At least 81 dead in coordinated Nigeria mosque attack
- 9 years ago
The mute video hardly captures the chaos and utter misery of this scene in Nigeria.
At least 81 people were reported killed on Friday when gunmen set off three bombs and opened fire on worshippers at the main mosque in north Nigeria's biggest city, Kano.
The coordinated attack happened as people packed into the courtyard of the ancient mosque for afternoon prayers.
It bore the hallmarks of Islamist Boko Haram militants.
The mosque sits next to the palace of the emir of Kano, an increasingly vocal critic of Boko Haram.
They're trying to revive a medieval Islamic caliphate in the area and consider traditional Islamic authorities with disdain.
Earlier this month, the emir was quoted in the press as calling on Nigerians to defend themselves against the fighters.
The attack comes the same day the Red Cross said more than one million people have fled their homes to escape the Boko Haram insurgency.
At least 81 people were reported killed on Friday when gunmen set off three bombs and opened fire on worshippers at the main mosque in north Nigeria's biggest city, Kano.
The coordinated attack happened as people packed into the courtyard of the ancient mosque for afternoon prayers.
It bore the hallmarks of Islamist Boko Haram militants.
The mosque sits next to the palace of the emir of Kano, an increasingly vocal critic of Boko Haram.
They're trying to revive a medieval Islamic caliphate in the area and consider traditional Islamic authorities with disdain.
Earlier this month, the emir was quoted in the press as calling on Nigerians to defend themselves against the fighters.
The attack comes the same day the Red Cross said more than one million people have fled their homes to escape the Boko Haram insurgency.