The explosion occurred minutes after the start of the Jumaat prayer, which traditionally take place on that site located in the vicinity of the Palace of the Emir, the spokesperson added.

Sani Zahradeen, imam of the mosque, is unharmed and was evacuated from the scene, because after the bombing there were sporadic gunfire, commented Eze.

The guard at the Palace of the Emir was mobilized to protect the site, residence of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, crowned last June as the Emir of Kano and one of the most influential people in Nigeria, a nation with 80 million Muslims in a total population of 173.6 million.(KH/PL)