Boko Haram claims suicide attack on Arbaeen March in Nigeria

Local Editor

Boko Haram claimed on Saturday responsibility for a suicide bombing on a Muslim procession [Arbaeen March] near the northern Nigerian city of Kano that killed 22 people.

The militant group said in a statement in Arabic on social media its bomber "detonated his explosives which led to the death" of the victims on Friday.

At least 21 people were initially reported killed but the toll rose after one more person was confirmed dead.

"For now, we have 22 deaths following the death of one more person yesterday. Thirty-eight people have also been injured, two of whom have been discharged from the hospital," one of the organizers of the march Ali Kakaki told AFP Saturday.

He said that, despite the attack on Friday, the Islamic Movement of Nigeria members had continued their march from Kano to Zaria in neighboring Kaduna state, where their leader Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky is based.

The march is to mark the Arba'een, which commemorates the 40 days after the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein [PBUH], the grandson of the Prophet Mohammed [PBUH].

"Following the attack, many more of our members have joined the procession," Kakaki said, adding that they aimed to arrive at their destination next week.
Friday's attack took place in the village of Dakasoye, some 20 kilometres [13 miles] south of the city of Kano.

One of the procession's organizers said a bomber clad in black ran into the crowd and detonated his explosives.

Boko Haram, the radical group who wants to create a hardline Caliphate in northeast Nigeria, had previously been blamed for attacks in the region.

The group has increasingly used suicide bombers against "soft" civilian targets since the start of a military offensive earlier this year that pushed them out of territory they controlled.

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has given his military commanders until next month to end the conflict but there are fears that suicide and bomb attacks may persist.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team