KANO, Nigeria — Nigeria's army says twin suicide bombings targeted two major mobile phone facilities in this major northern Nigerian city, injuring one civilian.
Army spokesman Capt. Iweha Ikedichi said the attacks on the switching stations of South Africa-based MTN Group Ltd. and Bharti Airtel Ltd. of India occurred at about 8 a.m. Saturday in Kano. The stations control the mobile phone network in Kano and neighboring states.
Ikedichi said the Airtel bomber rammed an explosive-laden car into the gate, and the explosion injured a staffer.
Ikedichi said security shot the MTN bomber before he got to the company's premises, causing an explosion at the gate.
Authorities suspect the extremist Islamist sect known as Boko Haram. The group has previously carried out similar attacks, crippling communications in large areas of this mobile-reliant nation.
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