Nigerian suicide bombers target Kano mobile phone firms 22 December 2012 Last updated at 11:50 Kano police chief Ibrahim Idris Kano police chief Ibrahim Idris said no civilians had died in the attacks Suicide bombers in Nigeria have attacked the offices

Kano police chief Ibrahim Idris
said no civilians had died in the
attacks
Suicide bombers in Nigeria
have attacked the offices of
two mobile phone companies in
the northern city of Kano, police
say.

A bomber rammed his vehicle
into the Airtel office in Kano,
setting the building on fire.
Witnesses say an attack was
mounted minutes later on the
MTN office in the city but the car
failed to penetrate the perimeter
fence.

No civilians were killed. No-one
has said they were behind the
attacks.

Kano police chief Ibrahim Idris
told Reuters news agency the
bombers had died in the attacks.

"The one who hit the Airtel office
was shot by military men before
the bomb exploded," he said. "At
the MTN office the car rammed
into the fence but no civilians
were killed."

The Islamist militants, Boko
Haram, have previously targeted
mobile phone companies,
claiming they help the security
forces track down their
members.
The US-based Human Rights
Watch says at least 2,800 people
have died in fighting in northern
Nigeria since Boko Haram began
its campaign for strict Islamic law
in 2009.
Security has been increased at all
churches in the country ahead of
Christmas, when Boko Haram has
previously targeted Christian
places of worship.

From the BBC