At least six killed by suicide bomb in bus in Nigeria's Yobe state - witness

KADUNA, Nigeria (Reuters) - At least six people were killed and others were injured when a suicide bomb went off in a bus in Fika in Nigeria's northeast Yobe state on Wednesday, one of the injured told Reuters.

The state has frequently seen attacks by Boko Haram militants, although no group immediately claimed responsibility for the bus attack.

"A suicide bomber, I think he was on his way to bomb the market in Fika ... but unfortunately while he was still in the bus to the market the bomb strap on him exploded and killed six people. This happened early this afternoon at about 1 p.m. (1200 GMT)," the man said in hospital.

He said others were injured but did not know how many.

Yobe is one of three Nigerian states put under a state of emergency by President Goodluck Jonathan last year as an insurgency by Sunni jihadi group Boko Haram intensified.

The militants are mainly active in the northeast of the country.

Borno, one of the other states under a state of emergency, increased security for New Year and Eid-Maulud celebrations, banning all transport by motor vehicles, bicycles and animals in the state over the Jan. 1-2 period.

In Yobe state, the government has banned vehicle transport across its borders over the same period.

(Reporting By Isaac Abrak; Editing by Susan Fenton)