Bomb blast hits mosque in northern Nigeria city

Islamic Extremism

Police officers gather at the site of a blast at a petrol station in Kano, Nigeria. Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014. A bomb exploded Friday night in northern Kano city, the second largest population center in Nigeria, killing six people including three police officers, according to the police. (AP Photo/Muhammed Giginyu)

A military official in Nigeria says scores of people are feared to have been killed and wounded in a bomb blast at a mosque.

Capt. Ikechukwu Eze said the Friday blast occurred at the main mosque in the city of Kano, Nigeria’s second-largest city. Hundreds had gathered to listen to a sermon from the chief imam of Kano.

Witnesses say heavy smoke could be seen billowing in the sky from a long distance away.

Rescue operations are underway at the bomb site, with the injured and dead being taken away from the scene. A similar blast had exploded in a petrol station in the same city 10 days ago, killing six people including three police officers.

This report is compiled with inputs from The Associated Press.