Overnight explosions heard in Nigeria's Kano

Aljazeera

24 January 2012

Overnight explosions heard in Nigeria's Kano

Explosions and gunfire were reported early on Tuesday from an area near a police station in the northern Nigerian city of Kano, where co-ordinated attacks and gun battles last week killed about 178 people.

The AFP news agency reported early on Tuesday that its correspondent heard a series of blasts and gunshots coming from an area where a mobile police headquarters is located. Details were not immediately clear and police were not available for comment. A resident reported a similar account.

"I was awoken from sleep by explosions and gunshots coming from the mobile barracks and police station opposite," the resident said, adding that they had stopped after several minutes. "It's terrifying ... It's too dangerous to go out, besides there is curfew."

Sporadic gunfire could still be heard after the explosions halted.

A nighttime curfew is in effect in the wake of Friday's bomb attacks and fierce gun battles between Boko Haram fighters and police in Kano, Nigeria's second largest city.

On Monday, Nigerian police said they had found several cars and vans filled with explosives in the city.

"The police were on a stop-and-search today and in two of the checkpoints, the Boko Haram members on sighting the checkpoints abandoned their vehicles and ran," a high-level police officer told the Reuters news agency, asking not to be named.

"The vehicles were later checked and the cars were loaded with explosives. Two brand new Hilux open pick-up vans were also found packed with explosives in the Bompai area of Kano."

Unexploded car bombs  

Authorities discovered at least 10 unexploded car bombs, including one near a police station in Kano, as well as around 100 other explosive devices through the day on Monday.