Bomb Explosion Behind Emir Of Kano’s Palace

An explosion was reported near the Emir’s palace in Kano.

The explosive device, driven in a keke NAPEP tricycle, went off metres away from the palace’s back fence, very close to the central mosque where the Emir prays on Fridays.

Muktar Ahmed who prayed at a Mosque close by, minutes before the explosion, said the explosion occurred shortly after the Ishai prayer time, around 8:00 p.m.

The casualty rate is still unknown as the police are still awakening to the incident.

“The scene of the incident was immediately barricaded by the police,” Mr. Ahmed said.

The Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, was a target of an assassination attempt in mid January.

He was attacked by gunmen on a Saturday afternoon leading to the death of his driver and his orderly.

The gunmen laid ambush on the convoy of the Emir around the Zoo road when he was returning from the Murtala Mosque in the city where he had gone to attend a Quranic recitation competition.

He sustained minor injuries and was flown to London for treatment.

It is unclear if the latest attack was targeted at the Emir.

The Kano State Police spokesman, Rilwanu Dutse, could not be reached for details of the incident as he did not pick or return calls made to his phone.