25 killed in series of explosions in Nigeria’s Kano

At least 25 people have been killed in several explosions at a bus station in the northern Nigerian city of Kano.

According to reports, five blasts took place on Monday evening at a bus park in Sabon-Gari area of the city. Several buses were reportedly destroyed in the explosions. Following the blasts, Nigerian security forces cordoned off the area.

A rescue official on condition of anonymity said “I saw … buses on fire. One of them was fully loaded with passengers waiting to leave the station at the time of the blasts…”

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Nigerian officials put the blame on Boko Haram militants who had carried out similar assaults in the past.

The extremist group has waged a campaign of terror in northern Nigeria for almost four years. Boko Haram has also claimed responsibility for a number of deadly gun and bomb attacks in various parts of Nigeria since 2009.

Human rights groups report that violent actions by the group since mid-2009 have claimed more than 1,000 lives, including over 300 in 2012.