Kano, Nigeria’s second-largest city, was rocked by multiple bomb blasts on Friday, raising fears that an Islamist insurrection concentrated in remote northeastern parts of the country is spreading across the predominately Muslim north.
Kano, Nigeria’s second-largest city, was rocked by multiple bomb blasts on Friday, raising fears that an Islamist insurrection concentrated in remote northeastern parts of the country is spreading across the predominately Muslim north.
Residents of the sprawling ancient city said they heard at least 20 separate blasts, and that there were shoot-outs in some neighbourhoods. Motorists struggled to head home.
Police headquarters in the city was targeted in one attack, according to police spokesmen. Police said a separate bomb hit the passport office, Reuters reported. There was no word initially on the number of casualties.
The fresh violence puts additional pressure on President Goodluck Jonathan’s beleaguered administration, which was forced this week to reinstate partially a fuel subsidy following nationwide protests and a general strike that threatened oil production.
Islamist militants battling the security forces and seeking to force wider implementation of Islamic law have stepped up attacks on government and Christian targets since Christmas when at least 37 people were killed in an attack on a Catholic church.
The increasing sophistication and co-ordination of their campaign since UN headquarters in the capital were targeted last August have cemented concern that Boko Haram militants are receiving training, financing and other assistance from global jihadist networks further afield, including al-Qaeda. Mr Jonathan warned recently that his government and security forces have been infiltrated by the sect.
There is growing speculation in Nigeria that the Boko Haram agenda has been hijacked by other political factions seeking to undermine the government and divide the fragile federation along religious and ethnic lines.
A Reuters witness at the scene of the police headquarters blast saw smoke billowing out of the building, windows blown out and the roof collapsed. Firefighters had sprayed the roof with a hose to try to douse the flames.
Witnesses said the bomber pulled up to the building on a motorbike then got off and ran at it holding a bag.
“We tried to stop him but he ran in forcefully with his bag. All of a sudden there was a blast. You can see for yourself: the building is damaged,” said a policeman at the scene.
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