Over 160 dead at the hands of Islamist in Nigeria

There was also a shoot-out at the headquarters of the state police in the city’s eastern district of Bompai, a BBC report said. Andrew Samuel, a local man, described one of the blast: “I was on the roadside and I just heard a ‘boom’. As I came back, I saw the building of the police headquarters crashing down and I ran for my life.” Witnesses said the bomber who attacked one of the police stations pulled up outside the building on a motorbike, dismounted and ran inside holding a bag. Some unconfirmed reports have claimed suicide bombers carried out some of the attacks. The city was placed on a 24-hour curfew as many stayed in their home as soldiers and police patrolled the streets and set up roadblocks. Gunshots could be heard through some areas of the city into Saturday morning.

President Goodluck Jonathan promised those responsible would “face the full wrath of the law,” and “As a responsible government, we will not fold our hands and watch enemies of democracy, for that is what these mindless killers are, perpetrate unprecedented evil in our land,” he said.