TheCable

An explosion has occurred at the Federal College of Education, Kano, Kano state, a witness has told TheCable.

Another source, a resident of Kosar Famfo community where the school is located, said he had been informed by a student that suicide bombers were responsible for the explosion and that “many dead bodies” littered the ground immediately after it went off.

The official death toll is 15 killed, 37 injured.

Earlier, a witness, who teaches at a private school close to the college, had told TheCable that the explosion went off at about 2pm, and was followed by sporadic gun shots.

“Around 2:00pm, when I closed from work, I boarded a taxi and I heard a big bang,” she said.

“I did not even know what it was until I saw students running out from the direction of FCE. I heard from one of them that there was a blast and some people were shooting but I actually don’t know those shooting.

“Until we past there, people were running, commercial vehicle drivers, and bicycle and tricycle riders were fleeing. Everyone was in a hurry to leave the vicinity. We all ran past.”

Meanwhile, the police in Kano have confirmed the death of 15 persons, including the two suicide bombers.

The police commissioner, Mr Aderinle Shinaba, also said 34 other persons, most of them students and lecturers, sustained various degrees of injury during the attack.

“After the exchange of gunfire with security agents, they emerged at the college lecture theatre and detonated two explosives.

“There was another insurgent who was carrying AK 47 and explosives,” he said.

A security operative shot the gunman, he said, and the explosive went off and killed him.

“So far we have been able to recover some of the AK47 rifles and magazines,” he said.

“We are going to keep our men on ground to enhance security in the school.”