All the people in the mosque died. Not a single one escaped," Muhtari Ahmadu, a trader near the scene of the blasts, said. "The mosque can accommodate at least 40 people at a time but I don't know whether many people were inside at the time of the incident," Ahmadu added.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. However, Nigerian officials usually blame such assaults on Boko Haram Takfiri terrorists.

Nigeria has intensified its crackdown on Boko Haram as the terrorist group continues to wreak havoc across the country through bombings, raids and kidnappings.