No let up in violence, toll at 185 in Nigeria terror attacks

There was no let up in violence in Nigeria on Tuesday as the toll from the last week's multiple bombings and gun attacks by radical Islamists in the northern city of Kano touched 185, including an Indian national from Gujarat. 

There was no let up in violence in Nigeria today as the toll from the last week's multiple bombings and gun attacks by radical Islamists in the northern city of Kano touched 185, including an Indian national from Gujarat.

At least 15 explosions were heard today from an area where there is police station, residents said, adding that the explosions were followed by gunshots.

A night time curfew remains in place even as the police launched a massive search operations for members of Boko Haram Islamic sect that claimed responsibility for the wave of attacks on Friday.

In one incident, residents accused the police of shooting dead a person just because he had a beard normally associated with devout Muslims.

The man was identified as a former federal education worker.

The death toll now stands at 185 though medical and humanitarian workers say the number may increase as more bodies werer brought into hospital mortuaries.

Reports quoting hospital workers yesterday had said the toll had touched 250.

Kevalkumar Kalidas Rajput from Dahod in Gujarat, who worked for Kano-based firm M/s Relchem, was among those killed in Friday's deadly attacks.

Authourities said militants, some of whom came as suicide bombers, targeted four police stations, the headquarters of the countrys secret police, state security service (SSS) in Kano state and an immigration office.

Meanwhile, the police provided a breakdown of people killed in the attacks which included 150 civilians, 29 officers of the police, three members of the SSS, two officers of the Nigerian immigrations service and a customs officer.

The police impounded eight vehicles yesterday which were loaded with improvised explosives.

A member of the security force on condition of annonimity said they recovered more than 100 explosives in the city.

Meanwhile, special prayers were held in mosques in the Kano for the victims.

The restive city's chief cleric Professor Sani Zaharadeen, traditional ruler of the city Emir Ado Bayero and the governor of the state, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso were present at the prayer.

On Sunday, Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan visited the populous city of Kano after the terror attacks unleashed on police stations and other security outfits' office.

Security has been beefed up amid uneasy calm in the city.

Streets were almost deserted as bodies still litter the city and Red Cross and other aid agencies helped in taking such to hospital mortuaries.

People from minority ethnic groups are preparing to move out of the city amid fears of violence and sectarian killings.

Hausa ethnic group dominate Kano.

The Indian High Commission here earlier underlined "the need for Indian nationals to observe the terms of our Security Advisory issued on January 17, 2012."

Reiterating its earlier advisory, it requested Indian nationals to "register themselves with the Mission".

Last week's bombings, numbering up to twenty, was followed by shoot-outs between the militants and security agencies especially at the eastern Bompai district.

Abul Qaqa, a spokesman of radical Islamist group Boko Haram, had claimed responsible for the attacks.

It has been waging a bloody conflict to install an Islamic government and Sharia rule in the country.

Some 26 people were killed when it carried out a suicide bomb attack at the United Nations headquarters in Abuja in July last year.

The 150-million Nigeria has both Muslim and Christian population, with Muslims predominant in the north while Christians mostly live in the Southern part of the country.