Three people were killed and two others were injured following a weekend suicide bomb attack near a local market in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno, the police said Monday.

A male suicide bomber detonated his improvised explosive devices at the entrance of the local market in Ramirgo Village located in Askira/Uba district of the restive northern state, Borno State police spokesman, Aderemi Opadokun, said via a text message sent to Xinhua.

According to the local police spokesman, it appeared the suicide bomber targeted a local security checkpoint at the entrance of the market.

Remains of the suicide bomber and three victims were evacuated to a state-run General Hospital in Uba town, he said, adding the injured are still being treated at the health facility.

Suicide attacks, usually carried out by Boko Haram, have claimed thousands of lives in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, since 2009.

Boko Haram stepped up its campaign of violence since President Muhammadu Buhari took office late May, unleashing waves of attacks that have claimed more than 800 lives in just two months.