At least nine persons were killed and 26 others injured on Monday in Cameroon following an explosion in the Far North Region of the country, local authorities confirmed.

The incident occured in Fotokol, a neighbouring town to Nigeria when young men in search of metals stumbled on an improvised explosive device before mistakenly detonating it, regional governor Midjiyawa Bakari said.

« A child less than ten discovered a metal and wanted to play with his counterparts. One of them realised the metal was dangerous and wanted to get rid of it but the device exploded killing nine person, » Governor Bakari said, dismissing reports the incident was a suicide attack.

It was initially feared the explosion was a suicide attack from islamist group Boko Haram but the Governor dismissed the reports after investigations.

All the nine persons dead are Nigerians who had crossed the border into Cameroon while all 26 injured receiving treatment at a medical facility in the locality, he added.