Pieces of flesh, blood splatters, broken floor tiles, abandoned footwears and prayer mats littered Kano Central Mosque on Saturday when the Emir of Kano, Muhammed Sanusi II, visited the worship centre following multiple bomb explosions in the mosque on Friday.
Bloodstains were also noticeable at the entrance and on the walls of the mosque. The bomb blasts had left gaping holes in the ceiling of the sprawling religious edifice.
The Emir subsequently directed that the mosque be washed and cleaned and prayers should continue there.
Hundreds of residents and Islamic faithfuls thronged the outside of the mosque to catch a glimpse of the scene of the carnage. Carcasses of dozens of burnt motorcycles and cars as well as water bottles and hand fans were scattered around the area.
A senior rescue official late Friday gave AFP the preliminary death toll of 120.
The official also said at least 270 people were wounded in the attack, which saw two suicide bombers blow themselves up and gunmen opened fire during Friday prayer in Kano.
Kano State acting police chief, Sanusi Lemu, told journalists that three of the attackers were grabbed and killed by the enraged mob.
Speaking on the incident, Sanusi said it must have taken at least two months for the Boko Haram insurgents to plan Friday’s attack on the Kano Central Mosque.
He also vowed that he would not be intimidated into renouncing Islam.
No fewer than 120 people were killed and 270 injured on Friday as two suicide bombers and a number of gunmen allegedly attacked the 10,000-capacity mosque where the Emir and former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, usually leads prayers.
Sanusi said, “We will never be intimidated into abandoning our religion, which is the intention of the attackers.”
The Emir dismissed the speculation that the attack was a response to his call for northerners to defend themselves against the insurgents.
“From all indications, they (the attackers) have been planning this for at least two months,” Sanusi said in Hausa.”
The Emir, who did not give details supporting that assertion, directed the place be washed and cleaned, an Agence France Presse correspondent at the scene reported.
via nigerianeye
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