Nigeria's Kano mourns after Friday attacks

Jan 23, 2012, 12:57 GMT

Monrovia/Abuja - A day of mourning began in Kano on Monday, after at least 180 people were killed in attacks in the northern Nigerian city on Friday.

Kano's emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero, led prayers. Special services attended by thousands were also held at mosques, as well as churches, in the predominately Muslim city.

Some relatives of the dead held memorial services Monday, in keeping with Muslim tradition of burying the dead as soon as possible.

But efforts were hampered by a difficult identification process. Many of the bodies of those killed were charred or mangled beyond recognition in the blasts, which hit eight sites around the city.

Hospitals are still calling for blood donations for the critically-injured.

Emir Bayero met Sunday with President Goodluck Jonathan, who had travelled to the northern city.

Bayero said there was a need to increase security in Kano.

'It is a far cry that a city of Kano's size and status is being policed by 8,000 men, and we appeal to the authority concerned to have a rethink on the current situation in the overall peace and stability of the state,' he told local journalists.

'Those who perpetrate this dastardly act are not spirit, they live freely with us in the society,' Jonathan said.

'The security challenges they pose have now made it incumbent on us to be extra vigilant on what our next door neighbour does and by so doing, we will overcome the evil forces,' he added.