Story highlights

NEW: 32 dead, 45 injured in bomb blasts in Jos, Nigerian emergency agency says

Guard: A man brought a cart into market, detonated device, then blew himself up later

There's no claim of responsibility, but Boko Haram has attacked in Jos before

Jos, Nigeria CNN  — 

Two bombs explosions at a market in the central Nigerian city of Jos left 32 people dead, a government agency reported, marking the latest instance of violence to hit the volatile region.

Nigeria’s state broadcaster NTA reported the explosions took place Thursday at the terminus area of the Jos market.

According to Mohammed Adams, a security guard there, a young man walked into the market with a small cart claiming he was carrying yams. He kept moving before detonating one device, killing at least two people.

People chased him, but couldn’t stop him before he managed to blow himself up, Adams said.

The security guard initially told CNN that at least 12 people were dead.

On Friday, Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency said that the bomb blasts killed 32 people and injured 45 others. It was not immediately clear if the bomber was among those counted as dead.

Located about 250 kilometers (155 miles) northwest of Abuja, the nation’s capital, Jos is in an area that has been beset by violence in recent years.

Much of that fighting has pitted Nigerian troops against Boko Haram, the Islamist terror group trying to impose its strict version of Sharia law across the African nation. Citizens have repeatedly been caught up in the mayhem such as mass kidnappings of women and children as well as bombings of schools, churches and mosques blamed on Boko Haram.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Thursday’s attack.

However, Boko Haram has been tied to violence in Jos before, including a double car-bombing at the same market in May that killed 118 people.

Journalist Hassan John reported from Jos, and CNN’s Greg Botelho wrote this story from Atlanta.