Two separate attacks by suicide bombers directed at facilities belonging to mobile communication networks, MTN and Airtel, in Kano State have injured a yet-unknown number of people and killed the perpetrators.
While the first bombing occurred at Airtel’s building near Mallam Kato Square, Sabon Gari, Kano, injuring an unconfirmed number of people, the second attack, which occurred just a few minutes after the first, was at MTN switch in Bompai along Mai Malari, opposite northern Flour mills in Bompai.
According to Bayo Osho, a survivor who is an Airtel staffer, two cars were employed in carrying out the first attack.
He said the first car bumped into the gate, after which the explosives-laden second car sped into the building. He added that the driver of the second car first fired gunshots at security agents at the building before the explosives detonated.
The second attack, Huhuonline.com gathered, was unsuccessful because the explosives went off before the car could gain entry into the building.
The attacked MTN and Airtel switches control mobile communication network in 13 states and seven states respectively.
According to security sources, the suicide bombers who attacked the Airtel office died immediately while an undisclosed number of people were injured.
In a later development, spokesman of the Joint Security Task Force, Capt. Ikedichi Iweha confirmed the death of two suicide bombers. He confirmed, too, that only the operator of the Airtel building’s generator set was injured.
“With the exception of the two bombers, nobody else died in the two coordinated incidents,” he said. “The quick response of the troops around the place averted the destruction of the office but the wall fence was touched in the coordinated attack.”
Iweha added that security had been tightened around the two locations in a bid to forestall future attacks.
