Nigeria bus station attack toll rises

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Lagos - An attack that saw two suicide bombers ram their car into a bus station in northern Nigeria has killed at least 22 people and wounded dozens more, police said on Tuesday.

The attack on Monday in Kano, the largest city in Nigeria's mainly Muslim north, led to a huge explosion that hit five buses, police spokesman Magaji Majia told AFP.

A rescue official had said on Monday that the toll was at least 20 and a security source said it was likely to climb much higher.

“From our tally, 22 people were killed in the suicide blast at the New Road motor park,” Majia said.

“Sixty-five others were injured. Two suicide bombers rammed their Volkwagen Golf car into a luxury bus loaded with passengers about to leave for the south. This led to an explosion that engulfed the bus and four other buses lined up waiting for passengers.”

The targeted station primarily services passengers heading to the mostly Christian south of Nigeria.

A rescue official speaking on condition of anonymity said he had the same toll, specifying that it did not include the two bombers.

Authorities have not said who was behind the bombing and there has been no claim of responsibility, but it was similar to previous attacks by Islamist extremist group Boko Haram.

Kano has been repeatedly targeted by the group, blamed for killing hundreds in the region since 2009. Its deadliest assault yet occurred in Kano in January 2012, when at least 185 people were killed in coordinated bomb and gun attacks.

Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation and largest oil producer, roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominately Christian south. - Sapa-AFP