81 die in Nigeria bomb attacks

Gunmen set off three bombs and opened fire on worshippers at the main mosque in north Nigeria’s biggest city Kano on Friday, killing at least 81 people, local administration and hospital sources said. Police, other government officials and witnesses said, the deadly attacks bore the hallmarks of Islamist Boko Haram militants. Blasts from the coordinated assault rang out as scores of people packed into the ancient building’s courtyard for Jum’a prayers on Friday afternoon. ‘These people have bombed the mosque. I am face to face with people screaming,’ said the reporters of a local newspaper Chijjani Usman. The mosque is next to the palace of the emir of Kano, the second highest Islamic authority in Africa’s most populous country and a vocal critic of Boko Haram. The emir, former central bank governor Lamido Sanusi, was not present. ‘After multiple explosions, Boko Haram men also opened fire. I cannot tell you the casualties because we all ran away,’ a member of staff at the palace said. After the attacks, angry youths blocked the mosque’s gates to police, who had to force their way in with tear gas. Journalists visited two mortuaries after the attacks. They saw 20 bodies in one and 61 in the other. Medical officer Muhammad Ali said the victims had blast and gunshot wounds, according to Reuters.