Police officials in the Nigerian city of Kano have confirmed to reporters that multiple bomb blasts on late Monday evening believed to be carried out by Boko Haram has killed at least 15 people and injuring dozen others.

The area where the blasts occurred is believed to have been previously targeted by Boko Haram in March, which 20 people were killed in the area which is dominated by Christians from the south of the country.

Eyewitnesses told reporters that they saw dead bodies after hearing multiple blasts at around 9:30 p.m. local time (21:30 GMT) in the Sabon Gari district, a predominantly Christian area dominated by ethnic Igbos from the southeast.

“I heard two explode around Enugu Road and another two near Forest Villa Hotel, after the blasts I saw many bodies lying on the ground,’’ a local trader called Emeka Mike told the Reuters News Agency.

“After the first bomb, I threw myself into the canal (drain) to hide. There were at least three blasts,” another witness added.

There are reports that the Muslim majority in the city are angry about the incident as they say it highly unacceptable in the Islamic doctrine to carry such attack, especially in the holy month of Ramadan.

The Kano state Police Commissioner Musa Daura confirmed the blasts and added that the police are doing all they could to provide security in the area.

“We have had some explosions in Sabon Gari, in all bomb attacks 15 were killed but we are doing all we can to provide security for the people,’’ he said.

President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in 3 northern states on May 14, and deployed thousands of troops to halt the insurgency, acknowledging that militants had taken control of some towns and villages in the north.

The Nigerian Armed Forces have been on offensive to flush Boko Haram out of its northern strongholds with the army saying it has gained massive grounds against Boko Haram.

But with this attack in the centre of the city, it is relative difficult to believe the claim of the Nigerian army success story against Boko Haram.

The UK has outlawed Boko Haram under its anti-terror laws, with support for the group now considered a criminal offence in the United Kingdom.

President Goodluck Jonathan had wanted to grant an amnesty to Boko Haram by setting up a committee to look into the affairs on how a peaceful dialogue can be achieved but the group refused to lay down their arms compelling the President to resort to military action against them.

Boko Haram is believed to have carried out a wave of bombings and assassinations since 2009, saying it wants to establish an Islamic state across Nigeria.

Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News

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