A dog at a Nigerian wedding party grappled with a suicide bomber until her explosives detonated, killing the animal as well.

Buba Ahmed, of Belbelo, a village near the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, said guests were grateful that the dog sacrificed itself to save their lives.

He said the teenage bomber was near the spot where most villagers were attending a wedding ceremony when the dog pounced on her.

Police spokesman Victor Isuku confirmed that the dog had intervened to save the wedding party.

A multinational force has driven Boko Haram Islamic extremists out of most towns and villages in north-eastern Nigeria, but the extremists have resorted to attacking soft targets with suicide bombers.

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