At least three civilians have been killed and many others injured in two separate bomb explosions in Nigeria.

On Thursday, an explosion took place in a crowded market in the northeastern Borno State, injuring at least seven people.

“We were frightened and shocked when the blast went off and people started running for safety,” said Modu Aisami, an eyewitness in the area, after the incident.

Reports say that the blast also set fire to many shops nearby.

This comes after a bomb blast targeting a military patrol vehicle in the northeastern city of Maiduguri killed at least three civilians and injured an undisclosed number of soldiers on Wednesday.

Maiduguri is considered the home base of the Boko Haram militant group, which has claimed responsibility for a number of deadly gun and bomb attacks in various parts of Nigeria since 2009.

Human rights groups report that violent actions by the group since mid-2009 have claimed more than 1,000 lives, including over 300 in 2012.