http://dailytrust.com.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=152834:breaking-news-bok-haram-claims-responsibility-for-kano-attacks&catid=2:lead-stories&Itemid=8
Written by Auwal Umar, Hisham Habib & Sadeeq Aliyu, Kano; Hassan Abdul, Ronald Mutum; Hamza idris, Maiduguri Friday, 20 January 2012 18:01

The Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnati Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, known popularly as the 'boko haram', have claimed responsibility for the multiple attacks on formations of security agencies across Kano state.

Speaking by phone, spokesman for the group, Abul Qaqa, claimed that the attacks were in response to the refusal of the Kano state government to release some of their members who had been arrested in the state.

He said they were forced to resort to the attacks after an open letter they had sent late in 2011 to the Governor of Kano state, Mal. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso; the Dan Masanin Kano, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule and the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero had gone unheeded.

Daily Trust earlier confirmed that the attack at the Zone 1 Police headquarters was carried out by a suicide bomber driving a Honda Civic.

The bomber had succeeded in breaking through the gates of the building and rammed the car into the wall of a vocational centre in which wives of Police officer learn sewing.

The building is adjacent to the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 1. It was completely destroyed. According to one of the victims, he saw at least 3 dead bodies lying around.

At least 30 others suffering from varying degrees of injuries have been taken to different hospitals across the state. The whole area has been cordoned off.

Gunmen also stormed the headquarters of the State Police Command in Bompai and engaged the policemen there in a drawn out gun duel. Casualty figures are not yet known.

A second blast is said to have gone off at the SSS headquarters after a first blast caused the security agents to cordon off the immediate vicinity of their office.

There have also been reports of an explosion at a motor park along New Road in Sabon Gari area and another Police station at Yar'akwa along Zaria road.
This adds to the number of explosions and gun attacks which have been rocking the city this evening.

Earlier Daily Trust had reported the attacks on the Immigrations office at Farm Centre and the first and second explosions at the SSS headquarters along Sardauna Crescent.

Casualty figures from these sites are not yet known.

At the SSS headquarters, it is claimed that one of the attackers was killed and a second arrested in an earlier attack.

Other sources report more explosions and our reporters on the ground are compiling all confirmed locations.

According to an orange seller who was selling oranges close to the Immigration office when the attack on that office started, the attackers were two in number.

"I was peeling my oranges when all of a sudden two men walked to the building and began shooting at the immigration personnel there. I saw at least three of them fall before I ran for cover," he narrated.

It was after the shooting that the explosions began, he said.

According to our reporter, there was mayhem around Farm Centre at present with people running for safety and several car accidents resulting from the commotion.

A resident in Tarauni described a very thick dark cloud of smoke in the sky visible from his location to our reporter, most likely coming from the explosion at Yar'Akwa Police station, Zaria road.