Bomb Explosions Rock Nigeria's Second Largest City
January 20, 2012
Peter Heinlein | Abuja, Nigeria
Three huge bomb explosions have targeted police and government offices in Nigeria's second-largest city, Kano. Nigerian TV says there have been casualties in connection with the attacks and there have been unconfirmed reports of gunfire. The explosions come as Africa's most populous country is facing increasing attacks from the Muslim extremist group Boko Haram.
Initial reports say at least two police headquarters buildings in the northern city were hit by explosions late Friday. Kano's emergency coordinator, Abubakar Jibril, told VOA by phone that conditions are chaotic.
"There have been more than one blast, there have been three heavy blasts around the town, but really we cannot ascertain who is responsible and whether it is bomb or whatever it is," said Jibril. "We tried to get to police headquarters where the first bomb blast happened, the first heavy blast happened, but the road has been blocked by security agents."
Witnesses contacted by other reporters told of people running from the scenes in panic.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blasts, but northern Nigeria has been hit by a wave of bombings blamed on the Islamist extremist group Boko Haram.
Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in four states, after a deadly bomb blast at a Catholic church Christmas Day. But Kano had been relatively peaceful, and was not included in the emergency declaration.
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